Rugby’s premier club competition draws to a close today as Northampton take on the tough Irish Leinster side. Northampton are trying to become the first English club side to take the title since 2007, however, bookmakers give them little chance of achieving the feat. In overnight betting, Leinster had been backed into 2/5 favourites while Northampton had drifted out to 3/1. Draws are highly unlikely these days, but if you want to chance your hand, you can back that result at a healthy 22/1.

Leinster have been one of the better performed sides this season, and while neither side will have any home ground advantage, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff shut them down to the ground. Leinster have extra motive to win the title since that will send fellow provincial side Connacht through to next season’s Heineken Cup. A loss will allow the French side Stade Francais into the competition. I guess we all know who Stade Francais are hoping wins.

While Leinster have been strong, Northampton have played with real determination, winning games that many thought they would struggle through. Are they strong enough to defeat the Irish side? At 2/5, Leinster are too short for our liking. The odds are even worse in outright betting with Leinster at 4/11 and Northampton at 5//2.

If you are backing the home side to win then you may want to check out the betting exchanges. You can get 3/1 or slightly better for Leinster to lose today’s final – that could be better odds than Northampton winning. This game will be a lot closer than many predict so we’ll tip a Leinster win and back them through the handicaps – you can get 10/11 with Northampton getting a six point start – Leinster to win by 12 is our tip.