Premiership rugby union predictions, betting tips and odds

Where to watch the Premiership playoff semi-finals

Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers
TNT Sports 1, 8pm Friday

Bath v Exeter Chiefs
TNT Sports 1, 3pm Saturday

Best bets for Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers

Northampton to win by one to 12 points
1pt 2-1 bet365

Premiership playoff predictions

Bath and Northampton have been the most consistent teams throughout the Premiership season and they are favourites to meet in the final at Twickenham on Saturday, June 20.

In the last ten seasons, 19 of the 20 semi-finals have been won by the home team and the champions of the last two seasons are the clubs in pole position this time as Northampton host Leicester on Friday night and Bath take on Exeter on Saturday.

It has been a season of ambition and adventure with high-scoring clashes week in, week out, topped by Northampton's record 94-33 victory over Bristol last month.

But it seems unlikely we will see that kind of open clash in Friday's first semi-final as East Midlands rivals Northampton and Leicester look set for another close-fought battle.

There were just six points in it when the teams met at Franklin's Gardens in November as the Saints prevailed 32-26, while Leicester got their own back with a comfortable home win last month.

Both clubs are packed with power up front and given the high stakes, the early exchanges look set to be cagey.

Northampton ended their regular season with defeat at Harlequins last week, when they rested a number of frontline players, while Leicester went down fighting 24-22 at Bath to end their campaign with back-to-back defeats.

However, the Tigers ought to be more battle-hardened while Saints could take more time to getinto gear so the signs are there that this could be a slow-burner.

Northampton went unbeaten at home over the regular Premiership season but only three of their nine games - against bottom-half clubs Sale and Quins plus that extraordinary hammering of Bristol - were settled by more than 12 points.

Leicester have been the handicap kings as the season has gone on, rewarding their backers in nine of their last ten matches and in five of the last six games where they have been given a start.

The Tigers can be backed with a seven-point start on Friday night but given the record of home sides, backing Northampton to win by a margin of no more than 12 points looks the better approach at odds-against.

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