Bristol vs Exeter Chiefs Prediction: Bears can gain Cup revenge

Pool A rivals Bristol and Exeter Chiefs meet in round seven of the Prem Rugby Cup on Saturday afternoon (14:00).

Read on for my Bristol vs Exeter Chiefs prediction, complete with the latest odds and team news.

Bristol vs Exeter Chiefs Odds

Bristol are 4/7 to record a third consecutive home win over Exeter at Ashton Gate. The Chiefs are 7/5 to repeat November's victory, with a tie at 18/1.

Team News

Bristol have named nine academy graduates in their matchday 23, with starts for Sam Worsley, Jimmy Halliwell, Louie Trevett and George Taylor.

Tomas Gwilliam, Sam Scott, Ethan Surrey, John Edwards and Ollie Harris are on the bench.

Wing Gabriel Ibitoye and full-back Rich Lane both start as they continue to get minutes in their comebacks from serious injury.

Max Norey starts at hooker in the only change to the Exeter pack, but there is more of a reshuffle behind the scrum.

Zack Wimbush and Harry Ascheri form a new centre partnership, while Dan John is promoted from the bench to start on the right wing.

Ben Coen and Paul Brown-Bampoe are among the replacements after being released from the England A squad.

Bristol -3 @ 10/11

Among the Prem Rugby Cup's primary functions is to allow clubs to blood their youngsters and prepare them for the league and European competitions.

Both clubs have embraced that opportunity, while also giving some of their rotation options a chance to shine.

The Bears have had the edge over the Chiefs in the league in recent years, winning the last four meetings.

Exeter's only victory in that time was November's triumph in this competition and last weekend's storming victory over Sale proved that the Devon club continue to produce good young players.

So do the Bears, who have developed nine of the players involved in Saturday's matchday squad.

However, with Lane and Ibitoye behind the scrum and captain Harry Thacker driving them up front, there is a good balance to Pat Lam's selection.

Number eight Benjamin Grondona will aid hooker Thacker in carrying the ball while fly-half Worsley is developing into a fine playmaker, having deputised for

AJ MacGinty before Christmas and more recently proved a decent foil off the bench with Scotland international Tom Jordan increasingly favoured.

Exeter's youngsters can go close, but there appears to be too much class in the Bears' side for anything other than a home win at Ashton Gate.

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