Scarlets vs Sale Sharks
4th April 1500hrs
Rugby – England – Heineken Cup
Pick Scarlets to win
Bookmaker William Hill
Odds: 6/5 odds taken 01:49 GMT on April 3rd, 2021
Premiership side Sale Sharks are the narrow favourites to win this European Champions Cup Round of 16 tie on the weekend.
They will be ready for a tough battle of course on their visit to Llanelli, and the Sharks are struggling for European form.
Scarlets are undefeated in this season’s competition and the Welsh region are aiming to book a place in the quarter-finals for the fourth time.
Table of Contents
Scarlets Preview – Can Welsh region defend home territory?
Scarlets are always a tough proposition to take on at the Parc y Scarlets.
This is the final match of this weekend’s European Champions Cup rugby betting.
In the Pool stage of this season’s competition, Scarlets opened with a tight 23-19 victory over Premiership side Bath.
Then their second fixture against Toulon was cancelled, and Scarlets were awarded the win and therefore get themselves a home tie.
In the match outright for rugby betting, Scarlets are the 6/5 underdogs* (odds recorded 01:49 GMT on April 3rd, 2021).
The Welsh side do have the head to head lead over Sale Sharks.
This will be the fifth meeting between the teams and Scarlets are W3 L1 from the previous four.
All of those previous meetings were in the Heineken Cup, the most recent one in 2017 which was won by Sale.
But that means that Scarlets have won their previous two home games against the Sharks in the competition.
A Scarlets +2 handicap is at even money for this contest in Heineken Cup betting* (odds recorded 01:49 GMT on April 3rd, 2021).
The Welsh region have claimed a win in all but one of their last four European Champions Cup fixtures against Premiership opposition.
The latest, that Pool stage win over Bath, saw Scarlets turn the game around after having trailed at the break.
No team has completed a higher average of tackles in this season’s tournament than Scarlets.
They don’t look as if they are going to get rolled over. They have a bit of current form, winning three of their last four in the Pro14.
Sale Sharks Preview – Can Sharks carry domestic form forward?
There has been great form by Sale in the Premiership as they are currently sitting in the top three.
It has been four wins in their last five fixtures there.
But they need to get some European form going. They lost both of their fixtures in the Pool stage of the European Champions Cup.
They started with a 26-14 loss against French side Toulon.
Then a week later the Sharks were beaten by a single point margin against Edinburgh.
But still, they scraped through the much-changed pool stage format as the eighth and final qualifier from their pool.
So they have been given a lifeline. Now can they make the most of this big second chance?
Given that they are running current hot form in the Premiership, Sale Sharks are 8/11 odds-on in the match outright for rugby betting* (odds recorded 01:49 GMT on April 3rd, 2021).
But their form away from home in Europe is not great.
Sale Sharks have not won away in the Heineken Cup since October 2008.
That’s seventeen defeats in their last eight games on the road in the competition.
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Sale Sharks are, therefore, by no means a particularly strong favourite when looking at Heineken Cup rugby betting.
Those two defeats in this season’s pool stage, moved Sale Sharks on to a six-match losing streak in the competition.
In their last 25 fixtures played in the Heineken Cup, Sale have won only two of those (against Scarlets and La Rochelle).
So they actually look a risky odds-on proposition here.
A Sale -1 handicap for the fixture is at 10/11* (odds recorded 01:49 GMT on April 3rd, 2021).
They have lost more attacking rucks than any other team in this season’s competition so far.
Scarlets vs Sale Sharks Betting Advice
Given that Sale Sharks have a terrible record away from home in the competition, we are looking at the Scarlets for the win.
The Welsh region may just be able to dig this one out with home soil advantage.
For rugby betting there is enough at 6/5 on Scarlets in the match outright* (odds recorded 01:49 GMT on April 3rd, 2021).
Key Facts – Scarlets vs Sale Sharks Betting Tip
- Scarletts have won three of their last four fixtures against English teams in the Heineken Cup
- Scarlets beat Bath in the pool stage of this season’s competition
- Sale Sharks are winless in 18 away games in the Heineken Cup
The Welsh region have the head to head form against the Sharks.
We also like the fact that they have won three of their last four fixtures in the competition against Premiership opposition.
So we think they sneak it, and a Scarlets 1-7 winning margin is at 10/3* (odds recorded 01:49 GMT on April 3rd, 2021)
The best betting odds for Scarlets vs Sale Sharks
Scarlets to win: 21/20 at Bet365
Draw: 20/1 at Bet365
Sale Sharks to win: 5/6 at Bet365
