Exeter Chiefs and Racing 92 will go in search of a first Heineken Champions Cup crown on Saturday afternoon when they clash at Ashton Gate in this season’s showpiece final.
The two sides have displayed impressive form en-route to the final, with both sides topping their respective pools. Exeter then breezed past Northampton Saints in the quarter-finals before overcoming Toulouse 28-18 in a tense final four game.
Racing 92 meanwhile were made to work hard for their 36-27 win over ASM Clermont Auvergne in the last eight before earning a hard-fought victory over reigning champions Saracens in the semi-final, with EPCR European Player of the Year nominees Finn Russell and Virimi Vakatawa combining to reach Juan Imhoff for the crucial try.
You can watch Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup final on BT Sport, beIN SPORTS, Channel 4, Virgin Media and FR2 from 16:45 (UK and Irish time).
The facts
When is Exeter Chiefs vs Racing 92 taking place? Saturday 17th October, 2020 – 16:45 (UK)
Where is Exeter Chiefs vs Racing 92 taking place? Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol
Where can I get tickets for Exeter Chiefs vs Racing 92? This match will be played without spectators
What television channel is Exeter Chiefs vs Racing 92 on? This match will be televised live on BT Sport
Where can I stream Exeter Chiefs vs Racing 92? BT Sport subscribers can stream the match live via the BT Sport website & app
Exeter vs Racing prediction
After a huge win last week in the Premiership semi final prediction for me, Teflon, I feel as bullish this weekend, about Exeter in today’s Champions Cup final.
Exeter seem to be a team on a mission and I can’t see anything other than a resounding win for the Chiefs v Racing 92.
Both sides have fire power but ultimately this head to head will be decided on defence in the early stages and Exeter were mightily impressive against Bristol last weekend in the first 30 minutes.
I see more of the same this weekend with a creditable outfit in Racing 92 coming out fast to take the game to the Exeter but I see the Chiefs breaking their hearts by winning the first half by at least 7 points then kicking onto a comfortable victory. I’ve had my SpreadEX fantasy bet on total tries buying at 4.4 which I think Exeter will take care of on their own. Score prediction is Exeter run out winners 42-10.
Place your bet on the Champions Cup final with SpreadEX here.
Exeter vs Racing teams
Exeter: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 Joe Simmonds (c), 9 Jack Maunder, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Jonny Gray, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Alec Hepburn
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Jannes Kirsten, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Ollie Devoto
Racing: 15 Simon Zebo, 14 Louis Dupichot, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Henry Chavancy (c), 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Teddy Iribaren, 8 Antonie Claassen, 7 Fabien Sanconnie, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Dominic Bird, 4 Bernard Le Roux, 3 Georges Henri Colombe, 2 Camille Chat, 1 Eddy Ben Arous
Replacements: 16 Teddy Baubigny, 17 Hassane Kolingar, 18 Ali Oz, 19 Donnacha Ryan, 20 Boris Palu, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Olivier Klemenczak, 23 Kurtley Beale
Match facts
- The 25th anniversary final will be the eighth Anglo-French decider with Premiership clubs currently leading the TOP 14 by five wins to two, and Ashton Gate will be the 13th stadium to host the showpiece match.
- There will be a new name engraved on the Heineken Champions Cup trophy following Saturday’s match. Exeter are appearing in their first decider and Racing their third in the space of five seasons, and the victor will become the 12th club to win European club rugby’s blue-riband tournament.
- Maxime Machenaud is Racing’s overall leading scorer in the Heineken Champions Cup with 214 points from his 45 appearances, while veteran, Gareth Steenson, has amassed 255 points for Exeter from 37 appearances to date.
- Racing’s Head Coach, Laurent Travers, a winner with Brive in 1997, could emulate Leinster Rugby’s Leo Cullen who is currently the only person to win the tournament as a Head Coach and as a player. Chiefs Head Coach, Ali Hepher, who is Rob Baxter’s de facto No 2, could also lay claim to the accolade as he was a tournament winner with Northampton Saints in 2000.
- Racing’s Virimi Vakatawa leads the tournament statistics categories in clean breaks (16) and defenders beaten (48).
- Bristol will become the 10th city after Cardiff, Bordeaux, Dublin, London, Paris, Edinburgh, Lyon, Bilbao and Newcastle to stage a tournament final.
- Exeter’s Dave Ewers has made the most tackles in the tournament this season with 118.
- Exeter’s Sam and Joe Simmonds are in line to become the eighth set of brothers to win the title. The seven to date are: Delon and Stefon Armitage (RC Toulon), Philippe and Olivier Carbonneau (Toulouse/Brive), Jan and Bryn Cunningham (Ulster), Denis and John Fogarty (Munster/Leinster), Rob and Dave Kearney (Leinster), Martin and Will Johnson (Leicester) and Billy and Mako Vunipola (Saracens).