Toulouse vs Ulster Predictions: Champions unlikely to show any mercy to wounded Ulster

Facing the European champions with a fully fit and firing squad is a daunting enough challenge but there could be trouble ahead for injury-plagued Ulster when they head to Toulouse on Sunday.

The Irish province have lost John Cooney (hamstring) and Ben Moxham (knee) in the aftermath of last weekend's 27-20 defeat to Leinster and with Jacob Stockdale (hamstring) another absentee, look short on numbers.

Options are not something Toulouse are lacking, with Ugo Mola enjoying the luxury of being able to call upon internationals from the bench as his team targets a record-extending seventh Champions Cup title. Below you can find my Toulouse vs Ulster predictions featuring betting tips and more. 

Team News

Toulouse have picked a remarkable team, with Antoine Dupont captaining them from scrum-half and partnered by Romain Ntamack in the playmaker positions, with Thomas Ramos at full-back.

English flanker Jack Willis will play at blindside flanker, with Leo Banos on the other side of the scrum and Alexandre Roumat at number eight.

Ulster welcome back Ireland internationals Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole, Iain Henderson and Cormac Izuchukwu but all four are on the bench.

Toulouse vs Ulster Match Odds

Toulouse are hardly worth backing at 1/150, with Ulster 14/1 to cause an upset with the draw 33/1.

The three-way handicap is -26, with Toulouse 10/11 to go past that deficit.

Toulouse -28 @ 11/10

It sounds unkind, but this could get messy. Toulouse are the European champions, are stacked with internationals and always seem to turn it on in front of their fans at the Stade Ernest-Wallon.

A side that can live without Blair Kinghorn and name Paul Costes and Juan Cruz Mallia among their replacements is to be feared and there is every chance they could claim a seventh Champions Cup crown this season.

They won't fear any of their Pool 1 rivals, with Bordeaux, who they will not meet, Exeter, Leicester and Sharks - the latter who they face in Durban in January in what could prove to be a classic - also in the group.

A bonus point victory appears almost guaranteed, with Dupont, Ntamack and Ramos potentially the best nine-10-15 combination in the game and the trio will be looking to rediscover their rhythm as Ntamack continues to build back to fitness.

Ulster, meanwhile, have lost their last five away games stretching back to last season and were beaten 27-20 at home by Leinster in their most recent match.

Losing Cooney and Stockdale robs the visits of vital experience, but centre Stuart McCloskey won't take a backwards step as he attempts to get his team over the gain line, while their returning Irish internationals will provide added power off the bench.

It might be too late, though and Toulouse are 1/1 to eclipse a -13.5 handicap by half-time and Mola's men are backed to run riot and open their defence with a significant victory.

Rugby Union Betting Tips from Betfred Insights.