With the Pro14 and Premiership beginning this weekend, we take a look at a game each from those leagues, while also giving the best bets from Racing v Clermont.
Ulster v Scarlets
After reaching the final last year and eventually losing to Leinster in the showpiece event, the Scarlets will be determined to go one better and reclaim the title they won in 2017.
They start with a potentially tough encounter at Ulster, who will be seeking to erase memories of a disappointing 2017/18 campaign, but the Irish province may struggle in the early rounds.
A change of management can, of course, pay immediate dividends but it may take time for head coach Dan McFarland get his ideas across to the team. It should therefore benefit the visitors, who are a slick unit under the guidance of Wayne Pivac.
The only questions is whether Pivac’s confirmed departure for Wales at the end of the current season will disrupt the Welsh region but, at 29/20 with Unibet, it seems a good shout for this encounter.
Meanwhile, the hosts are 4/6 favourites at Bet365, Coral and Betfred to claim a victory and begin their campaign in positive fashion.
Should McFarland’s men start well then Henry Speight and Craig Gilroy are seen as the most likely to cross the whitewash first with them 8/1 at Bet365, but Steff Evans is perhaps worth backing for the Scarlets (10/1 with various companies).
Harlequins v Sale Sharks
Similar to Ulster v Scarlets, this is a match between a team who have endured serious upheaval and a club that have enjoyed continuity over the off-season.
While Quins saw their coaching staff depart, leading to Paul Gustard being installed as their head of rugby, it was business as usual for Sale, who saw little change.
They have made a few high quality additions in Chris Ashton and Rohan Janse van Rensburg and, although the departures of Will Addison and Mike Haley are a blow, Steve Diamond has an excellent side at his disposal.
Despite that and the uncertainty as to how the Londoners will perform under Gustard, the Sharks are 9/5 outsiders at William Hill, while the same company are backing the hosts to win with odds of 4/9.
Both teams have plenty of game breakers and the battle of the back three will be particularly interesting. Although Sale are without Chris Ashton, a combination of Byron McGuigan, Denny Solomona and Marland Yarde are potentially lethal. They will be up against Mike Brown, Nathan Earle and Aaron Morris, who could be equally destructive, but the Greater Manchester outfit will fancy their chances at the Twickenham Stoop.
Steve Diamond’s men can be slow starters away from home but, should they find their rhythm in the second half, it is 9/1 at Betfred for Quins to be leading at the break and the visitors to secure the win.
Racing 92 v Clermont Auvergne
This is the best game of the weekend in the Top 14 but also the most intriguing from a betting standpoint as the 2016 champions host the 2017 winners of the competition.
Both ultimately suffered disappointment last season with Racing failing to pick up a trophy, despite being in contention in both Europe and domestically, while Clermont endured a torrid year.
However, the teams should firmly be in contention this time around after impressing in the opening round. The Parisians are unsurprisingly favourites having superbly dispatched of Toulon the previous weekend, with Bet365, Sky Bet and Betfair offering odds of 1/3, but the visitors should not be discounted.
Although Clermont were poor in 2017/18 and were also thrashed 58-6 in the corresponding fixture last year, they appear to have re-found their focus. For that reason, the bookmakers haven’t made their prices too long but 13/5 with Betfair and Paddy Power seems a reasonable bet.
It should be close, albeit Racing may just have the edge, and they are 9/2 at Black Type to win by 6-10 points. However, if Auvergne are to shock the home team, you can get them at 13/2 with the same company to emerge victorious by 1-5 points.