Zurich premiership rugby

[hoss]

Haven't posted for a while, mainly since the end of the Super 12 + Cricket world Cups, but thought I better get back into the habit before the Rugby World Cup - can't wait for that

It's week 3 of the Zurich Premiership + there are 3 games on Friday:

Leicester v Newcastle: 2pts Leicester (-11) UK Betting 5/6

Leicester have started off with a creditable away draw at Saracens and a 10pt win over London Irish, compared to Newcastle who narrowly beat Sale 9-8 ( + were lucky!) and lost by 5 at home to Saracens.
The most basic form-line through Saracens gives Leicester a 15pt supremecy figure. However, whilst it's true that Leicester have had to cope with the loss of several key players to the RWC, Newcastle have suffered too losing their reserve fly half to injury ( bearing in mind Jonny Wilkinson is at the RWC) + will play the relatively inexperienced Godman. Captain Mark Andrews will also play carrying an injury.

Leeds v Rotherham: 3pts (-7) 10/11 Sporting Odds

Rotherham look odds-on to come last in the division + have started by losing by 14 against Gloucester ( who took ages to get going) + getting thumped by 28 by Harlequins. True, Leeds haven't looked great in losing at Wasps and at home to Bath, but home advantage should count for most of the start.
This is the first Yorkshire Derby in the premiership for ages (ever?) + the atmosphere should be hot.
Leeds have 2 injured scrum halves but give a debut to ex-Natal Sharks player Ryan Walker, who you would hope would be able to cope at this level (a long way behind Super 12's!!). Rotherham have plenty of injuries of their own (Noon + Kenworthy both out) - I'm pretty confident here

Sale v Bath : would take Bath getting 7 if pushed, but too many injuries + doubts for me to get involved!

hopefully back tomorrow with Saturdays games

good luck to all
Hoss

 

[hoss]

Results

Leeds 23 Rotherham 13
Leicester 28 Newcastle 21
Sale Sharks 9 Bath 14

Leeds cover narrowly to land biggest bet, Leicester failed to make the most of 2 Newcastle sin-binnings + chickened out of a winner with Bath

1/1 +0.7pts

Tomorrow playing:

both for 3 points
Harlequins (-4) Paddy Power 5/6 and Wasps (+4) 5/6 Chandler

no time for reasons, sorry

Hoss

 

[hoss]

Harlequins covered by a point + Wasps got done following a late try :shrug:

Record now 2/2 + 0.2pts

2 games tomorrow - no bet in Rotherham/Northampton - I had it at -14 + that seems to be about the general price. Rotherham are out of their depth, but 2 tries+ is too much to bet away from home.

However, I'm having 2pts on Leicester (-8) vs Sale 10/11 (Sporting Odds) - Sale have narrowly lost to Bath (at home) and Newcastle so far + played a draw with Northampton - nothing special. Leicester will still be smarting from being docked a point for fielding an ineligable player last week + have ex-England players Austin Healey and Graham Roundtree back in the side.
Sale's only chance for me is to keep it tight in the forwards, but I think Leicester will have the firepower to cover.

Have 3 plays ( a couple of really strong ones) lined up for Sunday - will post Sunday am once final handicaps + team news is confirmed.

good luck
Hoss

 

[hoss]

Leicester got beaten 22-16 they had loads of pressure, but wastful kicking by Stimpson (missed at least 3) + tough Sale defence spoiled the party. Northampton hammered Rotherham in the other game. On to today:

(games kick off in 3 hours)

The Nap of the week + bet of the season so far

4pts London Irish (v Leeds) -5 Dones 10/11, the 7 available elsewhere is fair enough two. These 2 will probably be amongst the Premierships lesser lights when it all shakes out. Irish recall fly half Mark Mapletoft, who missed last week through injury, whilst Leeds have lost Colm Rigney to a lengthy ban. Leeds sole win this season has been against Rotherham, whose home hammering against Northampton demonstrates how poor they are. My only worry is that London Irish haven't set the world alight with their scoring so far, but they should find Leeds more to their liking than Leicester, Gloucester and Harlequins ( 3 of my top 4 rated teams).

3pts Wasps (-5) v Bath 10/11 Wilson sports - Bath have injury problems here + I fancy their current 100% record will go out of the window here

2pts Harlequins (+7) v Saracens 10/11 Dones - Quins have won all 3 games so far + are generally still being underrated by the Bookies. They don't seem to have been overrly affected by the loss of players like Leonard and Greenwood to the World Cup. A try start seems fair enough.

good luck
hoss

 

[crookycymru]

Good call on the Irish Hoss......got a bit nervy when Leeds came back but we sealed it in the end. I got the Irish (-6) at Stan James this morning, although had been cut to 4/6.

 

[hoss]

Thanks Crooky well done on landing your big bet too - should've had the double

Scores : London Irish 31 Leeds 16
Wasps 19 Bath 20
Saracens 39 Harlequins 33

2 out of 3 win including the big one - was mighty lucky with Harlequins who scored 10 points in injury time to cover the handicap by 1

Record 4/4 +0.6pts
hoss

 

[hoss]

Zurich Prem still going - almost forgot with all this RWC excitement!

3 plays this weeK:

3pts Saracens (+2) v Leeds - Saracens had a great win against Harlequins last week, Leeds were beaten again. Saracens aren't the best side on the road, but getting a start I'm more than happy to play.

2pts Harlequins (-5) v Newcastle - backing my favourite team again - Newcastle had a big win against Gloucester ( although more down to poor Gloucester than brilliant Newcastle), home advantage is the key here - Quins won this game by 24 last year - a repeat will do nicely.

2pts Bath (-22) v Rotherham - still opposing the hopeless Titans - soon the bookies will underestimate them + I'll change sides but not yet.

good luck
Hoss

 

[crookycymru]

Good luck Hoss...all look good to me. Got a feeling that the Titans will be the 'Halifax' of the Zurich this season.

 

[hoss]

Results:

Bath 47 Rotherham 3
Harlequins 18 Newcastle 11
Leeds 41 Saracens 31

Bath cover easily, Harlequins kick their way home + Saracens come back from 31-8 down to 31-31 + then blow it! Still, I'll settle for 2 out of 3 each week



Record 6/5 + 1.2pts

hoss

ps think I will be having a MAX BET on the World Cup this week, just waiting for lines, but early signs look hopeful :shocked:

 

[crookycymru]

Hoss,

Guess which one I backed....:shrug: . Good work on the other two!!

 

[hoss]

2 bets this week

2pts Harlequins (-2) v Gloucester sky
2pts Wasps (-6) v London Irish blue sq

hoss

 

[hoss]

One bet this week:

3pts London Irish (-19) v Rotherham

hoss

 

[hoss]

London Irish 47 Rotherham 26 - - looked like this was going to be a struggle when Irish had a man sinbinned, but a late surge just got us over the line.

Record 8/6 +3.7pts

hoss

 

[hoss]

playing a few this week - very few lines out yet, so there may be better prices available, but can't post tomorrow.

2pts Newcastle (-18)
2pts Leeds (+13)
1pt Harlequins (+5)
1pt Bath (+10)

hoss

 

[hoss]

Newcastle win by 46
Bath win by 6
Harlequins win by 22
Leeds lose by 16

covers by 28, 16 and 27 + a failure by 4 - pity the staking didn't turn out better , but a tidy enough weekend

Record 11/7 +4.1pts

hoss

 

[crookycymru]

Hoss,

Any bets tonight on the live game..:shrug:

 

[hoss]

Crooky - no 'account' bets - but if i was playing (which I may )
I'd back Wasps (-9) with Corals or Skybet - Gloucester have been horrible recently + I couldn't back them with anybodys cash.

hoss

ps check your mail later

 

[crookycymru]

Hoss,

Decided to pass with you, and as it was, I only caught the last fifteen minutes anyway. Best thing I saw in those last twenty minutes, was the Sky' schedule for the Heineken Cup games. Looks totally unbiased with a good mixture of fixtures, and five live games per weekend.

Dribbling at the thought already!!!

At the desk all night, so will check my e-mails.