Premiership predictions: Gloucester fired up to keep close tabs on Bears

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Monday's Gallagher Premiership matches featuring Bristol v Gloucester.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, from 7.30pm Monday

Best bet

Gloucester +16
2pts 10-11 BoyleSports, Hills

Match preview

Bristol will surely want to put on a show for the returning fans at Ashton Gate on Monday night but a hefty handicap in the mid-teens may be beyond them.

Star names Charles Piutau and Semi Radrada among others are in the Bears' line-up although forecast wet conditions may mean we don't see them at their dazzling best.

Gloucester are picking up well after a difficult start to the campaign when they were often pushing teams close but failing to get the result. Last week's victory at Northampton was their most impressive performance of the season, and England scrum-half Willi Heinz is back to bolster the team as the only change to that winning line-up.

Ten of Gloucester's 12 defeats this season have come by a margin of one to 12 points so a start of 16 looks inviting, especially against a Bristol side who have not always been dominant over 80 minutes.

They beat Bath 40-20 last week but had to come back from an early 15-0 deficit and were leading by only eight points with ten minutes to go when Bath were reduced to 14 men.

Monday's other fixture between Newcastle and Northampton is available on the red button (kick-off 7.30pm). The Saints have won their last three away matches and six of their last eight trips to Newcastle in the Premiership.

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