EDF Energy Cup 2007/08

[Cymro]

Thought it might be worth getting a thread started on this competition. First games were last night with Cardiff (:cow) and Saracens notching up big victories. For those of you new to the tournament there are four pools of four teams as below with the winners going through to the semi final stage. There are only three fixtures in the group stages so half the teams have the advantage of two home games (these are marked with * below). Also, bonus points are in operation in this competition. Pool A Wasps * Gloucester Dragons * Newcastle Pool B Leicester * Cardiff Sale Bath * Pool C Ospreys London Irish * Harlequins * Worcester Pool D Llanelli * Bristol * Leeds Saracens Not overly tempted by the outrights at this stage, I think Llanelli will go very well with a nice set of fixtures but 6/1 is probably about right. Cardiff may be lucky to catch Leicester before their best team is up and running but still have to travel to Bath for the final round of games so not too hopeful there. The winner of Wasps-Gloucester (at Wasps) will go a long way but it's too close to call for me. Ospreys have a tricky sort of group but you would expect them (on paper) to reach the semis. On to this weekends games then and the ones that I am interested in are Bristol-Llanelli tomorrow, Ospreys-Worcester and Dragons-Wasps. I'll leave Llanelli until tomorrow but I think they are an absolute stick-on to beat Bristol the way they have been playing. The Ospreys have put out an impressive side to play Worcester and although the home side has many familiar names in it and decent GP players the extra class that the Ospreys have, i.e. Marshall, Hook, Henson, Gough, Evans should see them prevail. Also the one man who the O's would be wary of, Rico Gear, is not playing for Worcester. Boyles give the Welsh side a 4pt handicap which I think will be covered with ease. 5pts Ospreys (-4) to beat Worcester @ 10/11 (Boyles) Onto the game at Rodney Parade tonight and for some reason the bookies have priced this up with the home side as favourites. Wasps haven't had the best of starts to the season but the Dragons are nothing special at this stage in their campaign and miss Kevin Morgan who is the provider of most of their attacking flair. Michael Owen plays second row also which is something he's not done for a while. Looking down the Wasps team sheet there is a lot of experience there with a tough set of forwards and creativity behind. I think they'll take this competition very seriously and would certainly have them favourites for this game so the value is in the away win at odds-against. 5pts Wasps to beat Dragons @ 11/10 (bet365)

[2hcb]

Re: EDF Energy Cup 2007/08 Dragons favourites against Wasps?? Why?? Wasps pack should bully them out of it, European Champs against an average ML side, no way Gwent should start favourites here. Wasps @ 6/5 (Ladbrokes)