By Peter Ryan – @PeterRyanSports
The Gallagher Premiership is back, and the ten teams are set to resume after a long autumn break while the internationals took centre stage.
Under the lights on Friday night, Harlequins will take on Bristol Bears in a clash that promises to be a thrilling encounter with significant implications later in the season.
This exciting match-up between two highly rated teams leaves the door wide open for some intriguing betting options to consider.
Harlequins
Harlequins had a mixed start to the campaign, which has left them sitting slap-bang in the middle of a competitive season.
The side has won and lost three matches and will look to move above .500 on Friday night.
One of their more notable victories was against Rob Baxter’s Exeter Chiefs, where they dismantled the young side.
However, they narrowly lost to Bath in a game they could have won. It’s always fascinating to see what a team will look like coming out of the international window.
The Twickenham-based side has had solid contributions from players such as Jarrod Evans, Marcus Smith, and Alex Dombrandt.
Yet, what makes this Friday night unique is that Harlequins will say goodbye to a long-time servant of the club, Joe Marler.
The prop has achieved so much throughout his career, including 95 international caps, being a British and Irish Lion, and winning Six Nations titles.
Harlequins will look to put in a strong performance and give the charismatic personality a proper send-off.
They will feel confident welcoming Bristol to The Stoop in a game that could propel them up the table.
Bristol Bears
Bristol Bears have been the standout team of the season so far, with Pat Lam taking a restricted squad in terms of size and getting the best out of them.
The evidence for this is that they sit third in the table, with the potential to finish the weekend at the summit if results go their way.
The Bristolians play a very expansive style of rugby, which is highly entertaining to watch. An electrifying presence in the team has been winger Gabriel Ibitoye, a dynamic athlete with a natural instinct for the try line.
Fly-half AJ MacGinty will be integral in pulling the strings in the backline, posing orchestral problems for Harlequins’ defence.
Interestingly, Ellis Genge and Harry Randall will be unavailable due to their international duties. Bristol will look to maintain their momentum and secure a win over Harlequins.
The Bets
The contest on Friday has the potential to be an instant classic, as both teams have shown a willingness to play expansive rugby.
The best bet is that Harlequins will win by more than five points. This means if you bet on Harlequins and they win by a margin of more than five points, you win the bet.
The fact that they have so much depth in their squad and are playing at home makes it plausible that they could achieve a margin exceeding five points.
There is value in backing the underdog, as you can get a decent return if the away side wins.
Bristol has an excellent record away from Ashton Gate and is more than capable of coming away with a victory.
For those who enjoy a high-risk, high-reward scenario, betting on Harlequins to win by more than 15 points will yield a sizeable return.
The team has shown the ability to dominate games when momentum is on their side.
Best Bet: Harlequins to win by more than five points – 10/11
Value Bet: Bristol to win – 21/10
Longshot Bet: Harlequins to win by more than 15 – 16/5
