Gloucester vs Harlequins Prediction: Christmas delight for Cherry and Whites

After the distraction of European competitions, it’s back to Premiership rugby for English teams this week, starting with Gloucester taking on Harlequins at Kingsholm on Friday night (19:45, TNT Sports 1).

Alex Jack provides his best bets in his Gloucester vs Harlequins prediction piece, as well as all the important team news and match odds.

Team News

Starting with the hosts, Gloucester have Val Rapava-Ruskin, Seb Blake and Afo Fasogbon in the front-row, with locks Freddie Thomas and Matias Alemanno in the engine room.

Jack Clement, skipper Lewis Ludlow and Ruan Ackermann complete the forwards, while Wales internationals Tomos Williams and Gareth Anscombe combine again in the half-backs.

Seb Atkinson and Max Llewellyn form the centres, while the blistering back-three sees wingers Josh Hathaway and Christian Wade joined by full-back Santi Carreras.

As for the visitors, the experienced trio of Fin Baxter, Jack Walker and Simon Kerrod are in the front-row, with locks Dino Lamb and George Hammond in behind.

Chandler Cunningham-South and skipper Alex Dombrandt will be joined by fellow back-rower Will Evans, who will make his 100th appearance for Quins on Friday.

It’s Will Porter and Marcus Smith in the half-backs, Lennox Anyanwu and Oscar Bear in the centres, with Cadan Murley, Rodrigo Isgro and Tyrone Green in the back-three.

Gallagher Premiership Odds

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

Match Odds

Gloucester are the 8/13 favourites to claim the victory on home soil, while Harlequins are the 11/8 underdogs to leave the West Country with the win.

A draw on the night is available at 20/1, while between 51 and 60 points inclusive to be scored in the game is currently 11/4.

Gloucester -7 handicap @ 13/10

With a 25-17 win at reigning Premiership champions Northampton Saints in their last league outing, Gloucester showed just how far they have progressed already this season.

A settled team who are guided around the pitch by Williams and Anscombe in the half-backs, the Cherry & Whites look like a side that can challenge for a top-four finish this term.

Quins can also count themselves amongst the teams who can reach the play-offs, but their defence would need to improve if they are to make the post-season.

Losing 48-24 in their last Premiership game at home to Bristol Bears, they were opened up too many times in that clash at the Twickenham Stoop.

Gloucester have won their last two league games against Quins at Kingsholm and, given the visitors' defensive frailties, the Cherry & Whites look capable of covering the handicap here in front of a sold-out Kingsholm.

Alex Dombrandt anytime tryscorer @ 7/5

While Quins might well end up on the losing side, there’s value to be had backing their number eight Alex Dombrandt to score a try in this one.

Fresh on the back of signing a new deal with the club, Dombrandt will be looking forward to this fixture, in which he has a good tryscoring record.

Touching down in his last two games against the Cherry & Whites in the Premiership, Dombrandt is good value to go over for a third consecutive game against the West Country outfit on Friday night.

Click the link for all the latest Rugby Union Odds

Find more Rugby Union Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights