Guinness Premiership : London Wasps; the double carpet baggers?

Lawrence Dallaglio will be looking to take London Wasps into the semi finals

London Wasps; the double carpet baggers?

2 May 2008, 2:26 pm

By Jonathan McConnell

The 2007/08 Guinness Premiership season is quite possibly the most exciting to date. Leading in to round 21, six sides are still chasing a semi-final place and all are in with a shout of qualifying in the top two places and so claiming a home semi-final. But the race to be Guinness Premiership Champions doesn't quite tell the full story of the top six clubs, as form has fluctuated for most throughout the season.

London Wasps started the season as 6/1 joint second favourites with Coral.co.uk, official betting partner of the Guinness Premiership, to top the table after round 22, but with nine key players at the Rugby World Cup, the club found themselves lying in tenth place by the time South Africa claimed the title.

At this point their odds to top the Guinness Premiership after round 22 had lengthened to an unbelievable 33/1. The London club have now won their last eight successive league outings, including a memorable victory over Leicester Tigers at Welford Road and their form is looking ominous. With a game in hand on their rivals and still to play league leaders Gloucester Rugby, Coral.co.uk now make Wasps 11/10 favourites to sit on top of the table after the final weekend of fixtures and 2/1 favourites to lift the Guinness Premiership trophy at Twickenham on Saturday 31st May.

So who’s going to stop London Wasps? Much like last season, Gloucester have spent more weeks at the summit than any other side. Unlike last season however, they face the prospect of being overthrown at the finishing post with final fixtures away to Wasps (third place) and finally at home to local rivals Bath (second place). Despite having no less than eight representatives at the World Cup, Gloucester’s deep and versatile squad led Coral.co.uk to place them pre-season as 2/1 favourites to be regular season winners and only their tough run in has seen them drift marginally to 6/4 second favourites.

Bath Rugby started the season at 20/1 to lift the Guinness Premiership trophy but after 14 victories in this season’s campaign, the West Country club are now 11/4 and second favourites to be crowned champions. A lack of creativity that plagued the 2006/2007 team has gone and coupled with an improved defence, Bath will be formidable opponents come the semi-final, regardless of whether they end the season on top of the league.

The season’s surprise package must be Harlequins. They started the season at 50/1 outsiders with Coral.co.uk to win the Guinness Premiership and early season form saw this price half to 25/1. A mid-season drop in form was arrested with four consecutive victories in rounds 16-19, leading to their current position of fourth in the table. However, a tough run in with games against Sales Sharks followed by a trip to Welford Road means Coral.co.uk price them at 33/1 to be crowned Guinness Premiership champions.

Leicester Tigers’ form has been erratic by the midlands giants’ standards and from pre-season 9/4 joint favourites for the league title, they now face a challenge to even make the semi-final, having suffered two demoralising defeats to rivals, London Wasps and Sale Sharks in two of their last three matches. The Tigers are now 80/1 to finish top of the league after round 22 but with a squad used to playing in crucial matches are only 5/1 to retain the Guinness Premiership title.

Sale Sharks have shipped fewer points than any other side in the league and with strong defences often prevailing in knockout formats, the Sharks remain a fair prospect to win the Guinness Premiership Final at Twickenham with odds of 9/1 from a starting position of 6/1.

Only two Guinness Premiership rounds left plus the prospect of two more exciting semi-finals, the race to Twickenham could surely include even more twists and turns. And then there’s the small matter of the Final itself. So who’s your money on?

For the odds on Guinness Premiership plus all other sporting events please visit www.coral.co.uk