Sky Bet's rugby union expert wonders how last week's performances will affect this weekend's games.
Sky Bet's Jordan Fiddes expects the shocks of last week to be the motivation in round four
It's dark outside and things look gloomy for one of England's form sides in this year's Heineken Cup.
While temperatures drop, Northampton Saints have struggled to keep up the heat on leaders Leinster in Pool One.
They take on the Irish flyers in Dublin this week in a desperate attempt to get their European campaign back on track.
They will have to do things the hard way if they are to match their early season Aviva Premiership form as
Sky Bet make them
9/2 to claim the win.
That's a stark contrast from the
1/33 odds they were in their last Premiership outing against Worcester, highlighting the gulf in class in this year's Heineken Cup.
With the new signings made by the Saints hierarchy, there were high hopes of European success this year and they'll need a win here to finally stamp their mark on the 2013/14 competition.
Business as usual
It's expected to be a much tighter affair between two giants of the European game as Perpignan host Munster at the Stade Aime Giral.
The two-time winners of the famous trophy, Munster travel across the border at the top of Pool Six and safe in the knowledge that they have lost just twice against this weekend's opponents.
A comfortable victory over the Frenchmen last week puts Munster in good stead to progress once again and at
even money they are a good bet to double your money this weekend.
Bounce back
The
bookies have trimmed Connacht's odds dramatically after their shock win over Toulouse last weekend.
Travelling to the home of the four-time Champions, Connacht stood a
20/1 chance of winning, however, this week, at home, they are just
9/2.
The problem facing the Irish side is how much that loss will motivate Toulouse and, if history is anything to go by, you would expect the French side to overcome the
-11 handicap.
Welford wonder
Where we witnessed a shock in France, it was a thriller also at Welford Road last weekend as Leicester made it hard for themselves against a determined Montpellier side.
Prior to kick off, the English Champions were a very short
1/4 for victory, yet, after going 24-3 up within the first quarter, their odds were an unbelievable
1/1000 to claim the two points.
On the road this weekend, Leicester have had their
odds severely trimmed and they will come up against a French outfit who will be buoyed by their comeback in the second half.
Fiddes-Cent
DOUBLE: Munster and Leicester both to win
2/1
