Super League Betting: Leeds can win at a canter and top coaches lock horns

Super League / George Riley / 29 January 2010 / Leave a Comment

"Leeds will win at Wrexham but I have a small fancy for the underdogs at the Stoop. So I'm backing two away wins to start the season, for Leeds and Wakefield."

Big favourites to continue their dominance of British rugby league, champions Leeds are in Wrexham to kickstart Super League XV.

The Betfair market tells you all you need to know about Crusaders RL v Leeds. Crusaders, usually prefixed "crisis-club", trade at [18.5] to open the season with a shock home win. Leeds are [1.06] to record a routine away win while the draw is [50.0].

Even describing Wrexham as a home tie for Crusaders sounds odd, after the short-lived gamble on Bridgend failed to pay off. The RFL however remain much more optimistic about the Welsh club's new home, with the Rhinos game heading for a sell out. But can Crusaders finally justify their controversial award of a Super League licence over arguably better-equipped National League sides? I don't think so. In new coach Brian Noble they have one of the best in business. A proven winner at Bradford and Wigan, he has brought in Iestyn Harris and Jon Sharpe to form a fantastic looking coaching set-up. But you can't put three top coaches in charge of a weak squad and expect miracles. I see very little reason for optimism on the field, even if things improve off it. Leeds should stroll this.

The Blue and Amber enjoyed a team-building pre-season training camp in chilly Whitehaven when seniors and youngsters slept eight to a room and cooked for themselves. This at the same time as Crusaders coach Noble was taking advantage of an offer from his mate Martin O'Neill, the Aston Villa manager, to treat his squad for a week at Villa's plush training HQ. Nobby tells me their food bill for the week was in the thousands.

Crusaders could field eight new faces including a trio of new recruits from Hull FC. Gareth Raynor's a great signing on the wing but has struggled with off-field problems. Jamie Thackray adds go-forward, and Tonny Lee guile. Leeds are able to rest England skipper Jamie Peacock, with Greg Eastwood poised to make his long-awaited debut. Keith Senior and Ryan Bailey should both be okay. And Leeds should win at a canter.

I'm heading down to the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday afternoon to see two of the competitions top English coaches lock horns. John Kear takes Wakefield to Brian McDermott's Harlequins, with both men being linked with the vacant England job.

Quins trade at [1.9]1 on Betfair to win this one, Wakefield [2.02]. It is a tough one to call. The Wildcats have lost top try scorer Ryan Atkins, but have brought in Terry Newton and Glenn Morrison from Bradford. Harlequins will give debuts to 20-year-old back row Ben Bolger and new signings Oliver Wilkes, Ben Jones-Bishop and Matt James. Captain Rob Purdham, Karl Temata, Jon Wells, Lamont Bryan and newcomer Andy Ellis are all injured though, and Purdham will be a big loss. It is a big season for England hopeful Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook in the pack.

Quins need to make the Stoop a fortress if they are to get in the mix for the play-offs. But I have a small fancy for the underdogs in this one, with Jason Demetriou and Danny Brough pulling the Wildcats strings.

So it looks like I'm backing two away wins to start the season, for Leeds and Wakefield.