Tag: aviva premiership preview

Aviva Premiership – Last Fixture Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

In the final round of fixtures for the regular Premiership season, there’s still much to play for. Most eyes will be focussed on the tussle for the remaining two play-off spots though, with just a point separating the Tigers, Chiefs and Saracens.

Tigers v Saints – 15:30

Saints have top spot already secured, but Leicester Tigers still have a lot of work to do if they want to join them in the play-offs.

A bonus point win is the only way Tigers can guarantee their place, with Exeter Chiefs and Saracens very much hot on their tails with vastly superior score differences. It’s certainly a challenge for the Tigers, who might be hoping the Saints will take their foot of the gas with little to play for.

Best Bet: Northampton Saints +9 Handicap – 7/4 at William Hill

Chiefs v Sharks – 15:30

Exeter Chiefs need to match or better Saracens’ result on Saturday if they are to hold on to their play-off position. Unfortunately, with the Saracens facing a woeful London Welsh side that has picked up just one point this season, it looks like the Chiefs will have to earn a bonus point win over seventh-place Sale Sharks. They may also have to register a huge win too if Saracens let loose on the Welsh, with Chiefs holding a score difference just three better than Saracens, with the pair level on points. However, if the Saracens do better Exeter’s result, the Chiefs will have to then hope they close the one-point deficit on Tigers, who face league leaders, Saints.

Best Bet: Exeter Chiefs -14 Handicap – Evens at SkyBet

Falcons v Harlequins – 15:30

Newcastle are set to ring the changes on Saturday, with neither side having much to play for.

The Falcons are stuck in a disappointing 11th place, while Quins are eighth and would need to make up a huge score difference to climb any higher in the table.

Best Bet: Harlequins to win – 17/10 at bet365

Bath v Gloucester – 15:30

Only pride is at stake in this West Country derby between Bath and Gloucester.

Bath have second-place secured and will have an eye on next week’s play-off, while Gloucester will likely end the season in ninth unless they can close a two-point deficit on the Harlequins above them.

Will Bath secure local bragging rights against the European Challenge Cup winners?

Best Bet: Gloucester +13 Handicap – 4/1 at Ladbrokes

Irish v Wasps – 15:30

A point will be enough to guarantee a top six finish for the Wasps and secure a position in the Champions Cup next season. They might not even need that though, with their nearest competitors, Sale Sharks, requiring a big victory away in Exeter.

Best Bet: London Irish +9 Handicap – 10/11 at William Hill

Welsh v Saracens – 15:30

Saracens are on the hunt for blood against long-since relegated London Welsh, who have picked up just one point all season. The Saracens know that they need to get a better result than Tigers, or outscore the Chiefs and claim into the play-off places. Can Saracens complete a demolition job at the Kassam Stadium to round-off Welsh’s miserable season?

Best Bet: London Welsh +47 Handicap – Evens at bet365

Aviva Premiership Weekend Preview – 24-26 April

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The pressure is piling up with just three rounds of fixtures remaining ahead of the play-offs in the 2014/15 Aviva Premiership season, as the battle for a spot in the top four still continues.

There are some interesting clashes this weekend, including first v second as the Saints face Saracens at stadium:mk on Saturday, while there’s a key play-off crunch match at Twickenham on Sunday as the Wasps take on Exeter Chiefs.

Bath v London Irish – Friday 19:45 (GMT)

In the weekend’s opening fixture, Bath welcome back Kyle Eastmond, James Webber and Paul James to their starting line-up as they face London Irish.

Bath have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning nine of the last 10 meetings between the sides. Another win here for the Somerset side would all-but assure them of their play-off position.

Although struggling in 10th-place, London Irish don’t tend to get beaten heavily often, meaning a handicap bet on them could provide some good value.

Best Bet: London Irish to win with +15 handicap – 6/4 at BetVictor

Sale Sharks v Harlequins – Saturday 14:00 (GMT)

Seventh meets eighth at The Recreation Ground, with the play-offs pretty much out of reach for the pair. However, the Sharks still have an outside chance of securing a Champions Cup place if they can end the season on a high.

The Sharks edged out the Harlequins when the pair last met in November by a narrow 16-12 scorline.

Verdict: Sharks win

Gloucester v Newcastle Falcons – Saturday 15:00 (GMT)

Neither side has much left to play for this campaign other than pride, with Gloucester in ninth and the Falcons languishing one place above bottom spot.

Newcastle Falcons have recorded just four victories this seasons – one of which was a 20-10 victory over Gloucester, but you’d expect Gloucester to get revenge here.

Verdict: Gloucester win

Leicester Tigers v London Welsh – Saturday 15:00 (GMT)

Leicester’s five-game winning streak in the Premiership was ended last time out by the Saracens, but they should have little bother getting back to winning ways against the Welsh who have picked up just one point this season.

Verdict: Leicester win

Northampton Saints v Saracens – Saturday 15:15 (GMT)

A record crowd is expected at stadium:mk as the top two go head-to-head in this crucial encounter.

Saracens suffered semi-final heartbreak in the European Rugby Champions Cup last weekend, being narrowly beaten 13-9 by Clermont – who incidentally also disposed of the Saints in the previous round.

Saints boast a relatively comfortable six-point lead at the table summit at the moment, meaning Saracens will have to beat them – as they did in the Anglo-Welsh Cup in March – if they want to be in with a chance of ending the regular season in top spot.

Verdict: Saints win

Wasps v Exeter Chiefs – Sunday 14:00 (GMT)

The weekend’s action concludes with an intriguing play-off crunch match between the Wasps and Exeter Chiefs at Twickenham on Sunday.

The fourth-place Chiefs are currently three points clear of Leicester Tigers in fifth – who will surely beat the Welsh – and five points clear of their opponents. A win for the Wasps, therefore, could really blow the chase for the play-offs wide open, while a win for Exeter would effectively end Wasps’ hopes.

Verdict: Wasps win