We have a Leinster v Bath prediction for you plus a breakdown of the betting odds, tips, team news and matchups ahead of their European Champions Cup clash.
How To Watch Leinster v Bath
When is Leinster v Bath
5.30 pm, Saturday, January 28th
TV Channel
RTÉ 2 and Premier Sports 1
Live Stream
You can stream this game on RTÉ Player.
Who are the officiating team?
Referee: Luc Ramos (France)
Assistant Referees: Thomas Charabas (France), Jonathan Gasnier (France)
TMO: Julien Castaignede (France)
Where is Leinster v Bath
Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
Leinster v Bath Odds
Team | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Leinster | 1/10 | 90.9% |
Bath | 6/1 | 14.3% |
Draw | 33/1 | 2.9% |
Leinster are currently priced at 1/10 to win this game.
Bath are outsiders with odds of 6/1 while the draw is seen as a 33/1 shot.
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14 Points Ahead Early Payout Odds
Leinster @ 1/14
Bath @ 6/1
Handicap Betting
Leinster: -16 @ 10/11
Bath -16 @ 10/11
Handicap Draw: -16 @ 18/1
Bet on Rugby Union Odds at BoyleSports
Team News
Leinster Team News
✅ 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙜𝙤...
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) January 17, 2025
👊 This is the Leinster Rugby team who will face @BathRugby in the @ChampionsCup tomorrow.
🎟️ Limited tickets still available here: https://t.co/bnr4wDTDn9#LEIvBAT #NeverLessThanEverything pic.twitter.com/yqzQUcZEsV
Bath Team News
Starting Team: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Miles Reid, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Ben Spencer ©, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Ruaridh McConnochie, 12 Max Ojomoh, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Tom de Glanville
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Jaco Coetzee
Leinster v Bath Preview
Leinster’s Form
Leinster largely went trophyless in the 2023/24 season with their sole success coming with an Irish Shield victory, which would hardly even constitute a consolation prize given the high standards that they set themselves. After finishing third on the URC table they would lose 25-20 to Bulls in the Semi-Final and the Champions Cup, and they lost to Toulouse 31-22 in the final.
Leinster have started the 2024/25 season impeccably though with a phenomenal record of 12 wins from their 12 matches in all competitions, which puts them simultaneously top of the United Rugby Championship 10 clear of Glasgow Warriors and top of Pool 2 in the Champions Cup.
They are 3 points ahead of La Rochelle who they defeated last weekend by a score of 14 points to 16. However, their European performances have not reached the desired levels yet so I think there is plenty more to come.
How long can Leinster’s perfect record continue? I suspect at least for another week.
Bath’s Form
Bath came into this season following a 23/24 season whereby they had mixed fortunes finishing runner-up in the Premiership league phase coming level on points with Northampton Saints only coming behind them by a points difference of +4.
In their semi-final, they had a 31-23 win over Sale Sharks before losing narrowly 25-21 to Northampton Saints in the Premiership final. In the Champions Cup, they finished 3rd in Pool B behind Toulouse and Harlequins before losing 21-15 to Exeter in the Round of 16.
Domestically in 24/25, they lead the Premiership following 8 wins and 2 defeats they’re 6 points ahead of second-placed Bristol but most interestingly have a staggering points difference of +156 which is 110 ahead of Bristol who are next best.
Bath lost their opening pool games 20-24 against La Rochelle and 22-21 against Benetton but were impressive last weekend in their 40-21 win over Clermont.
Bath will be high in confidence following a 40-21 victory over Clermont last weekend and have nothing to lose in this game, Leinster will have to respect them especially if they perform at their peak.
Leinster v Bath Rugby Head-To-Head
All-Time Head-To-Head Record
Bath and Leinster have met on 9 occasions, since 2011, with Leinster winning matches and Bath only winning once
Head-To-Head Results Last Five Matches
2022: Leinster won 7-64
2021: Leinster won 45- 20
2018: Leinster won 42-15
2018: Leinster won 10-17
2016: Leinster won 25-11
Trends
Bath’s only victory over Leinster came during the 2015 Champions Cup Pool Stage by a score of 19-16.
Key Players
Caelan Doris – Ireland
The Leinster man and recent Irish Captain (26) is a leading figure for Leinster and Ireland which culminated at the end of 2024 with him being named the 2024 Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Men's XVs Player of the Year. Following that win he said 'There's still so much potential in me as a player and a leader'
Despite Leinster not pulling up any trees last weekend stumbling to a 14-16 win over La Rochelle, Doris was at his imperious best again with well-known online rugby outlet Planet Rugby stating “Absolutely incredible. You arguably won’t see a better defensive performance by a back-row all season. The Ireland captain was off the charts good without the ball.”
Doris has been listed to start on the bench in this game.
51 - @leinsterrugby’s Caelan Doris ranks first for both tackles completed (51) and turnovers won (9) in this season’s @ChampionsCup – Doris has also made the most dominant tackles of any forward in the competition (8). Dogged. pic.twitter.com/l96BYkCqOn
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) January 15, 2025
Finn Russell – Bath
The 32-year-old Scottish Fly-Half/Centre has been one of the best players in World Rugby for club and country for the best part of a decade and shows no sign of letting up anytime soon. Russell usually found in his favoured #10 position is a complete player with the ability to attack, pass and defend whether that be with his body or from the boots.
This season he leads the Premiership scoring charts with 99 points and has 25 points from his two Champions Cup games so far.
"The dexterity from Finn Russell, the collection in midfield and the offload for Joe Cokanasiga!" 👏@BathRugby score their third try of the game against Clermont Auvergne 🛁#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/1iopHfeDBx
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 12, 2025
Leinster v Bath Prediction & Best Bet
Prediction: Leinster 33-12 Bath
Leinster will have been disappointed with their showing against La Rochelle though they got over the line in the end, it just shows the standards they set themselves are on another level to most other teams at the moment.
Bath have only won once from their opening three Champions Cup games though that came in their latest showing last weekend with a 40-21 win over Clermont, which is notably a larger margin of victory than Leinster did in their 15-7 win over them in Round 2.
Leinster have failed to pluck up trees in their recent games but still got over the line and I’m now expecting a big win from them as some of their stars gear up for the Six Nations with Ireland.
Best Bet: Leinster -16 @ 10/11
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*Prices are subject to fluctuation.
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