Saracens v London Irish predictions and rugby union tips: Exiles can stand up to league leaders

Where to watch Saracens v London Irish

BT Sport 1, 3pm Sunday

Best bet

London Irish +9
1pt 10-11 general

Saracens v London Irish preview 

London Irish’s playoff push has been on hiatus for a month and bookmakers don’t believe their crunch clash at league leaders Saracens will be worth the wait.

The Exiles were last seen beating Northampton at the end of March, their sixth win in the last seven Premiership matches, leaving them on the precipice of the top four.

Victory in their remaining two regular season fixtures would see Irish make the playoffs for the first time since 2009 but they face a tough examination at the StoneX Stadium against Sarries, who field a stronger team than had been initially expected.

With a home playoff semi-final already in their back pocket, director of rugby Mark McCall had said he planned to give his big guns a break, only to then name his strongest available line-up for this London derby with Owen Farrell, Max Malins and Maro Itoje all involved.

Saracens are made strong favourites to chalk up a 15th straight home league win and avenge their loss to Irish in the reverse fixture. 

But the nine-point handicap may be doing a disservice to an improving Exiles team playing an exciting brand of rugby that has seen them averaging a similar number of points per game as Sarries. 

Factor in Saracens’ three defeats in their last five Premiership matches and a patchy record against the handicap at home, and London Irish make plenty of appeal with a start.

Meanwhile, France are 45-point favourites to see off Wales in Grenoble and set up a winner-take-all showdown with England in the Women’s Six Nations.

The French are expected to make the visit to Twickenham next week for the title decider in the wake of a third successive wide-margin win over a Wales side showing seven changes from the team crushed by England 59-3 last time out.

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