Northampton should push Gloucester all the way

Gloucester v Northampton
BT Sport 2, 7.45pm Friday

Gloucester beat Northampton cosily at Kingsholm in the league in September and walloped Wasps in their first Premiership Cup home clash a fortnight ago. However, the Saints with a start of 13 looks the best bet for their Premiership Cup clash on Friday.

Northampton strolled to a 55-24 success at home to Bristol in their first cup encounter and followed up last weekend with a last-gasp 15-14 triumph at Wasps. By contrast, the Cherry & Whites never got going in a 21-13 reverse at Bristol.

Gloucester bring back a number of big guns in order to ready for the return of the Premiership but Northampton responded to a strangely heavy home defeat to Clermont in the European Challenge Cup last month with an immediate bonus-point victory at the Dragons.

They look back in a groove whereas Gloucester were involved in two gruelling Champions Cup clashes with Castres and Munster and may have been lucky to host another sapped side in Wasps afterwards.

Form from the Premiership Shield - the old A League for academy players and first-team squad players returning from injury - also seems a good guide. Saints have won two of their three North Conference games while Gloucester have lost all three of their South Conference outings.

Given the state of the groups, Northampton will be going out for victory to put one foot in the semi-finals but they will also run out knowing that a losing bonus point or two would put them in pole position in Pool Three before next year's derby round.

In Pool One, Bath get an 18-point start from Newcastle and in Pool Two some bookmakers are struggling to separate the chances of Leicester and Sale at Welford Road. The Sharks get a best handicap start of two.

Recommendation
Northampton +13
1pt 10-11 general

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