13-2 Ireland have greater incentive

SPORTS BETTING:

CAN someone give me a good reason for playing an international friendly against the Republic of Ireland tonight?

For heaven’s sake, the football season is over! Players moan about burn-out, so why are English players being asked to turn out again, then to trek to Brazil for a meaningless friendly, when all of them should be recharging their batteries?

The only incentive I can think of is money - and how much the FA can net from these two games.

Purely from a betting perspective, I can see a shock result at Wembley tonight. England are 1-2 to prevail, with the draw at 100-30, but Ireland at 13-2 is worth a couple of quid.

This game could be all about attitude, and the visitors have more to play for than England.

Whatever happens tonight, I don’t see this match as any sort of form guide for what is to come in next year’s World Cup finals – providing England get there.



ENGLAND’S cricketers, having beaten New Zealand in the Test series, now switch their attention to the one-day format.

Three ODIs against the Black Caps, starting at Lord’s on Friday, precede the Champions Trophy for which England are the 4-1 favourites to prevail.

South Africa are 9-2 second favourites, with Australia 11-2, and India and Pakistan 7-1.

The Ashes follow in July and it’s hard to look past an England series win at 1-2. The Aussies are 7-2 and a drawn series 6-1.



RECOMMENDATION: Republic of Ireland to beat England tonight, 13-2 (Coral).