Bristol vs Leicester Tigers Prediction: Bears to bite slow-starting Tigers

Bristol Bears kick off their Gallagher Prem campaign on Sunday afternoon (15:30 BST, TNT Sports 1) by welcoming Leicester Tigers to Ashton Gate in a potentially explosive Round 1 clash.

Below are my Bristol Bears vs Leicester Tigers predictions, along with all the key team news and match odds ahead of the showdown in the West Country.

Team news

Starting with Bristol, Pat Lam’s side are stacked with attacking talent and welcome back several rested stars.

The front row features Jake Woolmore, Gabriel Oghre and George Kloska, with James Dun and Joe Batley locking the scrum. Steven Luatua, Fitz Harding (captain) and Benjamin Grondona complete a dynamic back row.

Harry Randall and AJ MacGinty start in the half-backs, with Joe Jenkins and Benhard Janse van Rensburg in the midfield. Gabriel Ibitoye and Louis Rees-Zammit line up on the wings and Scotland international Tom Jordan starts at full-back.

On the bench, Bristol have impact options in Harry Thacker, Sam Grahamslaw, Lovejoy Chawatama, Joe Owen, Viliame Mata, Kieran Marmion, Kalaveti Ravouvou and Josh Carrington.

Leicester begin life under new head coach Geoff Parling, who takes charge of a reshuffled squad.

Nicky Smith, Jamie Blamire and Joe Heyes form the front row, with Cameron Henderson and James Thompson in the engine room. Hanro Liebenberg captains the side from blindside flanker, joined by Emeka Ilione and Olly Cracknell in the back row.

Jack van Poortvliet and Orlando Bailey start at 9 and 10, with Will Wand and Joseph Woodward in the centres. Ollie Hassell-Collins and Adam Radwan take the wing spots, while Freddie Steward returns at full-back.

Leicester’s bench includes Charlie Clare, Tarek Haffar, Will Hurd, Joshua Manz, Joaquin Moro, Tom Whiteley, Billy Searle and Solomone Kata.

Bristol vs Leicester Tigers Odds

Bristol are 4/11 favourites to win at Ashton Gate, while Leicester are 23/10 to cause an upset. A draw is priced at 18/1.

Bristol Bears -6.5 Match Handicap @ 10/11

Bristol were the Premiership’s most entertaining side last season, leading the league in offloads (297), try assists and defenders beaten (621).

With great finishers like Ibitoye and Rees-Zammit out wide and the lively Jordan at full-back, they look even more dangerous this term.

Leicester remain strong at the set-piece, topping the charts for scrums (133) and lineouts (268) last season.

However, with key figures like Ben Youngs, Julian Montoya, George Martin and Ollie Chessum unavailable, they may struggle to contain the home side’s fluid attack.

Bristol have beaten Leicester on three of the last four occasions and covered the handicap by comfortable margins in each of those victories.

Bristol-Bristol Double Result @ 10/11

Leicester have started slowly in both of Parling’s games in charge, conceding the first try inside five minutes against Harlequins and Saracens.

Against a full-strength Bristol side at Ashton Gate, falling behind early on could prove costly.

Bristol led at half-time and full-time in two of the last four meetings, opening up a 40-12 lead at the interval in their pre-Christmas clash last season.

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