Rugby union: Premiership & Pro14 Saturday betting tips and preview

Gloucester v Bath
BT Sport 3 & Channel 5, 3pm Saturday
Pro14 matches
Premier Sports & TG4 from 3pm Saturday

Gloucester are without their four liveliest outside backs but they still look worth a wager to give up four points against Bath.

Victory could book the home side a Premiership semi-final berth with three rounds remaining.

In his second season at Kingsholm, crack South African coach Johan Ackermann seems to have solved the composure issues that have undermined the Cherry & Whites' trophy pursuits in recent campaigns.

Last year, outside hopes of the top four were effectively ended by a 43-20 home loss to Bath, who were out with the washing, and they were then beaten 31-30 by Cardiff Blues in the European Challenge Cup final after opening up a 20-6 half-time lead.

This term has not been without its blips but Ackermann was honest enough to say that last month's league loss at Bristol was purely down to complacency after Kingsholm wins over leaders Exeter and second-placed champions Saracens. They have bounced back from being turned over at Ashton Gate in style.

First, the Cherry & Whites beat Wasps 27-13 at Kingsholm and they sizzled in beating Northampton 40-31 at Franklin's Gardens last Saturday, when inside centre Mark Atkinson's hat-trick stole the show.

Danny Cipriani at fly-half has been an inspired capture from Wasps, but arguably the main ingredient in Gloucester's handy home Premiership wins over the Saints, Bristol, Leicester and Worcester has been a pack who front up at the set-piece as well as in open field.

Locks Franco Mostert and Ed Slater are both in the top of eight of this season's lineout-steal stats, while back-rowers Freddie Clarke and Lewis Ludlow have been regular disruptors of opposition ball too. Number eight Ben Morgan, essentially seen as a big ball-carrier, has made the most tackles and completed the most turnovers of anyone on the field.

Bath should turn up in good heart with expansive ambitions after last Saturday's 26-19 success over Bristol at Twickenham. They have a decent record in these league derbies of four wins and a 31-31 draw in the last six.

However, the Bears were their own worst enemy in terms of coughed-up possession at HQ and Bath's high penalty count was not punished. Bath have also won only one away match in all competitions since September.

Conference B winners Leinster recall a number of Ireland internationals but Conference A leaders Glasgow look worth supporting with an eight-point start in the day's big Pro14 contest in Dublin.

Leinster drew 27-27 Benetton at the RDS last Saturday and next weekend's Champions Cup semi-final is still their clear priority. The Warriors will be buoyant after a 30-7 home win over Ulster last Friday. They still need to secure a home league semi-final and showed that they can hang tough in Ireland when edged out 25-24 by Munster at Thomond Park in October.

Connacht against Cardiff is a key clash in the race for third spot in Conference A behind Glasgow and Munster. A win for the Galway gang would all but seal the playoff berth, while a 21-10 shock Sportsground success for the Blues would arguably make them jollies for the end-of-season crown.

Back Blues wing Owen Lane to notch an eighth try of the campaign. He also crossed three times in the Champions Cup pool stages.

Recommendations
Gloucester -4
2pts 5-6 Betfred
Glasgow +8
1pt 10-11 Betfair, BoyleSports, Paddy Power
O Lane to score a try in Connacht v Cardiff
1pt 2-1 Sky Bet

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