Sale Sharks vs Bristol Bears
28th May 1945hrs
Rugby – England – Premiership
Pick Home Win
Bookmaker 888Sport
Odds: 11/8 odds taken 21:11 GMT on May 26th, 2021
This is the big match of the Premiership weekend as league leaders Bristol Bears make the trip to third-placed Sale Sharks.
Both are comfortably inside the top four and will likely both be going to the Premiership semi finals.
Can Sale Sharks at least make a big statement here by toppling the powerful Bears, who have looked unstoppable at times this season?
Table of Contents
Sale Sharks Preview – Can Sale defend hold off the Bears at the AJ Bell?
There has been a terrific run of form produced by Sale Sharks in the Premiership.
They are currently sitting on a six-match winning streak and that is their best sequence since the 2005/06 season.
They would create some club history with a win on Friday. They’ve never before won seven league games on the spin.
This is the toughest game that they could be getting in which to try and get that record.
Sale are the 11/8 underdogs in the match outright for Premiership rugby betting* (odds recorded 21:11 GMT on May 26th, 2021).
That obviously says a tremendous amount about the visiting Bears more than anything.
The home record of Sale in the Premiership is W7 L2 this season, an impressive return.
The Sharks have won their last five games played at the AJ Bell Stadium so are not likely to go down without a fight.
They do have some home form going against Bristol as well.
Sale have been beaten once in their last five fixtures (home and away) against Bristol and that was away from home.
The only loss that Sale Sharks have suffered at home against the Bears was in 2017 when they were beaten by a single point.
It is worth looking at some margins for rugby betting here.
Only three of the victories that Sale have produced at home in this campaign have been by a margin of more than 9 points.
Regardless of the match outcome, only three games at the AJ Bell have been settled by a margin of double-figures.
A Sale Sharks +3 handicap is at a quote of 10/11 for rugby betting* (odds recorded 21:11 GMT on May 26th, 2021).
Bristol Bears Preview – Will the Bears go hard at Sale?
Bristol Bears finished the last round of Premiership action eight points clear at the top of the standings.
So they don’t really need to go hard at this as they want to start taking things easy ahead of the Premiership semi finals.
There are only three matches left of the regular season, including this fixture, before the knockout phase starts.
In the match outright a win for Bristol Bears is at 8/13 odds* (odds recorded 21:11 GMT on May 26th, 2021).
It was a thumping 39-7 home win that they took over Gloucester in the last round of action.
That’s at least 39 points that Bristol have now scored in their last two league fixtures.
The only league defeat that Bristol have suffered in the last eleven rounds of Premiership rugby action was at home against Exeter in late April.
Out on the road they have been beaten once all campaign.
That lone away defeat happened at Wasps on the opening weekend of the new campaign.
So certainly the stats are there to back Bristol getting the points.
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Bristol Bears have only failed to reach the 20-point mark on the scoreboard in one away game this season.
Their overall road record is W7 D1 L1.
Now for a look at their margins. Three of their seven away wins were recorded by a margin of double figures.
Two of those such outcomes happened against teams who are currently in the bottom four.
So the margin could be tight in this game on Friday.
The Bristol Bears -3 handicap is at a quote of even money* (odds recorded 21:11 GMT on May 26th, 2021).
While the Bears continue to prove themselves, this is a very tough road fixture against a team who are bang in form.
Sale Sharks vs Bristol Bears Betting Advice
The last time that Bristol Bears faced a fellow top-four side, they ended up losing. That was at Ashton Gate against Exeter.
We do think that they could be put to the test at the AJ Bell on Friday. Especially if they want to keep a few cards close to their chest ahead of the playoffs.
Our first rugby betting tip is the straight home win for Sale at 11/8* (odds recorded 21:11 GMT on May 26th, 2021).
Key Facts – Sale Sharks vs Bristol Bears Betting Tip
- Sale Sharks have won their last six Premiership games
- Sale Sharks are on a five match winning streak at the AJ Bell
- Bristol Bears have lost one of their last 11 Premiership fixtures only
Sale are on a five match winning streak on home turf and that’s not lightly dismissed at all.
This should be an epic clash between the two of them.
Therefore for rugby betting we are going all in on a Sale 1-7 winning margin at 3/1* (odds recorded 21:11 GMT on May 26th, 2021)
The best betting odds for Sale Sharks vs Bristol Bears
Sale Sharks to win: 11/8 at Bet365
Draw: 20/1 at Bet365
Bristol Bears to win: 8/13 at Bet365
