Premiership rugby union predictions, betting tips and odds: Bears can seize their chance

Where to watch Saturday's Premiership matches

Bristol vs Bath
ITV4 & TNT Sports 1, 3.05pm

Harlequins vs Gloucester
TNT Sports 1, 5.30pm

Best bets 

Bristol -9
2pts 10-11 bet365

Gloucester +5.5
2pts 4-5 bet365

Premiership predictions

It has been branded the Big Day Out as Bristol move their Premiership derby clash with Bath to Cardiff's Principality Stadium, but just how big it is depends which side of the fence you're sitting.

For Bristol it's huge. The Bears have been in the top four for the entire season but after successive defeats they have a cushion of just one point on the chasing pack looking to get into the playoffs.

Bath are already assured of a home semi-final and just one more point from three games will be enough to top the table. They can already start preparing for the playoffs and also have a European final to look forward to in two weeks after they beat Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup semi-finals last week. 

So it's no surprise to see wholesale changes to the Bath line-up and just two players - backs Tom de Glanville and Joe Cokanasiga - who started last weekend's semi-final, line up in Cardiff.

These are the two highest-scoring sides in the Premiership and while Bristol have leaked almost as many tries as they have scored, they are up against a Bath attack missing key men and without the playmaking skills of Finn Russell at fly-half.

Bookmakers' points lines have been pushed up higher and higher as this season has progressed and for this game it has hit the 70 mark.

We may well witness a try fest under the roof in Cardiff but Bristol will know they must take this opportunity and seven of their nine wins this season have been by a double-figure margin so they are worth backing to cover a nine-point handicap.

Gloucester are one of the teams looking to leapfrog Bristol into the playoff places and they travel to Twickenham to take on a Harlequins team who have lost three in a row.

The Cherry & Whites haven't been the most reliable side on the road and have lost their last two away days, at Saracens and Bath, by a double-figure margin, but they have stepped up a gear in attack, scoring 35 tries in their last six games, two more than they managed in their previous nine.

Inconsistency has dogged Quins this season and Gloucester look the bet with a five-point start.

Like Gloucester, Saracens are on the fringes of the playoff places and they look to have the most favourable run-in with fixtures against bottom club Newcastle followed by clashes with Northampton and Bath, both of whom have European finals on their minds.

It starts today at home to the Falcons, who sprang a shock when beating Sarries at home in November, one of only two wins that Newcastle have managed this season.

This will be a far tougher ask and a 30-point handicap gives a clear indication of how this match is expected to pan out.

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