Leinster v Saracens
European Champions Cup – 5.00 pm
Channel 4
This could easily be one of the sporting highlights of the weekend, as it sees the European Champions Cup on the line. Saracens are the ones who are narrow favourites with leading bookmakers to get the victory. The English side are at 8/11 for success. Saracens had won back to back European titles before being stopped in their tracks in the quarterfinals of last season’s competition by, yes, Leinster.
So Saracens are back for another bite of the cherry. They have lost all three previous European Champions Cup fixtures against Leinster, so they have to shake that off. Saracens have been perfect, winning all games played in this season’s competition. With news that Billy Vunipola is fit enough to play, that is a massive boost to them. This Final is being played at St James’ Park in Newcastle.
Leinster have suffered a defeat in this season’s competition. They lost a tight pool stage game out at Toulouse. But other than that they have again announced their European pedigree with some aplomb. They are even money underdogs with leading bookmakers to win this final. But they handled themselves so superbly in the knockout stages of the competition, notably in a big showdown against Ulster when they had to hold their nerve. They are the reigning European Champions and aren’t going to let go of that title easily.
Aston Villa v West Brom
Championship Play-Off – 12.00 noon
Sky Sports
A fantastic Midlands derby for the first leg of this Championship Play Off Semi Final. Because it is a derby that just adds a level of extra spice to proceedings. Both are running in some pretty handy form as well, so there is not likely going to be too much between them. However, it is the Villains who will be going into the match as 10/11 favourites with top bookmakers. That’s because of home soil advantage and form.
Aston Villa were on a five-match winning streak at home in the league before losing against Champions Norwich at Villa Park on the final day of the season. Overall during the course of the regular season, Villa lost just four home games and they averaged over two goals per game. They did, however, only go W1 L3 at home against the four teams who finished above them in the table. So will that open the door for the Baggies who are 3/1 underdogs for this first leg?
It is not as if West Brom are in bad form at all, quite the contrary. They have won three of their last five games played (D1 L1) and were four unbeaten before going down at Derby on the final weekend of the season. West Brom claimed a win in three of their four away games in the Championship against sides who finished in the top five alongside them. That’s a pretty strong record by anyone’s standards. There is a hint that this could be a high scoring game, all but two of West Brom’s last eight league games have gone over 2.5 goals.
Derby v Leeds
Championship Play-Off – 5.00 pm
Sky Sports
The high-pressure arena of the Championship play-offs have arrived now. There should be a cracker of a match at Pride Park here as Derby go up against Leeds. Derby carried some fantastic momentum with them to the end of the season, holding their nerve and producing the necessary quality to squeeze into the top six. A win on the final day of the season against West Brom (who had already qualified for the playoffs) secured Derby’s play-off place this season.
The Rams are currently on a six-match unbeaten streak of form, winning each of their last three. Derby are on a four-match winning streak at home at the moment and are undefeated on seven on home soil. So somewhat surprisingly, Derby are the 11/5 underdogs on home soil here. That may make them one of the best bets of the day for punters to back. Of the two sides in this semi-final, they are the ones with the current form behind them.
Leeds could not handle the pressure at the end of the season and a terrible finish saw them relinquish their shot at automatic promotion. For so long this season they looked as if they were going to push until the very finish line to get themselves back up to the top flight by securing a top-two finish. It didn’t happen as they collapsed to take just one point from their final four games to end up third. Away from home, it has been a W1 L3 record in their last four. But then Leeds, who are 5/4 to win this fixture did win both league meetings against the Rams this season.
