Bath v Exeter predictions and rugby union tips: Bath can challenge the champions

Free rugby union tips, best bets and analysis for Bath v Exeter in the Premiership.

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 3pm Saturday

Best bet

Bath +7
1pt 10-11 bet365

Match preview

Three wins in a row have moved Bath away from the bottom of the Premiership table and this may be a good time for them to welcome champions Exeter to the Rec.

Rob Baxter's Chiefs have lost successive matches having gone down to Northampton and Sale in the previous two rounds while Bath appear to have turned a corner.

Stuart Hooper's job appeared in jeopardy after Bath lost 48-3 to Bristol in round seven but since then his side have improved markedly.

Having won at home for the first time this season a fortnight ago against Gloucester, Bath came from 19-3 down to claim an impressive win at Northampton last Sunday.

There will be no panic at Exeter after back-to-back defeats but they have been uncharacteristically ill-disciplined in recent matches. They conceded 17 penalties in the defeat at Sale last Friday and had Jack Yeandle sent off.

Bath have been given a seven-point start on the handicap for this one and that looks worth taking. Although they have lost the last three meetings with the Chiefs, Bath did win the previous meeting at the Rec between the sides 13-10 in October 2019, and four of the last six league meetings on this ground have been decided by seven points or fewer.

In the other Premiership fixtures, Worcester are given a 12-point start for their home game against league leaders Bristol while last season's runners up Wasps, who have lost four of their last five games, welcome bottom side Gloucester to the Ricoh Arena.

The standout fixture in the Pro14 sees Leinster begin as five point- favourites for their trip to Ulster . Both sides have won 12 of their 13 games this season.

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