Betting preview: Sarries to struggle at Sale

Editor

With Super Rugby starting and the European season in full swing, we look at some of the best bets from competitions around the world.

Sale Sharks v Saracens

This is a particularly intriguing clash, with the Greater Manchester outfit finding some form following an inconsistent start to the campaign. They go into the game in sixth position, five points behind the play-off places, and with an opportunity to put themselves in the top-four mix.

Steve Diamond’s men will also face a weakened Saracens, with the Londoners shorn of their internationals for this clash. Although Mark McCall has still managed to field a very strong outfit, Sale are a good team at home and have named an impressive XV.

Sarries are ultimately favourites but being best-priced 8/13 with Coral seems a bit short for a side who are missing the Vunipolas, Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell. The hosts are 41/20 at Marathon Bet and it is well worth a punt, given the threat they have in the backline.

Denny Solomona and Marland Yarde have returned to the side with the latter 14/1 at Ladbrokes and Coral to get across the whitewash first. Other interesting prices might be Sarries’ fly-half Alex Lozowski – a player that knows his way to the line – who is 30/1 with Betfair for the first try-scorer, while it is 9s at BoyleSports for the visitors to be leading at half-time with Sale eventually taking the spoils.

Brive v Pau

There are some great games in the Top 14 this week, with Racing 92’s clash against La Rochelle the pick, but this encounter between Brive and Pau could be a good one to look at from a betting perspective.

While the hosts have improved significantly since a disappointing start to the campaign, they are threatened by the prospect of relegation. They reside in the lower reaches of the table having only accrued 24 points from 16 games, yet Nicolas Godignon’s men are seen as favourites.

Brive are 2/5 with most bookmakers to emerge victorious which, even accounting for the home dominance in the Top 14, is probably a bit too short. Pau, meanwhile, have found their form and thrashed Stade Francais 40-5 at the Stade Jean-Bouin in their last domestic outing. Simon Mannix’s side will therefore head to Stade Amedee-Domenech with no fear and, at 9/4 with Betfair, it could be worth putting a bit of money on.

The half-time/full-time is another market to look at. With the European season in the midst of winter, teams are generally more conservative and games can therefore be tight so the draw/Pau bet is priced at 35s with Betstars, while Pau/Pau is shorter but probably more viable at 7/2 with William Hill and Betfred.

Lions v Sharks

Lastly, Super Rugby begins this weekend and one of the games features an all-South African clash as the Lions, beaten finalists in the previous two years, host the Sharks. Form from the 2016 and ’17 seasons dictates that this should be a comfortable victory for the home side and that is reflected in the odds (best-priced 19/50 at Marathon Bet), but there is slightly more uncertainty surrounding the Johannesburg outfit this season.

Head coach Johan Ackermann, the man who drove the revolution, has departed for Gloucester and has taken his son, Ruan, with him. The squad is still strong but it may take a while for them to re-find their feet following Ackermann’s exit.

It could therefore open the door for the Sharks, who have enough quality to cause them problems. Lwazi Mvovo and Lukhanyo Am bring plenty of ability in the backline, while Keegan Daniel provides plenty of experience in the pack and Thomas du Toit is a talented young prop. At 11/4 with Betway, the visitors could spring a surprise to open the campaign.

Alternatively, should the hosts hit their stride then they are 40/1 to win by 23, which is not out of the question.