Newcastle vs Bristol Predictions - Bristol backed to cover handicap in Rugby Premiership clash

Marc Thomas

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Last updated: 22 Dec 2023

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Marc Thomas 22 Dec 2023

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Newcastle vs Bristol predictions for Friday’s English Rugby Premiership fixture (21:15 SAST)
Visitors will be looking for a bonus point victory
Can the hosts get their first win of the season?

Expired

Bristol have the chance to gain some momentum in their season against bottom placed Newcastle (Getty images)

Newcastle vs Bristol Preview

Both Newcastle and Bristol are having poor seasons, but the hosts have lost their last 10 games. Their confidence will be low so I’m backing the Bears to win by more than six points.

Newcastle vs Bristol Preview
Head to Head
Newcastle Form
Newcastle Injuries & Team News
Bristol Form
Bristol Injuries & Team News

Newcastle have lost their last 10 matches.
Newcastle won their last match against Bristol.
Bristol have lost 6 of their last 10 matches.

Head to Head

Last season Bristol beat Newcastle 30-12 at home but Newcastle won their home game 30-15.

Newcastle Form

Newcastle are rock bottom of the Rugby Premiership table with eight defeats from their eight Premiership games. They have also suffered two defeats in their two European Challenge Cup games.

Without a win all season, confidence in the Newcastle camp is at an all time low. They look set to finish bottom despite not even being halfway through the season as yet.

Over the last two weeks, the Falcons have lost 24-19 at home to Montpellier and 35-13 away to the Lions from South Africa. Both games were in the Challenge Cup.

Newcastle Injuries & Team News

The Falcons are likely to make changes after returning from South Africa this week.

Bristol Form

Bristol have made an average start to their season in the Premiership, winning just three of their eight games. They are third from the bottom but still well clear of their opponents.

This is the perfect game for the Bears to reignite their season and pick up a full house of points. While playing in Newcastle is not easy, the form of the hosts has been atrocious.

In Europe over the last two weeks, Bristol did manage to beat Lyon 36-34 at home in what was a cracking contest. Last week the Bears lost 36-17 away to Bordeaux.