It is that time of the week again when 'Orrible Punt sits in the Planet Rugby hot-seat to give his calls. Today, the Aviva Premiership gets assessed.
Remember you can contact Russ with all your comments and questions on Twitter - @rpetty80.
Click here to compare odds on Rugby Union with Oddschecker.com!
The Sharks' season began with plenty of excitement over a new head coach, stadium and high-profile signings. Overlord Steve Diamond even suggested that the club take over RFU development for the North. This optimism hasn't translated to success on the pitch yet, and they find themselves below London Welsh with three defeats. Both teams have already leaked over 100 points but the Championship play-off winners have managed to score three more tries.
Having faced last season's first and second placed teams first up, Welsh would have surely targeted Exeter (a more familiar foe) as the first 'winnable' match of the season and duly delivered. However, for the second time this season they have to back up a Sunday performance with an away Friday game. Sale are just 1.14 favourites to pick up their crucial first win, and should be aided by the return of Andy Powell who may reignite an offloading game which was so prominent last season but missing thus far. Their opponents have leaked four tries against the back-row and three against locks already, so I'm looking at Powell at 5.0 and Scotland international Richie Gray at 11.0 to score anytime in Salford.
Sale have won just 12 of their previous 23 home games with 10 of those wins by the margin of 1-10 points. That amount is available at 3.75 with Sky Bet. Alternatively, the away team would have won with the +15 handicap in 33/34 Sale home games. There has been an overreaction to the round three results which has seen Sale's chance of a Premiership play-off place pushed out to 17.0 and the Exiles to finish bottom to 1.67. If you think there is going to be a home win here, then both of those prices will have worsened by Saturday.
Comments
Be the first to comment on this story..