Leicester vs Ospreys: EDF Cup final - rugby betting

Both Leicester and the Ospreys are out of the Heineken Cup, and with the Welsh region languishing in sixth place in the Magners League, this weekend's EDF Energy Cup final at Twickenham is their last shot at silverware this season. Click here for a free £25 to bet on Leicester vs Ospreys with PartyBets Leicester may look to the Guinness Premiership as their last-chance saloon, but that road is a tricky one to negotiate, and Marcelo Loffreda's Tigers know that one big performance at HQ - a repeat of last year's EDF Energy Cup final - will reap rewards. Both sides have been chastened recently. Leicester dumped Wasps out of this competition in Cardiff last month, only for the London side to prevail embarrasingly at Welford Road a week later. The Ospreys thrashed Saracens in the Millennium Stadium in the second semi-final of the cup, before Sarries got their act together six days ago and beat them in the Heineken Cup quarter-final 19-10. It was a gritty performance by the Men in Black, and one that may have exposed the fragility of the Ospreys. Saracens were in their opponents' faces for the full 80 minutes in that tie at Vicarage Road, and if there is one team in Europe that has the nous to approach a fixture in that manner, it is Leicester. The Tigers also have the benefit of being able to name a strong squad after Aaron Mauger recovered from an injury scare. Arguably, Loffreda has named his most powerful team to date, and where Leicester will pack down at full-strength, the Ospreys must make do without injured trio Gavin Henson, Mike Phillips and Nikki Walker. No fewer than 13 of last year's Leicester heroes, who won 41-35, take to the field once more, and with the injured Ospreys limping into Twickenham on the back of that Heineken Cup defeat, it is easy to see why some bookmakers make Leicester 4/7 favourites. The handicap line has been set at three points in the Welsh side's favour. Considering the two teams are pretty much equally matched, that may seem unfair on the Ospreys, but make no mistake, the loss of Henson is crucial, as is his side's loss of momentum and six-day turnaround, and Leicester look good with just a penalty deficit. Verdict: 3pts Leicester -3 @ 10/11 Click here for a free £25 to bet on Leicester vs Ospreys with PartyBets PartyBets is the newest member of the PartyGaming family and the fastest growing bookmaker on the internet. We offer a wider variety of betting opportunities across an international selection of sports. Join us now and get a 100% match bonus up to £25 FREE!