As the Investec Champions Cup gears up for another explosive season, England's Anthony Watson is sticking his neck out with a daring prediction that could either make him a prophet or leave him in the dust. The former England star sees his old club, Bath, not just competing but possibly going all the way to the final, despite the stiff competition and the historical financial and depth challenges faced by English teams.
The tournament kicks off this weekend, throwing 24 teams into the fray, divided into four brutal pools. Union Bordeaux-Begles, last year's champions, are tipped as favorites again, alongside the might of Stade Toulousain and Leinster. Yet, it's Bath, under the guidance of Johann van Graan and fresh from clinching the PREM title, that Watson backs as the dark horse capable of disrupting the status quo.
On the "For The Love Of Rugby" podcast, Watson and Ben Youngs dissected the lineups, starting with the formidable Pool A. Here, giants like the six-time champions Stade Toulousain and Saracens will clash, alongside the Sharks and Sale Sharks, with Clermont Auvergne and Glasgow Warriors rounding out the group. "It’s Toulouse. Their strength in depth across the whole squad is a joke. [Antoine] Dupont’s back, he will change the game. I just can’t see past Toulouse right now," Watson confidently declared, flagging Pool A as the group of death.
"Final, I'm going for it, putting my neck on the line."
Despite his bold claim, Youngs couldn't help but poke fun at Watson’s prediction logic, highlighting the conditional nature of his support for Bath. "You’ve literally just said it depends what route they’ve got and now you’ve gone: ‘They’re getting to the final’," Youngs remarked, highlighting the unpredictability of knockout rugby.
As for the other pools, Watson did not waver in his predictions for the top spots. The strength-laden Pool C features Leinster, boasting an array of talent including fourteen Lions, Slimani, RG Snyman, and Rieko Ioane. "Who finishes top [of Pool C]? Leinster. If they don’t finish top, it’s a disgrace," Watson stated. Meanwhile, both pundits agreed that Bordeaux-Begles would dominate Pool D.
With such high stakes and rugby giants poised to clash, the Investec Champions Cup promises unparalleled excitement and fierce competition, setting the stage for potential new legends to rise or old ones to affirm their dominance.
Pools Overview: Pool A: Stade Toulousain, Saracens, Sharks, Sale Sharks, Clermont Auvergne, Glasgow Warriors Pool B: Bath, RC Toulon, Munster, Gloucester, Edinburgh, Castres Pool C: Includes Leinster Pool D: Includes defending champions Union Bordeaux-Begles
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As the Investec Champions Cup gears up for another explosive season, England's Anthony Watson is sticking his neck out with a daring prediction that could either make him a prophet or leave him in the dust. The former England star sees his old club, Bath, not just competing but possibly going all the way to the final, despite the stiff competition and the historical financial and depth challenges faced by English teams.
The tournament kicks off this weekend, throwing 24 teams into the fray, divided into four brutal pools. Union Bordeaux-Begles, last year's champions, are tipped as favorites again, alongside the might of Stade Toulousain and Leinster. Yet, it's Bath, under the guidance of Johann van Graan and fresh from clinching the PREM title, that Watson backs as the dark horse capable of disrupting the status quo.
On the "For The Love Of Rugby" podcast, Watson and Ben Youngs dissected the lineups, starting with the formidable Pool A. Here, giants like the six-time champions Stade Toulousain and Saracens will clash, alongside the Sharks and Sale Sharks, with Clermont Auvergne and Glasgow Warriors rounding out the group. "It’s Toulouse. Their strength in depth across the whole squad is a joke. [Antoine] Dupont’s back, he will change the game. I just can’t see past Toulouse right now," Watson confidently declared, flagging Pool A as the group of death.
"Final, I'm going for it, putting my neck on the line."
Despite his bold claim, Youngs couldn't help but poke fun at Watson’s prediction logic, highlighting the conditional nature of his support for Bath. "You’ve literally just said it depends what route they’ve got and now you’ve gone: ‘They’re getting to the final’," Youngs remarked, highlighting the unpredictability of knockout rugby.
As for the other pools, Watson did not waver in his predictions for the top spots. The strength-laden Pool C features Leinster, boasting an array of talent including fourteen Lions, Slimani, RG Snyman, and Rieko Ioane. "Who finishes top [of Pool C]? Leinster. If they don’t finish top, it’s a disgrace," Watson stated. Meanwhile, both pundits agreed that Bordeaux-Begles would dominate Pool D.
With such high stakes and rugby giants poised to clash, the Investec Champions Cup promises unparalleled excitement and fierce competition, setting the stage for potential new legends to rise or old ones to affirm their dominance.
Pools Overview:
Pool A: Stade Toulousain, Saracens, Sharks, Sale Sharks, Clermont Auvergne, Glasgow Warriors
Pool B: Bath, RC Toulon, Munster, Gloucester, Edinburgh, Castres
Pool C: Includes Leinster
Pool D: Includes defending champions Union Bordeaux-Begles