Bath vs Sale Prediction: Take the hosts on the handicap

Saturday provides a rematch of one of last season’s Premiership play-off semi-finals as Bath prepare to host Sale Sharks at The Recreation Ground (15:05 kick-off).

Read on for my Bath vs Sale prediction, as well as the latest team news and match odds.

Rugby Union Odds

After a hard-fought game in the West Country in June, it was Bath who ran out 31-23 winners over the Sharks, before losing to Northampton Saints in the Grand Final at Twickenham.

The Blue, Black and Whites are determined to get back to the showpiece event and they have enjoyed a positive start to the season, with four wins in their opening five games.

Saturday’s opponents Sale head back to The Rec looking for revenge after last season’s semi-final heartbreak.

Relying heavily on academy products at present, the Sharks might find it hard to keep a lid on this free-scoring Bath side this weekend.

Team News

Saturday will be a big day for Bath prop Beno Obano as he looks set to make his 150th appearance for the club.

There are a handful of changes from Bath, with an all-new centre pairing of Will Butt and Louie Hennessey replacing the injured Cameron Redpath and Ollie Lawrence who is away with England.

Finn Russell remains at fly-half before linking up with Scotland next week and he’s joined by Louis Schreuder in the half-backs.

As for Sale, Luke James gets a first start for the Sharks since the 2022/23 campaign at outside centre, while other changes in the backline see Arron Reed and Will Addison return on the wing.

In the front-row, James Harper comes in at tighthead in place of Asher Opoku-Fordjour and joins new signing Tadgh McElroy and Si McIntyre.

JL du Preez missed last week’s defeat at Northampton Saints but returns to the bench for the trip to Bath.

Bath vs Sale Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Bath vs Sale page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Bath are favourites to claim the win on home soil at 2/13 while Sale are 9/2 to head back up the M6 with the win.

A draw at The Rec is available at 22/1.

Bath -13 handicap @ 1/1

Suffering a 47-17 defeat against reigning champions Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens, Sale’s woes on the road continued in the East Midlands.

The Sharks have now lost all of their last three away games in the Premiership to Northampton, Saracens and Bath.

Three tough away games admittedly but conceding a total of 123 points in those games will be a concern for Sharks boss Alex Sanderson.

Bath are the second-highest points scorers in the Premiership this season, with only Bristol Bears scoring more after the first five rounds.

The Blue, Black and Whites have scored 165 points at an average of 33 points a game, which should see them overcome the -13 handicap on offer here at 21/20.

Will Muir, Joe Cokanasiga and Tom de Glanville form a frightening back-three for Bath and this could be another convincing win for the hosts.

Rugby Union Betting Tips from Betfred Insights.