Gloucester vs Bristol Prediction: Hosts can get off the mark against wounded Bears

Points and bragging rights will be at stake on Friday night (19:45 BST, TNT Sports 1) as West Country rivals Gloucester and Bristol Bears go head-to-head at Kingsholm in the Gallagher Prem.

Alex Jack provides his best bets in his Gloucester vs Bristol prediction piece, as well as all the essential team news and match odds for the West Country clash.

Team News

Starting with Gloucester, the hosts have opted for a front row of Ciaran Knight, Seb Blake and Afo Fasogbon, with locks Freddie Thomas and Matias Alemanno in the engine room.

Josh Basham, James Venter and Hugh Bokenham complete the pack in the back row, while Caolan Englefield and Ross Byrne start in the half-backs.

Max Llewellyn and Will Joseph are in the centres, with Ollie Thorley, Ben Loader and Charlie Atkinson forming the back three for the Cherry & Whites.

As for the Bears, Jake Woolmore, Gabriel Oghre and George Kloska start in the front row.

Pedro Rubiolo and Joe Batley combine in the second row, with Steven Luatua, Fitz Harding and Viliame Mata completing the pack.

Kieran Marmion and Sam Worsley start in the half-backs, with Benhard Janse van Rensburg partnering debutant Matías Moroni in the centres.

Kalaveti Ravouvou, Max Pepper and Benjamin Elizalde complete the backline for the Bears in the back three.

Gloucester vs Bristol Odds

Gloucester are 2/5 to win on Friday night, while the Bears are 2/1 to head back to Bristol with the victory.

A draw at Kingsholm is available at odds of 20/1.

Gloucester -8 handicap @ 6/5

Losing their opening three games in the Gallagher Prem and sitting down in ninth place in the standings, it’s been a tough start to the season for Gloucester.

However, the Cherry & Whites' fortunes might well change on Friday night, as they face a Bristol side that are plagued by injuries and suspensions.

The Bears have 17 players named as unavailable for Friday due to injury, with internationals like Ellis Genge, Harry Randall and Louis Rees-Zammit sidelined.

With Tom Jordan also picking up a suspension for his red card against Exeter Chiefs last weekend, Pat Lam’s resources are being stretched to the limit in these early weeks of the Prem campaign.

Gloucester have picked up two bonus points this season, showing they are not as poor as their table position might suggest after the first three rounds.

The Cherry & Whites can also look back on their last home game against Bristol in the Prem with fond memories, with Gloucester running out 53-28 winners when they met back in March.

Facing a Bristol side that are missing the likes of Genge, Rees-Zammit and Jordan, who are all set to feature for their respective nations in the Six Nations early next year, this is a good time for Gloucester to get another one over their West Country rivals.

Look to the Cherry & Whites to not only win at Kingsholm but also cover the handicap against the Bears in the process.

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