Betting preview: Leicester to beat Sale and qualify for Europe

With the Premiership and Top 14 entering its final round, and the PRO14 reaching the play-off stage, we take a look at the best odds in Europe.

Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers

Although there has once again been plenty of drama in this season’s Premiership, it is unlikely there will be too much this weekend, with the play-offs and relegation already decided.

The top-four can relax knowing that their positions in the semi-finals are assured, while London Irish are the unfortunate ones to succumb to the trapdoor and drop into England’s second-tier.

Champions Cup qualification still hangs in the balance, however, and both Gloucester and Sale have the opportunity to deprive Leicester Tigers of being in Europe’s biggest club competition in 2018/19.

It may be a long shot, though, with Sale having to win with a bonus-point and prevent the Midlanders from getting anything, while the Cherry and Whites need to emerge victorious at Saracens.

Neither of those scenarios seems particularly likely, although Steve Diamond’s men will fancy their chances of going above Gloucester in the table and sealing their Champions Cup place. They are favourites – 4/7 at Sky Bet – with the bookmakers evidently not impressed by the Tigers’ performance against Newcastle Falcons last weekend.

Matt O’Connor’s men are 9/5 with Betfair, despite their history and the quality they have within the squad, and it appears a decent price. The Sharks are still developing and the experience Leicester have throughout the 23 may just see them edge the contest.

Munster v Edinburgh

The PRO14 have revamped their league structure in 2017/18 following the introduction of the two South African sides and it has now reached the play-off stage.

It is effectively a quarter-final with Munster and Edinburgh going head-to-head to decide who will face Leinster in the last four. Both have enjoyed fine domestic campaigns but the Scottish outfit have been the surprise package and were superb in the second half of the regular season.

They ended in superb fashion, overcoming countrymen Glasgow Warriors 24-19, but Richard Cockerill’s men are still 10/3 outsiders with Bet365 for this contest.

It will certainly be a huge task for the visitors but they have only succumbed once in the league in 2018, with their 32-20 reserve at the hands of Ulster the team’s only defeat since going down to Glasgow in later December.

Backing Edinburgh is therefore worth a punt, particularly following the Irish province’s defeat in the Champions Cup semi-finals. Having that singular focus may help Johann van Graan’s men, and they are best-priced 1/4 (William Hill) to reach the showpiece event, but the hosts have not been at their best recently.

Some may view Munster as clear favourites but we see it being much closer and a handicap of +5 at 7/4 (William Hill) for the Scotsmen represents good value.

Clermont Auvergne v Toulouse

Like the Premiership, the regular Top 14 season ends this weekend and Toulouse are looking to secure automatic qualification for the semi-finals.

They have had a much-improved campaign, after the struggles of 2016/17, and Ugo Mola’s men should have enough to overcome a Clermont Auvergne team with nothing to play for.

It may not be enough to finish in the top two, with Racing 92 in second and facing relative minnows Agen in the final round, but it is surprising to see Les Jaunards so heavily backed. Clermont are 4/11 with various bookmakers and will no doubt want to finish on a high after such a disastrous campaign, but they continue to disappoint.

With Les Rouge et Noir searching for a place in the last four and Auvergne still failing to find their rhythm, even at the Marcel-Michelin, 21/10 at BetStars for Toulouse to emerge triumphant is a generous price.