Sky Bet's Rugby expert tells us where the smart money will be going on tonight's games.
Sky Bet's Jordan Fiddes expects the travelling teams to be successful tonight
On Friday night, Worcester welcome Harlequins to Sixways as they attempt to win their first Premiership game in eight attempts.
They are rightly
13/8 outsiders to win the game, however it would have been bigger had Harlequins not had such a nervy opener against London Wasps and the narrow defeat to, much-fancied, Northampton last week.
With a minus five handicap, the Quins are only marginal favourites, yet they have beaten the Warriors in 13 of the 16 matches between the two.
As it's only round three of the 2013/14 campaign, much can still be drawn from last year and the home side lost their last five games, including a 42-26 at tonight's venue against the Quins.
Conor O'Shea's men are just
10/11 to win by five or more but in the 'alternative handicap' market there is a more attractive price of
13/10 for a Quins win by more than eight points.
With the Warriors having not beaten the men from the Stoop since 2005, all fingers point to a Harlequins win and, if the visitors are serious about contending for honours this year, they will need to put in a good performance on Friday night.
Italian job
Friday's other game sees London Wasps make the trip to Salford to take on Sale Sharks.
The Wasps come into this fixture on the back of two losses in the opening two rounds, yet their points difference reads a mere
minus five.
The home side secured a narrow 22-16 in the opening round against Gloucester but came up short last week to newly-promoted Newcastle on their home ground.
As the Wasps are the outsiders this week with a
+3 handicap at 10/11, they are the best value of all the round three fixtures.
They are
5/4 to win the game outright and, with Sale Director of Rugby Steve Diamond ringing the changes for Sale, this is not out of the London side's reach.
In what is likely to be a very physical affair, Dai Young's side could have an advantage with Italian hooker Carlo Festuccia in line to make his competitive debut.
The 16 stone forward brings a wealth of experience to the side having made 54 appearances for his national side and, with Andy Goode in good form from the boot, the Wasps will look to rack up the points whenever possible.
As a double, Harlequins
minus eight at 13/10 and Wasps
5/4 outright, you'll get a little over
5/1.
View from the Sky Bet trading room...
"We expect team news to play a vital part in this weekend's
odds.
"Tom Varndell is missing for the Wasps, yet Sale have made a number of changes to the side which lost to Newcastle last week which could go either way.
" We were tempted to go for scratch on this game but early season form has meant we have made Sale
marginal favourites.
"Leicester will have the
biggest handicap of the weekend as they take on the Falcons, whereas Saracens will face a
double-figure too as they entertain Bath."
