The Top 14 is about to go on a three-week hiatus which will see the tournament resume after Christmas. As such, punters will be looking to fill their stockings this weekend. There looks like there's some great value and some stand-out games too boot.
Clermont v Montpellier
Friday 4 December
Stade Chaban-Delmas
21:45
To Win (80 mins)
Clermont 2/11
Draw 24/1
Montpellier 7/2
Montepellier will be looking to bounce back from their one-point defeat to the Bordeaux Begles when they take on a Clermont side that hammered Castres 14-40 last weekend.
The hosts currently sit third on the table but have two games in hand over log-leaders La Rochelle and are only six points adrift of the pace-setters. Montpellier are a lot further down the ladder and currently reside in 11th-place. They have only managed to win two of their seven games while Clermont have won six of their eight fixtures.
Verdict: Clermont 2/11
While they are missing a number of players to international call-ups, Clermont should still have no troubles getting one over a faltering Montepellier side.
Bordeaux Begles v Racing Metro 92
Saturday 5 December
Stade Chaban-Delmas
16:15
To Win (80 Mins)
Bordeaux 5/10
Draw 20/1
Racing 17/10
We move to Bordeaux for Saturday's opener which will see the Begles take on Racing Metro. Bordeaux currently sit eighth on the standings and have won five of their nine fixtures while Racing are in fourth with six wins from their nine games.
Both sides head into this one off the back of solid wins with Bordeaux edging Montpellier by a point away from home and Racing hammering minnows Bayonne 43-17.
The last five meetings between the sides have seen Racing register three wins and Bordeaux two. These games tend to be rather high-scoring with three of the last five fixtures seeing combined total scores over the 52 point mark.
Verdict: Bordeaux 5/10
I reckon we're in for another points fest here which is why my main play will be on the over points Live In Play markets. If I was going to go the ante-post route, my money would be on the hosts winning by a very small margin.
Bayonne v Toulouse
Saturday 5 December
Stade Jean Dauger
19:15
To Win (80 Mins)
Bayonne 29/20
Draw 19/1
Toulouse 11/20
Bayonne will be looking to claim their six-win of the campaign when they take on a Toulouse side who have won six and drawn one of their ten fixtures. These two sides are the only two teams in the league to have not been hampered by COVID cancellations with the duo having played all ten of their scheduled fixtures.
The visitors come into this one off the back of a mammoth 63-18 win over Agen which featured yet another Cheslin Kolbe try. Bayonne didn't enjoy as profitable a weekend as they went down 43-17 to Racing 92.
Verdict: Toulose 11/20
The Toulouse win is an absolute banker and should be added to all multiples this weekend.
Lyon v La Rochelle
Saturday 5 December
Matmut Stadium
19:15
To Win (80 Mins)
Lyon 1/5
Draw 25/1
La Rochelle 7/2
Lyon will tackle log-leaders La Rochelle at the Matmut Stadium this Saturday. The hosts currently sit in sixth-place on the ladder but are only ten points off the leaders and have two games in hand over them.
Lyon have won five and drawn one of the eight games they have played while La Rochelle have won eight of their ten.
The two sides head into this one off the back of victories with Lyon beating Stade Francais 20-19 and La Rochelle beating Brive 36-22.
Verdict: Lyon 1/5
I reckon Lyon will have closed the gap on La Rochelle when all is said and done at the Matmut Stadium this Saturday.
Agen v Brive
Saturday 5 December
Stade Armandie
19:15
To Win (80 Mins)
Agen 29/20
Draw 19/1
Brive 11/20
Agen and Brive go head-to-head in the battle of the cellar-dwellers. The hosts currently reside at the foot of the log and have yet to win a game while Brive are 13th and have a slightly better record having won two of their ten fixtures.
The two sides head into this one off the back of defeats with Agen being hammered 63-18 by Toulouse and Brive going down 36-22.
Verdict: Brive 11/20
Agen are pretty hopeless at the moment and I can't see them getting anything over a struggling but superior Brive outfit.
Pau v Castres
Sunday 6 December
Stade Du Hameau
19:00
To Win (80 Mins)
Pau 9/20
Draw 20/1
Castres 7/4
The penultimate game of the weekend will see Pau take on Catres in Sunday's opener. Both teams currently reside at the wrong end of the table with the hosts in the tenth and the visitors in 12th. Pay have played two more games than their opponents, however.
In terms of last weekend's results, Pau went down 18-13 to Toulon while Castres beat Clermont down 14-40 to Clermont.
Verdict: Pau 9/20
I don't have a strong feel for this game so I won't be having a punt on it. If forced to put my money on it, I'd be backing the hosts for the win.
Stade Francais v Toulon
Sunday 6 December
Stade Jean Bouin
22:05
To Win (80 Mins)
Stade 2/9
Draw 22/1
Toulon 31/10
Stade Francais will welcome a Toulon side that is about as fond of travelling as a geriatric in the final game of the weekend. The hosts currently sit in seventh on the ladder and have won five of their nine fixtures. Toulon are three points clear of their opponents in fifth place and have registered six wins for their nine games.
The visitors enjoyed a far more fruitful weekend as they beat Pau 18-13. While it wasn't the most polished of performances, it did show Toulon are capable of grinding out wins. Stade were extremely unlucky last weekend as they went down by just a solitary point to Lyon away from home.
Verdict: Stade 2/9
This should be a rather atrocious affair but one I can see the home side winning.