Harlequins vs Sale Prediction: Quins can sink travel-sick Sharks

The race for the Gallagher Premiership play-off places continues on Saturday afternoon (15:05, TNT Sports 1) as seventh-placed Harlequins host fifth-placed Sale Sharks at the Twickenham Stoop.

Alex Jack provides his best bets in his Harlequins vs Sale prediction piece, as well as all the essential team news and match odds for the showdown in London.

Rugby Union Odds

Team News

Starting with Harlequins, Alex Dombrandt returned to skipper the side in their 62-0 hammering at the hands of Leinster in the European Champions Cup and managed to come through the game unscathed.

Rodrigo Isgro missed that game in Dublin while recovering from a concussion and it's a race against time to see if he will be fit to start at full-back or whether the experienced Leigh Halfpenny will continue in the No.15 jersey.

Stephan Lewies also missed the game at the Aviva Stadium due to an Achilles injury and this weekend’s Premiership game will come too soon for the second-rower.

As for Sale, the Sharks have been given a significant boost with the news Tom Curry’s wrist injury sustained in the 38-15 Champions Cup defeat at Toulouse is not as bad as first feared.

Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson has confirmed flanker Curry is available for the trip to Quins, while prop Bevan Rodd has recovered from a back issue that saw him miss the game in the south of France.

Scrum-half Raffi Quirke also missed that game in Toulouse but he appears to have recovered from a hamstring issue and should be available for the trip to the capital this weekend.

Match Odds

Harlequins are the 8/13 favourites to land a crucial win on home soil, while Sale Sharks are 7/5 to head back north with the victory.

A draw at The Stoop on Saturday is currently 20/1.

Harlequins -7 handicap @ 11/8

Harlequins will have tried to put that defeat to Leinster behind them as quickly as possible as they were bested by a far superior outfit, dominated by Ireland internationals.

Quins can now fully focus on the Premiership and try to make a return to Twickenham for a first Grand Final appearance since winning the title in 2021.

Harlequins have been strong at home in recent months, losing just one of their last six games at The Stoop and even that was a 30-29 defeat to Saracens.

With six wins in their last 23 away games in all competitions, Sale have tended to struggle on their travels.

The Sharks’ previous visit to The Stoop was a day to forget for the Greater Manchester outfit, as they suffered a 36-3 defeat to Quins last season.

Harlequins need to win on Saturday to keep themselves in the mix for the play-offs and the hosts are well-priced to not only win but fall on the right side of a -7 handicap on offer here.

Rugby Union Betting Tips from Betfred Insights.