Time for an improvement

After last week's shocking set of predictions with only a 25% success rate I am going for ten forecasts this week and hope that I have more success!

As with the last couple of weeks the three sports I am choosing are Football (FA Cup Fourth Round), Rugby Union (Heineken Cup last round of pool matches) and the AFC and NFC Championship games in American Football.

Starting with the FA Cup I am going for a home win between two of the form sides in the premier league as Everton host Birmingham. Some of my earliest memories of this competition were Southampton and Ipswich winning in the late seventies and these teams meet on the South Coast today. Both these teams have fallen away in recent years from their past achievements and I am going for as draw in this match. Leeds caused the shock of the last round with their defeat of Manchester United at Old Trafford but they have struggled since that triumph and though Spurs have also struggled since the last round I am going for the home side to prevail in this match. My final prediction is another all premiership tie as Stoke host league leaders Arsenal and my forecast here is for an away win.

The quarter-finalists for the Heineken Cup will become apparent of this week's round of matches and I have four predictions for this weekend, three of which are risky as they are for away wins. Firstly I am going for Leicester to triumph in South Wales at the Ospreys, for Cardiff to win at Harlequins and for Gloucester to do the same at the Dragons. Perhaps the most intriguing match is last year's champions Leinster visiting London Irish and though close to call my thinking is the home side will prevail.

Finally, it is the AFC and NFC Championship games in the NFL (American Football) this weekend. The form teams for most of the season have been the Colts and the Saints. Whilst I think the Colts will defeat the Jets in the AFC, I am going for the Vikings to upset the Saints in New Orleans in the NFC game, but then my predictions in this sport to date have been mostly off the mark!

In summary the predictions are:

FA Cup Fourth Round

Everton to beat Birmingham at 4/5
Southampton to draw with Ipswich at 12/5
Spurs to beat Leads at 1/3
Arsenal to beat Stoke at 10/11

Heineken Cup

Leicester to win at the Ospreys at 5/4
London Irish to beat Leinster at 8/5
Cardiff to win versus Harlequins at 5/3
Gloucester to beat the Dragons at 7/5

American Football

Colts to beat the Jets in the AFC Championship at 3/10
Vikings to win the NFC Championship by beating the Saints at 17/10