Aviva Premiership Preview

The 2012/13 Aviva Premiership season begins Saturday with the London double header at Twickenham. Fast forward nine months and this is where the season ends with the Grand Final. We know who will start the season at Twickenham, let us help guide you as to who might be their come final time in May.

This looks likes being a great season ahead and with no World Cup to disrupt the plans of teams it should be a fair and even battle. Bookmakers make Leicester the 2/1 (general) favourites for the Grand Final an event they have missed in just three of the previous twelve years. The Tigers have won the Final four times and been beaten finalists in five of the other years. It would be tough to back against the Tigers being back again this year. They have added to the squad that was beaten in the final last year by Harlequins. Verenki Goneva, Miles Benjamin and Adam Thompstone are among those that have come in . What of the defending champions? Conor O’Shea has managed to maintain the bulk of the Harlequins squad this season and they should be highly competitive and at 9/2 (general) seem very fairly priced. The Quins have a solid pack that is anchored by England captain Chris Robshaw, throw in Nick Easter and some great backs and it could be a repeat of last year’s final.

Saracens are 100/30 (general) to be in the mix and are the second favourites. Last season they were the only English side to make the last eight in Europe and they will hope to improve on their third placed league finish. They have been busy in the transfer market bringing in England winger Chris Ashton from the Northampton Saints and Alistair Hargreaves a highly regarded lock from the Natal Sharks. They also seem a side capable of challenging for the honours. Northampton are the 13/2 (boylesports/Sporting Bet/BetVictor) fourth favourites. Despite the loss of Chris Ashton the Saints still have a dominant pack and two real talents in Ben Foden and Courtney Lewes. If their key players can remain fit then they remain a top four side at the worst.

The other sides will be battling for a slot in the play-offs and if any of the big four slip up Bath (9/4-paddy Power), Gloucester (9/4-paddy Power) and Sale (3/1-paddy power) will be expected to run them close. Exeter are 4/1 (Skybet) and London Irish 7/1 (ladbrokes) to make the play-offs. At the other end of the table London Welsh are the 4/6 (Skybet/Coral) favourites to finish bottom. They will be looking to prove their doubters wrong in their maiden season and a lot will depend on Gavin Henson. If he remembers he is a talented Rugby player and not a reality tv star and media feature then Welsh could shock a few. Other teams expected to struggle are Worcester at 7/2 (ladbrokes) and Wasps at 6/1 (ladbrokes/william hill).

Those who simple want to remove the lottery element of the play-offs can do so with a bet on the regular season only market. Leicester Tigers are once more the 9/4 (general) favourites followed by Saracens at 3/1 (bet365/Stan James), Harlequins 4/1 (BetVictor/william hill) and Northampton at 13/2 (general).

Finally a rew recommendations for the top try scorer market the first of which is Miles Benjamin. The winger scored a number of tries for Worcester last and should get even more opportunities in a talented Leicester side and looks value at 25/1 (william hill). At an even bigger price I like Fijian winger Sailosi Tagicakibau who has grabbed a number of tries for London Irish and at 40/1 (william hill) looks a steal.

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30/08/2012     © Frixo 2024