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Both sides have stellar defences but that doesn't mean Twickenham won't witness a fascinating contest when Harlequins and Saracens do battle on Tuesday. Geoffrey Riddle selects the best festive period bets...


The big game between Harlequins and Saracens on Tuesday could be close to a sell-out and, with the teams dominating the Premiership, Twickenham is a fitting arena for the mouth-watering clash.

The bumper Christmas crowd may be disappointed, however, if it is expecting a feast of tries because both sides are the most adept in the section at keeping teams from the whitewash.
Sarries have continued in the same suffocating vein as last season, conceding the fewest points in the league.

Mark McCall's squad have also developed the considerable skill of adapting to each referee and have conceded the fewest penalty goals in the Premiership.

Quins have also proved themselves in this department, although their excellent defensive record is more down to their reliance on the mantra that attack is the best form of defence.

Harlequins have scored almost twice as many tries as their opponents, and last week in the Heineken Cup Toulouse could not live with their high-octane running game.

The French league leaders have a better defensive record than Sarries, which makes it all the more surprising that Saracens are considered two-point favourites.

Saracens struggled to contain Northampton in round nine, with the Saints' off-loading game overwhelming their visitors at Franklin's Gardens and although the Men in Black are the reigning champions, their crown is beginning to tarnish. Harlequins are still squeaky clean in the league, having beaten all the main protagonists and this really should be a scratch match.

Nicky Robinson's return with Wasps to Gloucester on Boxing Day will be eagerly anticipated by the Kingsholm regulars. The former Gloucester fly-half has had a torrid season with the boot and he'll have to kick much better than this season's 54 per cent accuracy rate if Wasps are to stay within their six-point start.

Wasps have scored 18 tries in the Premiership, and yet have only converted eight of those. They also have kicked the joint-fewest penalty goals in the league alongside Worcester. They have lacked a metronomic kicker, which has made it hard for them to close out tight games with back-up kicker Ryan Davis similarly poor in front of the posts.

Gloucester may have won only one of their last five Premiership encounters, but they are undervalued because of this. Bryan Redpath's side have picked up a losing bonus point in five of their six defeats in the league, going down by two points at Northampton and at Sale, and by the same margin at home to Sarries.
Admittedly, they have struggled at Kingsholm against the best sides, losing also to Leicester but Wasps can only dream of the heady days when they were considered the equal of the Tigers.

Dai Young's side may have beaten both Leicester and Sarries this season, but that was in the first two weeks of the league when the World Cup was taking place and Leicester gave them a good game despite having 11 players in New Zealand - a measure of how poor Wasps really are. Gloucester look good things, with the winning margin of between 1-12 points potentially value when the liquidity flows into Betfair.

Bath receive a 10-point start at Northampton and considering Sir Ian McGeechan's side were 16-point underdogs last weekend against Leinster, the European champions, that seems to underestimate the home side on Saturday.

If it wasn't for Jonathan Sexton's heroics in the Millennium Stadium in May, the Saints would be carrying that mantle of into the Christmas Eve fixture.

Although Northampton are not playing to a similar tune right now, their thrashing of Castres at home last week illustrates that they should have far too much firepower for Bath.


Recommended Bets (1-5pt staking plan)

1pt Back Harlequins to beat Saracens
2pts Back Gloucester to beat Wasps in the main handicap market
1pt Back Northampton to beat Bath in the main handicap market

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