Toulon vs Harlequins Prediction: Toulon too good for inconsistent Quins

A trip to the sunshine of Toulon might be welcomed after an icy week at home for Harlequins but Sunday's (13:00, Premier Sports 2) Champions Cup Pool 4 clash is unlikely to provide too much respite. Three-time winners Toulon have triumphed in their opening two European matches but were hit with the news that co-captain Charles Ollivon will miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. 

However, they are hardly short of quality, and Quins have already lost in France this season, going down 23-12 at Racing 92 in December. They responded with a 53-16 home victory against an underpowered Stormers team, but with a win likely to all but guarantee Les Rouges et Noir a home knockout tie, it could be a rough afternoon on the Riviera for Billy Millard's visitors. 

Rugby Union Odds

Team News 

Toulon hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi and flanker Esetban Abadie start, the latter taking Ollivon's place on the side of the scrum,  

There are also two changes in the backs, with starts for wing Jiuta Wainiqolo and centre Antoine Frisch, while Scotland scrum-half Ben White and former Wales and British & Irish Lions fly-half Dan Biggar are among the replacements. 

Quins have made three alterations to the team that won at Newcastle, with skipper Alex Dombrandt returning at number eight. 

Dombrandt is joined in the pack by lock George Hammond, while behind the scrum, Tyrone Green starts at full-back. 

Toulon vs Harlequins Odds

Toulon are the 2/9 favourites to win on Sunday, with a tie 20/1 and last season's semi-finalists, Harlequins, 7/2 to triumph. 

The three-way handicap is set at 10 points, with Quins +10 available at 10/11. 

Toulon -11 @ 1/1

Toulon opened their European campaign with a surprise 24-14 win away at Stormers and, after fielding their second string in Port Elizabeth, recalled their big guns for their narrow 30-29 home victory against Glasgow. 

They faded as the game went on against the Warriors but still did enough to move to the top of Pool 4. 

Pierre Mignoni's side should be stronger and more confident after beating Racing 36-24 last Saturday to extend their unbeaten winning run at home this season to eight matches. 

Quins triumphed 38-14 at Newcastle but had lost three in a row on the road before that and are always more comfortable at The Stoop. 

The home fans at Stade Mayol are just as likely to get behind their troops and the mid-teen temperatures should be conducive to running rugby. 

That will also encourage Harlequins but Toulon's superior pack may grind them down and limit their chances of springing surprises with quick counter-attacks when the ball comes loose. 

Both of these teams can be inconsistent, but while not as star-studded, there are signs that Toulon are edging closer to something like the rugby the team that won this trophy three years in a row between 2013 and 2015 and they can put on another show on the Cote d'Azur.