Northampton vs Bordeaux Betting Tips
- Bordeaux to win by 11-15 points - 13/2 Betfred
- Penaud to score a try - 6/5 BoyleSports
Northampton Saints are bidding to become European champions for the first time in 25 years when they face Bordeaux in Cardiff on Saturday (2.45pm, Premier Sports 1 & BBC iPlayer).
The Saints are massive underdogs with betting sites to lift the Champions Cup against a star-studded Bordeaux side, but have already pulled off a huge upset on their run to the final when beating Leinster in Dublin in the last four.
The 37-34 success at the Aviva Stadium gives this Northampton squad the chance to emulate the class of 2000, who secured the club’s first-ever major trophy when they beat Munster 9-8 at Twickenham to win what was then called the Heineken Cup.
Standing in their way are Bordeaux, who are preparing for their first Champions Cup final.
French sides have dominated the competition in recent times, winning each of the last four finals, with Toulouse and La Rochelle recording two victories apiece.
Northampton vs Bordeaux Betting Preview: No Happy End For Valiant Saints
Bordeaux are chasing a Champions Cup and Top 14 double this season. They currently sit second in France's Top 14, 12 points behind the league leaders Toulouse but with a firm grip on a play-off spot.
For now, their focus is on securing a first major title and rugby betting sites make French side the favourites to lift the trophy at 2/5, while you can get 13/5 on Northampton to be victorious.
Bordeaux have been an attacking revelation in this season’s tournament, twice surpassing the 60-point mark while they scored 40-plus in four other games. Even when the stakes have been raised, they’ve still managed to keep piling on the points, beating Toulouse 35-18 in the semi-finals.
Bordeaux have scored 342 points this season, compared to the 271 from Northampton, and in Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey they have two of the most dangerous wingers around.
Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert have proved an excellent half-back combination, steering Bordeaux around the park expertly and Northampton will have to be on top of their game to contain the favourites.
For Saints it has been a mixed season. Their Premiership title defence has never got going and they go to Cardiff eighth in the English top flight. However, recent performances have been better with two wins from their last three matches against Bristol and Saracens.
They’ve shown up pretty well against French opposition in this season’s Champions Cup too, beating Castres twice and Clermont, but it’s likely we saw the best of Saints in that epic semi-final win over Leinster and this game proves a step too far, particularly with a few key injuries up front.
Northampton vs Bordeaux prediction 1: Bordeaux to win by 11-15 points - 13/2 Betfred
Northampton vs Bordeaux Best Bets: Penaud to Kepp up His Fine Form
Penaud has already set the record for most tries in the Champions Cup in a single season with 12, and despite limping off in the semi-final win over Toulouse, he is expected to be fit on Saturday.
He has been in excellent form this season and has gone up a gear in this competition, breaking another record in the fourth round when he scored six tries, which is the most for a single Champions Cup game.
He’s available at 6/5 to score a try at any time on certain betting apps, which seems pretty generous when he has scored in every round, except the semi-final.
Northampton vs Bordeaux prediction 2: Penaud to score a try - 6/5 Boylesports
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