- Saints +14 (10/11, various)
The weight of money has been behind the Exeter Chiefs all week with the handicap line shifting from -9 to -14.
The confidence stems from the fact that the Chiefs are still not certain of a home semi-final and have much more riding on the match than the Saints who are fifth and have no hope of reaching the play-offs.
But, in our opinion, too much is being read into this, and not enough respect is being shown to a Saints side, that while inconsistent, is more than capable of troubling the best teams in the land. Let’s remember, they did win 13-12 at Sandy Park earlier in the season.
Nine Saints players survive from that win in Sunday’s starting line-up with No.8 Shaun Adendorff arguably the biggest miss. On the flipside, Saints will have Dan Biggar directing them around the park rather than makeshift 10, George Furbank.
Saints’ goal-line defence was superb down at Sandy Park and will need to be so again to repel the Chiefs and keep the scoreline close, as it has been the last two times these sides have met at Franklin’s Gardens, with one win apiece and both by a margin of three points.
Saints have a free license to give it their best shot and in front of their home fans, we believe 14 points is too much for the Chiefs to concede.
