Leinster v Leicester predictions and Champions Cup rugby union tips: Irish all-stars hold attacking edge

Where to watch Leinster v Leicester

BT Sport 1, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Leinster to win by 11 to 20 points
1pt 5-2 bet365

Leinster v Leicester predictions

The first of the weekend's European Champions Cup quarter-finals pits the champions of England and two-time winners against the tournament favourites - and bookmakers can see only one winner.

While visitors Leicester have struggled to live up to the form that took them all the way to the Premiership trophy last season, Leinster look unstoppable in their pursuit of the two titles that slipped from their seemingly unbreakable grasp.

Unbeaten in all competitions this season, scoring an avalanche of points and tries, with a side made up almost entirely of Grand Slam-winning Ireland internationals, Leinster are rated 15-point favourites for this Dublin showdown.

Not everything stacks in the Irish side's favour. Fly-half and long-time talisman Johnny Sexton is set to miss the rest of the season through injury while flanker Josh van der Flier, top tryscorer in Europe this season, is also sidelined.

And in terms of form, Leinster haven't been at their breathless best since the Six Nations. In their last United Rugby Championship match they had to fight back from 17-0 at home to the Stormers to draw 22-22 at home, while in last week's Champions Cup round-of-16 clash with Ulster they were 15-point favourites and hit the bar with a 30-15 success.

These teams met in the quarter-final last season at Leicester's Welford Road home, when the Tigers were top of the table in England and seemingly reborn under Steve Borthwick. Leinster still prevailed 23-14, but although Leicester initially struggled for consistency after Borthwick's departure to become England head coach, they have steadied the ship with five successive wins in the Premiership and covered the handicap in all of those.

Last week's 16-6 over Edinburgh in the round of 16 was less convincing, although wet conditions made it tough for both teams, but the Tigers have shown they can put up a fight.

Where they may come unstuck is against the power of the Leinster pack and they showed limited ambition against Edinburgh, relying heavily on the the territorial kicking of fly-half Handre Pollard.

That may be enough to keep them in the game for spells but Leinster hold the attacking aces to open the game up. Their pool-stage tally of 28 tries scored and five conceded, compared to Leicester's 11 for and ten against, underlines the gulf in scoring class.

Just as last week a 15-point handicap proved right on the money for Leinster, it may pay again to back a winning margin in that ballpark and a home victory by 11 to 20 points.

In the last eight of the European Challenge Cup, French heavyweights Clermont are 8-13 to see off Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets.

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