Racing 92 vs Stade Rochelais Prediction & Betting Tips - Top 14

Prediction published on 24/11/2023, 14:31  by Joseph King | Modified on 24/11/2023 at 15:11 in Rugby Predictions

Matchday eight in France's Top 14 wraps up on Sunday with second-place Racing 92 playing host to eighth-place Stade Rochelais. It’s been a strong start to the season for Racing who are tied on points with leaders Stade Francais at 23. The Sky Blue and Whites finished fifth last season and last lifted the league title in 2016. They’ve already accumulated more than a third of their points total from last season with roughly a quarter of the season in the books. Racing 92 enter this matchup off the back of a 13-9 away win over SF Paris. The victory saw them bounce back after a 31-26 away loss to Toulon in matchday six and was the team’s fourth win in their last five games. Racing are capable of putting up points in bunches at the Paris La Defense Arena as evidenced by their 59-10 rout of USAP back in matchday three.

Expectations would have been high for Stade Rochelais entering the season following their runner-up finish to Toulon in the final of last year’s campaign. Unfortunately for them, the Seaborn Men stumbled out of the gates, suffering an abysmal 1-4 start to the season. They’ve started to dig themselves out of their early hole, however, with two wins on the bounce. The most recent match for Stade Rochelais was a 25-21 home win over Bordeaux which was preceded by a 18-15 home victory over Bayonne. All three of the visitors' wins so far this season have come on home soil. They’ll face a significant challenge here if they are to upset the odds and grab the win. Stade Rochelais have lost all of their away matches so far and have only managed to beat Racing 92 once in their last five trips to this arena.