Leicester v Ospreys predictions & rugby union tips: Ospreys pose a threat

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Friday's Champions Cup match between Leicester Tigers and Ospreys.

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Ospreys +11.5
1pt 10-11 bet365

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Leicester v Ospreys preview

Rugby doesn’t stand still for long and Leicester and Ospreys can testify to that as they prepare to face off for the second time in a little over a month to open up the final round of the Champions Cup pool stage.

When these two met in Swansea in mid-December, Steve Borthwick was still in charge of the Tigers and oversaw a hard-fought 23-17 victory than pushed Ospreys further into the mire.

Ospreys had won once all season at that point but head to Welford Road to face a Leicester team now under the command of Richard Wigglesworth revitalised after four wins in their last five matches.

The Welsh side’s mini-revival includes back-to-back wins over French champions Montpellier - their first Champions Cup victories since 2017 - and leaves them needing just a point to qualify for the last-16.

Leicester’s place in the knockout rounds is already confirmed after a stunning 44-29 win on the road at Clermont in round three, Wigglesworth’s men delivering an emphatic five-try response to some recent setbacks.

The Tigers’ next target is to secure home advantage for the round of 16 and Wigglesworth has named an experienced side to get the job done, recalling club captain Hanro Liebenberg and Dan Cole to bolster his pack.

Leicester have generally been good at home and if they back up last week’s destruction of Clermont then Ospreys could be in for a long night. However, the Tigers' inconsistency since Borthwick’s departure should make punters hesitant to back them as double-digit favourites.

Ospreys are built around a strong core of Welsh internationals, minus injured scrum-half Rhys Webb, and have the luxury of naming Wales’ second-highest tryscorer of all-time George North amongst the replacements.

There wasn’t a great deal between these sides when they last met and Ospreys have only improved since, making them worth a punt on the handicap.

Friday’s other Champions Cup game sees the Bulls travel to Lyon, with the hosts favoured by two points for a game they must win to have a chance of reaching the last-16.

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