Adam Williams presents his prediction for the Premiership Rugby Cup match.
The clubs occupy opposite ends of the Premiership table: Bath is in first place, while Newcastle is last. However, both won their respective groups in the Premiership Rugby Cup, and thanks to a greater number of bonus points, Newcastle Falcons will have home advantage in the semi-final
Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons survived a late scare in the quarter-finals against Gloucester, holding on for a 22:17 victory after the visitors closed the gap with a converted try 12 minutes from time. With little success in other competitions, they appear fully committed to making a run for the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Bath
The big question is how seriously Bath will take this fixture. While a domestic double would be an achievement, the league leaders are unlikely to field their strongest line-up. Star fly-half Finn Russell is away on Six Nations duty with Scotland, meaning squad rotation is expected. In their quarter-final match against Harlequins (39:28), Tom de Glanville, a regular starter, was included in the starting line-up.
Newcastle Falcons vs Bath Prediction
With Newcastle Falcons prioritising the Cup and Bath potentially rotating their squad, an upset could be on the cards. However, given Bath’s overall quality, the safer bet is to back the hosts with a handicap advantage.
