Magners League Preview Round 19

With Heineken Cup Quarter Final weekend on the horizon, both Ulster and Leinster will be hoping to use Friday and Saturdays Magners League clashes to prepare for Leicester and Northampton respectively. While Ulster are set to face the Scarlets at Raven Hill, the pick of the weekend is undoubtedly the mouth watering clash between rivals Leinster and Munster at Limerick’s Thomand Park.

Ulster Vs Scarlets

Ulster boss Brian McLaughlin has named an inexperienced team for this weekend but welcomes back some familiar faces in BJ Botha, Ian Humphreys and Andrew Trimble. The northern Irish provence are now on a run of five straight wins and they currently occupy third position in the Magners League table. Tonight they will certainly face a stern test against their fellow play-off contenders. A win is not only important for their Magners League challenge but they will be hoping for victory and an improved performance ahead of next week's Heineken Cup quarter final. In contrast, Scarlets travel to Ulster with a strong squad, boosted with all bar one of their Wales internationals and in the knowledge that only a win will keep them in the top four play-off race. The game comes at the end of a positive week for the club, with the region announcing that it has signed new contracts with 21 players. Wing Sean Lamont, scrum-half Gareth Davies and wing George North all miss out but back and on the bench comes Wallaby number eight David Lyons after injury. The Scarlets just lost out to Ulster in the final minute’s game at Parc y Scarlets in February and will want some pay back after the 18-16 loss. This will be another closely contested battle. Ulster have never managed to achieve a season's double over Scarlets. They may have one eye on next weekend and Scarlets season rest massively on this game. Furthermore, Ulster edged out the Dragons 25-23 and Glasgow 22-19 in their last two games which leaves me feeling that Scarlets +8 at 10/11 (Victor Chandler) on recent stats alone is a winner. For a gamble Scarlets are best at 11/4 (Bet Fred) for the win but I feel, at home, Ulster may just take this one by 4 or 5 points. Andrew Trimble is my pick for First Try on his return at 8/1 (Boyle Sports).

Munster Vs Leinster 

Leinster travel to Limerick on Saturday for the clash of the weekend. They may have a Heineken Cup quarter final around the corner but no man will be spared such is the rivalry between these two European giants. While Munster are sitting pretty at the top of the Magners League, nothing would please them more than to stop Leinster from achieving a sixth consecutive victory in the Irish derby. Leinster have been boosted by the return to regional rugby of Irish centre pairing Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy and also fly-half Jonathan Sexton. The home side have made three changes to the team that beat Cardiff, with Donncha O'Callaghan coming into the second row and Donncha Ryan and David Wallace coning into the loose trio in place of Denis Leamy and Niall Ronan. In the sides last two meetings, Leinster have come out on top 13-9 and 16-6 but in the last Thomand Park contest, they just edged out Munster on a score of 16-15. I expect this to be the case again come Saturday night and feel that Leinster +4 at 11/10 (Boyle Sports) is sensible. I would avoid the first try scorer in this one with only 3 tries in the last 3 games but Munster HT/ Leinster FT it certainly worth a punt at 8/1 (Paddy Power).

My Tips

2pts Scarlets (+8)

1pt Andrew Trimble 1^st Try

2pts Leinster (+4)

1pt Munster HT/ Leinster FT

2011 Rugby Betting Stats

Staked = 5pts

Returns = 6.74pts

Profit/Loss = + 1.74pts 

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