Bristol Bears vs Harlequins
19th June 1330hrs
Rugby – England – Premiership
Pick Harlequins +8 handicap
Bookmaker Betfair
Odds: 10/11 odds taken 21:09 GMT on June 17th, 2021
This is the first of the Premiership Rugby semi-finals for this season. It features regular-season table-toppers Bristol taking on fourth-placed finishers Harlequins.
The Bears are the favourites to power their way through the Premiership Final.
They collected wins in both meetings with Harlequins during the regular season and the Bears have had an extra advantage of taking last weekend off.
Table of Contents
Bristol Bears Preview – Bears to reach the final?
This is the third time that the Bristol Bears have reached the Premiership semi-finals.
They will be looking for their first place in the showcase match having failed at this stage on their two previous appearances.
The Bears finished the regular season top of the table after being awarded a declared win last weekend.
That was after their home game against London Irish was called off.
In the match outright for Premiership rugby betting in this one, the Bears are 3/10 odds on favourites* (odds recorded 21:09 GMT on June 17th, 2021).
Since the end of April, Bristol bears have suffered only one loss. That was against another of the top-four finishers Sale.
Looking at their form at Ashton Gate specifically, they have suffered one defeat since February at the venue.
That was when Exeter visited in late April.
The overall home form that the Bristol Bears produced in the Premiership this season was W8 L2.
The one concern for them perhaps is that their last two losses have been against teams who finished in the top four with them.
Bristol have the head to head form going currently over Saturday’s opponents Harlequins.
The Bears have won the last three on the spin against them.
When they hosted them this season, Bristol produced a 35-33 win in a thrilling fixture.
That leads us on to margins. Six of Bristol’s eight home wins this season were by a margin of double figures.
Will they get to that this weekend in a high-pressure situation against the league’s top-scorers?
A Bristol -8 handicap is at a quote of 10/11 for Premiership rugby betting* (odds recorded 21:09 GMT on June 17th, 2021).
Harlequins Preview – Can Quins upset the odds?
Harlequins finished the regular season with a flourish, scoring more than 50 points against Newcastle.
The big strength of Quins this season in Premiership rugby has been their scoring.
They were the only team to reach the 700-point mark for the campaign. The nearest to that was Exeter’s haul of 624 points.
Can Harlequins put that scoring threat to good use by topping Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate?
In the match outright for rugby betting, Harlequins are the sizeable 13/5 underdogs* (odds recorded 21:09 GMT on June 17th, 2021).
This is the fifth Premiership semi-final for Harlequins and they have claimed just the one previous win from their four.
This is the first time in seven years that they have made it back to the final four.
They did give Bristol Bears a good run for their money earlier this season when they met at Ashton Gate.
Harlequins’ home game against Bristol this season was cancelled.
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The last five fixtures in Premiership rugby that Harlequins have competed in have gone the way of the home side on the day.
It has been only the one victory on the road for the Londoners since early February.
That was posted in Brentford against London Irish in late April.
So the overall away form of Harlequins does raise a little bit of a question mark. They produced a W5 L5 road record this season.
They lost all three games away to the other top-four finishers.
But two of those three particular losses were by a margin of fewer than three points.
So Harlequins, whose only win at Ashton Gate was in 2017, may not be too far away and are a quote of 10/11 for a +8 handicap in rugby betting* (odds recorded 21:09 GMT on June 17th, 2021).
Bristol Bears vs Harlequins Betting Advice
The last two semi-final losses for Bristol Bears happened on the road. There’s a shift now with them at home on Saturday.
We think that they get across the line, especially having had an extra weekend of rest for preparations.
But we don’t think that they run away with this so it’s the Harlequins +8 handicap at 10/11 we are going with* (odds recorded 21:09 GMT on June 17th, 2021).
Key Facts – Bristol Bears vs Harlequins Betting Tip
- Bristol Bears have won their last three against Harlequins
- Bristol Bears won 8 of 10 home games in the regular season
- Harlequins have lost three of their four previous Premiership semi finals
Harlequins went very close in away games at Bristol and Exeter this season during the regular season.
They have the scoring threat to keep things relatively close at Ashton Gate.
We think they come up short against a very powerful Bears, but the visitors can make a real fist of this.
A Bristol 1-10 winning margin in our rugby betting tip at 9/4* (odds recorded 21:09 GMT on June 17th, 2021)
The best betting odds for Bristol Bears vs Harlequins
Bristol Bears to win: 3/10 at Bet365
Draw: 25/1 at Bet365
Harlequins to win: 13/5 at Bet365
