Gloucester hold all the aces for return visit of Exeter

Gloucester v Exeter
BT Sport 2, 8pm Friday
Ulster v Scarlets
BT Sport 3, 8pm Friday

Gloucester caused the biggest shock of round three of the European Champions Cup as they pulled off a victory at Exeter having kicked off as 13-point underdogs.

They're odds-on to make it a double in this quick follow-up at Kingsholm, and all the positives are on the Cherry & Whites' side.

The home pack is bolstered as South African lock Franco Mostert makes his first start while Ed Slater is back from injury alongside him, while Jason Woodward, Charlie Sharples and Billy Twelvetrees are added to last week's backline.

The Chiefs, in contrast, have been hit hard by injuries as Ollie Atkins, Alex Cuthbert, Matt Kvesic, Henry Slade, Stu Townsend and Nic White all miss out.

It shouldn't be about individuals in a team as well coached and drilled as Exeter, but it's difficult to put confidence in a team who are out of the running in their pool up against one very much in contention with two home games to come.

Gloucester defended with real aggression at Sandy Park on Saturday and know they will need to do more of the same. But fired on by a passionate home crowd, they can claim another success.

Ulster grabbed a vital away win in pool four last week, edging Scarlets by a single point, and they are seven-point favourites on what looks set to be a rainy evening in Belfast.

The home side are unchanged from last weekend while Scarlets, despite being winless and out of the running, make only three changes. Ulster saw off their Welsh opponents 15-13 at home in the opening round of the Pro14 and given the forecast conditions this could be similarly close and low-scoring.

Recommendations
Gloucester -4
1pt 10-11 general
Ulster to win by one to 12 points
1pt 38-25 188Bet

Read every day for no-nonsense previews and expert sports betting tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport