Newcastle Falcons vs Bath Rugby Prediction & Betting Tips - English Premiership Rugby

Prediction published on 08/05/2024, 14:45  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 10/05/2024 at 06:45 in Rugby Predictions

Bath Rugby will travel north to face the Newcastle Falcons in round 17 of the Gallagher Premiership on Friday night. The hosts are bottom of the table, while the visitors are third. A dismal season continued its downward trajectory as the winless Falcons suffered a 35-14 defeat at home to Sale Sharks in their latest outing. Both teams struggled to establish dominance in the early stages, frequently resorting to territorial kicking, while interruptions for injuries further disrupted the flow of the game. Despite the hosts applying sustained pressure on Sale, earning multiple consecutive penalties nearing the 20-minute mark, they failed to breach the resilient defensive line of their opponents. Notably, 50% of the Falcons' possessions this season have culminated in kicks, marking the second-highest percentage in the league. Furthermore, the Falcons have recorded fewer successful attempts at beating defenders and making clean breaks than any other team. With just two games remaining, Steve Diamond's squad faces the daunting task of avoiding the worst-ever Premiership season. Newcastle Falcons have made three changes to their lineup, bringing in full-back Louis Brown, lock Tim Cardall, and centre Cameron Hutchison.

Meanwhile, after a narrow 15-12 loss to Saracens in their previous outing, the Blue, Black, and White find themselves in third place in the standings. To maintain their playoff aspirations with just two regular-season games remaining, they realistically require a bonus-point victory in their upcoming match at Kingston Park. Finn Russell returns from a groin injury for the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Run-In and is slated to start in Friday night's clash against the Newcastle Falcons. The Bath Rugby fly-half sustained the injury during a Champions Cup last-16 encounter with Exeter Chiefs a month ago but is now ready to lead Bath's playoff charge. Bath have made the second-highest number of entries into the opposition's 22, averaging 11.4 per 80 minutes this season. They have also emerged victorious in each of their last four meetings against the Falcons, including two wins at Kingston Park last season. However, Bath's away form of late has been less convincing, with only one win in their last six away games across all competitions, a 26-14 victory over Exeter last month.