Exeter Chiefs vs Leinster
10th April 1730hrs
Rugby – England – Heineken Cup
Pick Leinster to win
Bookmaker Bet365
Odds: 5/6 odds taken 11:12 GMT on April 9th, 2021
We have a real heavyweight clash in the Heineken Cup rugby betting for Saturday as reigning champions Exeter face Leinster.
So it’s all eyes on Sandy Park on Saturday evening for this quarter field tie. Will Exeter’s superb home form in the competition stand up?
But the head to head momentum is with Leinster who have won all previous meetings with the Chiefs.
Table of Contents
Exeter Chiefs Preview – Can Exeter defend Sandy Park?
There is a monumental clash happening at Sandy Park on Saturday as Exeter try to keep their title defence on track.
In the Round of 16, they were up against French side Lyon and had to dig themselves out of a hole.
The Chiefs were 14-0 down in that fixture before turning things around to post a 47-25 victory.
Slow starts have actually been a bit of a trend for Exeter this season.
But that victory over Lyon, who are in the knockout stage for the first time ever, was Exeter’s fourth in their last five games in all competition.
In the match outright for Heineken Cup rugby betting, Exeter are the slight 11/10 underdogs* (odds recorded 11:12 GMT on April 9th, 2021).
Exeter do have a great home record in the competition, having won their last eight such fixtures.
That’s huge and overall, home and away in the Heineken Cup, Exeter are undefeated in their last 11.
The head to head doesn’t make particularly great reading for the reigning champions, however, as they have lost all four previous clashes with Leinster.
This is the longest streak of winning form at home in European competition.
The most recent was in the 2017/18 Pool stage.
So Exeter do have some home form and they also boast the best ruck success rate of all teams this season, losing only three attracting rucks.
They have also averaged 45 points per game and have averaged 6.5 games, both competition highs this season.
An Exeter +2 handicap is at even money for the fixture* (odds recorded 11:12 GMT on April 9th, 2021).
Can they break their duck against the Irish powerhouses?
Things have been a little scrappy at times for Exeter this season, having lost five times in the Premiership already.
But they do have home advantage and are facing a team who didn’t get to play in the last round.
Leinster Preview – Can the Irish giants beat Exeter again?
Leinster’s scheduled Round of 16 match against Toulon was cancelled, with the match being awarded to the Irish side.
In the pool stage, Leinster won both of their fixtures there, taking a bonus point in each as well.
That left them as the top-ranked side from their Pool.
Will that lack of a workout last weekend hamper or help them for this trip to Sandy Park?
All four of their previous meetings with Exeter came in the pool stage.
For this first-ever clash between them in the knockout stage, Leinster are 4/5 odds-on favourites in rugby betting* (odds recorded 11:12 GMT on April 9th, 2021).
Leinster are four-time Heineken Cup champions and they just have such a fantastic record in the competition.
They have won 14 of their last 16 fixtures in the competition (L2).
Interestingly, however, the two losses that they suffered in that sequence, were both against English opposition (Saracens on both occasions).
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Leinster can’t be written off just because they are on the road either.
The Irish side have claimed a win in each of their last six Heineken Cup away games.
The Leinster – 1 handicap is at 10/11 for Heineken Cup rugby betting* (odds recorded 11:12 GMT on April 9th, 2021).
They would make a bit of history with a win at Sandy Park as no side has ever managed seven straight road wins in the competition.
If we break down Leinster’s away form against English sides only, then that’s a fabulous five-match winning streak they are on.
The last time they lost in England was in January 2016 against Wasps.
Exeter Chiefs vs Leinster Betting Advice
This is going to be some duel. It’s really hard to split them as well because they are two of the titans of the competition.
But we think that Exeter’s title defence is going to come to an end in this one.
We are sticking in the match outright for rugby betting on Leinster at 4/5* (odds recorded 11:12 GMT on April 9th, 2021)
Key Facts – Exeter Chiefs vs Leinster Betting Tip
- Exeter Chiefs have on their last eight Heineken Cup home games
- Leinster have won their last six away games in the competition
- Leinster have won 14 of their last 16 competition fixtures
Exeter haven’t looked as good as they were last season, and we believe that there are frailties that the visitors can exploit.
We don’t expect it to be a walk in the park at Sandy Park, but we are leaning towards the away win.
A Leinster 1-7 winning margin looks viable at 3/1 for a rugby betting pick* (odds recorded 11:12 GMT on April 9th, 2021).
The best betting odds for Exeter Chiefs vs Leinster
Exeter Chiefs to win: 11/10 at Bet365
Draw: 20/1 at Bet365
Leinster to win: 4/5 at Bet365
