Leicester Tigers vs Exeter Chiefs
This match is probably the pick of the matches on the opening week of the Premiership. These are the two most physical sides in the league and rely heavily on their forward packs. Having said this they also have great attacking threats in their backline. There are a few great head to head battles but the one that stands out for me is Jack Nowell up against the giant Nemani Nadolo. This match is worth the entry fee alone. Nowell is the smaller quicker man while Nadolo just runs over defenders for fun. It will interesting to see if the ball goes out to the wings as these teams love keeping the ball amongst their forward packs which obviously is a strength for both sides. The appointment of Ellis Genge as Captain for the Tigers raised a few eyebrows as he has had a fair share of disciplinary problems. There is no doubting his talent and if he can control his emotions, then he can inspire his team to great heights.
TIP: The Chiefs are missing all their British & Irish Lions players as they are still in the mandatory rest period. Stuart Hogg is among this group and I’m really excited to see his replacement Josh Hodge. We saw a little of him last season and he is electric with ball in hand and if given space he can run riot. The Tigers have a young star of their own in the 15 jersey. Freddie Steward was brilliant last season and earned a national call up. He would dearly love to continue with that rich vein of form. As always the team with the more dominant forward pack will win but in this match they are so evenly matched that I’m sure the result will go down to the final whistle. The bookies have Exeter as slight favourites and I am also tipping them for the win. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Worldsportsbetting 1.75, Playabets 1.70 and Sunbet 1.54
HEAD TO HEAD STATS
Leicester Tigers vs Exeter Chiefs
- In the last five meetings between the sides Exeter have won four while the Tigers have one win.
- Leicester has lost their last two home matches against the Chiefs.
- The last time Leicester had a home win against the Chiefs was in 2019.
Latest results for both teams
Leicester lost their last match against Wasps 38-31 while Exeter lost their last match 40-38 against Harlequins.
PREDICTION
Leicester will be chuffed that they will have a full house supporting them at Welford Road on the first day of the season. This will give them a huge lift therefore Exeter will want a fast start to silence the home crowd. They will once again look to their driving maul to score tries and Leicester will need to find a way to stop them. Leicester also use the maul as a great attacking weapon. The Chiefs will want to get the ball to their wings if possible as they have deadly finishes in Tom Flaherty and Jack Nowell. The most under rated player in the Chiefs line up is Captain Joe Simmonds as he is the catalyst of all the teams’ attacks. The same can be said of the Tigers number 10 George Ford and if given front foot ball then he will dictate the game. The experience of the Chiefs side will see them through therefore I predict an away win by 5 points
- Probable Starting XVs
Leicester Tigers
15 Freddie Steward, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 George Martin, 5 Calum Green, 4 Harry Wells, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Nic Dolly, 1 Ellis Genge (c)
Exeter Chiefs
15 Josh Hodge, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Jack Maunder, 8 Rus Tuima, 7 Don Armand, 6 Jannes Kirsten, 5 Sean Lonsdale, 4 Will Witty, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Innard, 1 Alec Hepburn
Odds for this bet
The best odds on the Exeter victory are as follows:
Worldsportsbetting 1.75
Playabets 1.70
Sunbet 1.54
Odds comparison on the Exeter handicap victory :
The complete odds on the Exeter handicap victory:
Worldsportsbetting (-1.5) 1.90
Sunbet (-3.5) 1.90
Playabets (-2.5) 1.90
Predictions and Odds in details
The Tigers have an excellent home record so the task awaiting the Chiefs is huge. The Tigers pride themselves on having dominance at the scrum and if the Chiefs can nullify this threat then they are well on their way to victory. The Chiefs consistently the best defensive team in the league showed some flaws in the latter stage of last season and most notably in the final where they lost to Harlequins. Their Coach Rob Baxter no doubt has worked non-stop on getting their structures back in place so the Tigers will need something special to score. Discipline of both sides will be paramount as the goal kickers in the match are deadly accurate. There are decent returns for punters on the Chiefs outright victory but I suggest taking them on the handicap. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Worldsportsbetting (-1.5) 1.90, Sunbet (-3.5) 1.90 and Playabets (-2.5) 1.90
Sports crazy fan that follows all major sport but the game with the oval ball is my real passion. Was an age level rugby coach and a huge supporter of the Springboks and diehard Liverpool man. I’m an experienced punter and sports writer whose predictions/tips are sure to stir up the emotions. I love the occasional wager on the underdog.
