Munster Rugby vs Aviron Bayonnais Preview
The European Rugby Champions Cup begins this weekend, and each division is full of evenly matched rugby teams. However, the first game of Pool Three looks very one-sided. Munster host Bayonne in what will be the first meeting between the two rugby union clubs. The match will take place on Saturday, December 9, at 5:30 PM, the same day as five other ERCC fixtures.
This matchup will happen at the renowned Thomond Park in Limerick. Even though Munster hasn’t performed well this season, the 25,000-seater stadium remains a formidable venue. The Irish side head into this competition after defeating Glasgow 40-29. Bayonne travels to Ireland full of confidence after dispatching Montpellier 34-19. Munster sits fourth in the United Rugby Championship, and Aviron Bayonnais is tenth in the French Top 14. Although the home side is the clear favourite for this game, anything can happen on game day.
Munster Rugby vs Aviron Bayonnais Head-To-Head and Key Stats
These two rugby union clubs have never met, which will make for an interesting game on the weekend. It also adds complexity for anyone looking to make betting predictions or live wagers on the day. The only way you can get an idea of how this game will play out is to look at the performances from both sides this season.
Munster might be fourth in the league, but they have not looked the same this season in the URC. They have not won consecutive games this season with seven matches played. On top of this, they have lost two games this season to local rivals Leinster and Ulster. Munster also dropped points against Benetton in a 13-13 draw early in the season. The Italian side has been great to watch in the United Rugby Championship, but Munster was lucky to come out with anything in that game.
Munster won their last game, a home fixture against Scottish side Glasgow. The match was full of points and yellow cards, as both sides contributed to a fascinating game of rugby. Munster took the lead within ten minutes and Glasgow compounded their misery with a yellow card for Nathan McBeth. With a man down, the Scots went in 26-5 at halftime. The score was 33-10 when Glasgow had another man sent to the sin bin, this time Lucio Sordoni. With 14 men on the field, they scored a try followed by a penalty try that saw Tadhg Beirne for Munster go to the sin bin. With not enough minutes on the clock for Glasgow to recover, the score finished 40-29.
A stunning score on Friday night from inside our own 22 with 8⃣ players involved in the move 👏pic.twitter.com/go7p5LgBGR#MUNvGLA #SUAF 🔴
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) December 3, 2023
The France Top 14 division has played nine games this season, and Bayonne won four and lost five. They sit tenth in the table, already ten points off the league leaders, Racing 92. Aviron Bayonnais has also been unable to win consecutive matches this season. They have beaten Toulouse, Paris, and Section Paloise this season, all of which have been home games. Interestingly, they have lost every away game so far in the Top 14. Some of these games have been blistering defeats, such as the 37-0 defeat to Castres in early September.
Bayonne’s most recent game was against Montpellier, who sit bottom of the division. The away side has seven points this season and has only registered one victory in nine games. The match had everything you could hope for, including seven tries and two yellow cards. Camille Lopez opened the scoring for Bayonne after 12 minutes, and Montpellier’s Thomas Darmon went to the sin bin a minute later. The away side got a score after 22 minutes thanks to Becognee, but a yellow card after 32 minutes killed their momentum. The halftime result was 13-5, and it only worsened from there. Scores from Martocq, Bourdeau, and Bosch proved too much for the away side even with two tries of their own. The score finished 34-19, with Bayonne good for their lead.
Placing wagers on the European Rugby Champions Cup is never dull because you never know who will pull something out of the bag. Munster has Toulon, Northampton, Glasgow, and Exeter in the group, so dropping points this weekend should be out of the question. Every division this year has got a lot of exciting matches to look forward to, and you should not completely rule out Bayonne. Yes, they have struggled on the road this year, but stranger things have happened in rugby.
Munster Rugby vs Aviron Bayonnais Predictions
If you are looking to bet on a rugby union match, the home side often receives a clear advantage at the bookmaker. This week, even the home advantage does not account for the absurd odds available at the online sports betting sites. Munster to win the match by any margin has odds of 1/50. That means you must bet as much as €50 to get €1 back as profit. Unsurprisingly, the odds for Aviron Bayonnais winning are very rewarding at 12/1. Even a €5 bet on this market will return as much as €65 at the final whistle. Draws are uncommon in rugby, and for one to happen this weekend, the bookmaker will give 50/1.
Usually, predicting the outcome of a rugby match is difficult, but there is only one way this one can go. With Munster the resounding favourite at the bookies and with home advantage, we predict Munster will win the match by some margin. The biggest victory the Irish side had managed this season was a 45-14 hammering of the Dragons. It would not surprise us this weekend if they replicated a winning margin like this or an even bigger scoreline.
Betting on Munster to win is the smart move this week, however, it is also the least rewarding. Looking at the outright market, you would have to wager thousands to come out with any decent return at all. Instead, you will have to be more creative with your bet and consider other options. In situations like these, the handicap bet is a fantastic option. The wager assigns a point difference to either side, effectively reducing the difference in quality between the sides. This week, you can bet on a handicap as large as -36.5 to Munster. This means your bet will only win if Munster scores 37 more points than Bayonne.
If this is your first time signing up for sports betting, you will most likely receive a welcome bonus when you register. Using the bonus for this game is not the best idea, given how little the returns are for the favourite. Instead, you are better off saving the promotion for another rugby union match this weekend as there’s plenty of action.
Munster Rugby vs Aviron Bayonnais Betting Tips
Placing a wager on the European Rugby Champions Cup offers a break from each team’s regular season form. However, that often means the first game or two are extra unpredictable as the teams reestablish themselves in this new division. Pool Three of the ERCC has Bayonne, Exeter, Glasgow, Munster, Northampton, and Toulon. Exeter and Northampton are mid-table in the Gallagher Premiership, and Glasgow and Munster are in the top four for the URC. Toulon is second in France’s Top 14 and Bayonne is tenth, meaning they are the worst-ranked team in the league.
Betting on Munster to beat a bottom-half French side is the best option this week, but it’s unrewarding. One way to increase your returns is to consider the half-time markets. Here you can bet on the result after 40 minutes. If you think Munster will lead the half by ten or more points, you can choose a handicap wager with odds of 5/6. A ten-euro wager on this market will give you €18.33 if your prediction is correct. That is significantly more than you will get for betting on Munster outright.
There are plenty of betting options available on the game this weekend besides the full-time prediction. You can place wagers on just about anything for rugby union games, such as the total number of points scored. You can bet whether the points scored by both teams will add up to an odd or even number. Either market has odds of 17/20, not bad considering you have a 50-50 chance.
Whatever you decide to bet on for the rugby union match, ensure you gamble responsibly. There are dozens of matches to look forward to this weekend. If no wager on this fixture catches your eye, keep your money in your pocket. Games like these pay poorly for betting on the obvious choice, and betting on the underdog is often a waste.
🗞️ CONTRACT UPDATE | Munster Rugby are pleased to confirm that Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman & Paddy Patterson have all signed two-year contract extensions 🥳
Click the pic for full details.#SUAF 🔴
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) December 5, 2023
Munster Rugby Team News and Lineups
Like many teams in the URC, Munster has several injured players to contend with. Head coach Graham Rowntree has some good news as Patrick Campbell, Jack O’Donoghue, and Simon Zebo all returned to training this week. Their availability for the weekend game will be determined later in the week. Also, Munster announced Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, and Paddy Patterson all signed two-year contract extensions with the province.
Jean Kleyn picked up an eye injury against Leinster and will miss the rest of 2023. Liam Coombes and Jack Daly underwent surgery last week and will not be available for the next couple of weeks. Also, unavailable players include Peter O’Mahony, RG Snyman, Joey Carbery, Roman Salanoa, Mike Haley, Cian Hurley, and Niall Scannell.
- Munster Predicted Lineup: J. Loughman, D. Barron, S. Archer, E. Edogbo, T. Beirne, T. Ahern, J. Hodnett, G. Coombes, C. Casey, J. Crowley, S. O’Brien, R. Scannell, A. Frisch, C. Nash, and S. Daly.
Aviron Bayonnais Team News and Lineups
The French side has had a mix of good and bad news. This week Matis Perchaud has announced his intention to leave the club at the end of the season. The 21-year-old prop had a contract with Bayonne until 2026 but has requested to be released to join Union Bordeaux Bègles. In recent weeks, Camille Lopez, Swan Cormenier, and Uzair Cassiem have all signed extensions to their current deals. Plus, Mateo Carreras will join the French side once his contract is up with Newcastle at the end of this season.
- Bayonne Predicted Lineup: S. Cormenier, F. Bosch, T. Tatafu, T. Ceyte, L. Paulos, P. Huguet, A. Iturria, U. Cassiem, G. Rouet, C. Lopez, N. Megdoud, F. Mori, G. Martocq, A. Callandret, and T. Spring.
