The Celtic League (currently sponsored by Magners) is a ten-team tournament contested by teams from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Despite the Welsh national team having a topsy-turvy past few seasons, the Ospreys won the 2005 and 2007 title, whilst Llanelli Scarlets were victorious in 2004.

As the current betting for season 2007/8 will testify, there is little to choose between half a dozen of the top teams in the Celtic League, with five teams receiving single figure quotes about clinching the title. Therefore, it’s well worth studying the comings and goings over the summer to try and gain that all-important edge over the bookmaker.

There are two other key factors to note when placing a bet on the Magners League. Firstly, because there are teams from three countries involved, there might be pressure from the IRFU, WFU or SFU on their respective clubs to field weaker teams due to international commitments. This happened with the IRFU during season 2004/5.

Secondly, virtually all of the title contenders will also be playing in the Heineken Cup and it’s naturally difficult to stay focused on all competitions. This will especially be the case with a team like Ospreys who have recently triumphed twice in the Celtic League but failed to make an impression when clubs from France and England come into the fore.