Champions Cup and Challenge Cup predictions: Northampton will lose, but Bath will win
The Champions and Challenge Cup finals take place this weekend with Northampton Saints and Bath flying the flag for England against French opposition.
Here, Telegraph Sport's rugby experts predict how the finals will play out.
Challenge Cup
Gavin Mairs Bath 22 Lyon 12
Bath have maintained an impressive consistency through the season and showed with the victory over Leicester Tigers last weekend that their momentum is reaching a crescendo. Their squad has enough firepower up front and depth to prevail against a side who have not been firing in the Top 14.
Charlie Morgan Bath 32 Lyon 23
There is undeniable impetus about Bath and, though the Premiership is their priority for this season, they will want to keep adding trophies. Their squad strength is such that, notwithstanding the absence of Ollie Lawrence, they are finishing the campaign well. Lyon do possess the brilliant Davit Niniashvili and will be a threat, but have slipped to the bottom of the Top 14's mid-table scramble.
Charles Richardson Bath 30 Lyon 25
Another trophy to add to the cabinet for Bath, hunting a treble (even if it is not quite the big one). Lyon have not been setting the Top 14 alight for a while now and Bath have the squad depth to compete with many of the French squads in any case.
Daniel Schofield Bath 38 Lyon 15
Lyon certainly have threats, but I cannot get the second half of Bath's destruction of Leicester out of my head. Their depth is simply staggering and, once they start turning the screw with their heavy artillery, it can be nearly impossible for the opposition not to fold.
Match details: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Friday, 8pm.
TV: BBC, Premier Sports.
Champions Cup
GM Northampton 18 Bordeaux 28
Laurent Marti, Bordeaux's president, is said to have had a sleepless night after watching Northampton's victory over Saracens last time out, but it suggests there will be no sense of complacency in the final. Bordeaux, perhaps unlike Leinster, will have a sense of edge and urgency now when facing the English side.
I have no doubt Northampton will have a real go, but they are sretched by injuries against a Bordeaux side who have the power and quality to play the game in a number of ways, underscored by the timely return of Damian Penaud.
CM Northampton 28 Bordeaux 38
A confession. I was among those who saw no route past Leinster and would not be at all irked if Saints proved me wrong again. Injuries up front, however, make it even more difficult for them. Juarno Augustus is out, and Curtis Langdon and Alex Coles, both immense in the semi-final, are banged up as well. Northampton will find ways into the game – Tommy Freeman's aerial superiority over Louis Bielle-Biarrey is one – but will need to summon another phenomenal display.
CR Northampton 22 Bordeaux 44
Saints have defied the odds until now and their sterling form is undeniable, but so is their injury list. It could be close for 50 or so minutes until Bordeaux unload a locked and loaded bench to pull away.
DS Bordeaux 40 Saints 32
I was prepared to put my neck on the line for a Saints victory but for the injury concerns over Langdon and Coles. For all the wizardry that Fin Smith and company can conjure in the back line, Saints need to ensure set-piece parity to have a shot of victory against a meaty Bordeaux tight five. I would happily be proved wrong, however, having also given them a snowball in hell's chance of turning over Leinster.
Match details: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Saturday, 2.45pm.
TV: BBC, Premier Sports.
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