Premiership & Pro 14: predictions, rugby union free betting tips and TV details

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for the Friday's matches in England and Wales.

Best bet

Bristol to win by one to 12 points
1pt 9-5 Betfair

Preview

It's second against third in the Premiership to kick off round four and a depleted Bristol side may still have enough cutting edge to inflict a first defeat of the season on Newcastle.

Friday's scheduled TV game between Worcester and Harlequins was called off after a Covid-19 outbreak in the Quins camp and this game has been brought forward to a 3pm kick-off because of weather fears.

Bristol have had Covid issues of their own to deal with and as a result of players isolating they have an entire front row making their Premiership debuts, including academy hooker George Kloska.

But it's not all bad news for the Bears as former All Black Charles Piutau returns at full-back, and with Fijian sensation Semi Radrada also in the backline, there's plenty of scoring power there so long as the hosts can hold their own in the set-piece.

Newcastle went off as sizeable handicap underdogs in their first three games and won the lot, most impressively last time out at Wasps, where they prevailed 27-17. Last week's match against Leicester was called off and awarded as a victory.

Bristol have been starting slowly in recent Premiership matches and had to battle from behind against Northampton and Harlequins.

They are unlikely to have it all their own way against Newcastle but have lost just one of their last nine home matches and can claim a narrow win.

There's another derby double in Wales starting with Scarlets v Dragons (Premier Sports, 5.15pm). The Dragons were edged by single point against Cardiff last time out and get a ten-point start, but they are missing former Wales centre Jamie Roberts.

Cardiff are two-point favourites against the Ospreys, who have Rhys Webb back at scrum-half (Premier Sports, 5.15pm).

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