Sale Sharks vs Harlequins Prediction: Sharks are expected to win this opener at home

Sale Sharks and Harlequins will square it off at Salford Community Stadium on the opening day of the English Premiership Rugby. Entering the new season, the two teams will hope to have a positive result. Below, I will look into the analysis of this game and make predictions.

Sale Sharks will confidently enter the new season after not making it past the semifinal stage the previous season. In the regular season, Sale Sharks finished third with 56 points, four adrift of first and second-placed Northampton Saints and Bath the last season. In the meantime, their playoff encounter against Bath ended 31-23, their lone defeat in five consecutive matches. The home team come in as favorites heading into this game and won the last match of this fixture. 

After not performing well the previous season, Harlequins will look to have a strong start in this fixture. In 18 league games, this team did accumulate 51 points but could only finish 6th in the standings. Failing to make the playoffs, Harlequins did make it to the European Rugby Champions Cup semifinal last season but lost to Stade Toulousain 38-26. Heading into this game, Harlequins have had four losses in their previous five matches, and their lone win is coming against Northampton Saints.

Harlequins are not a side to write off in matches like this, as they are tough to defeat. In the meantime, Sale Sharks at home are just on another level, and with the bookies having them as favorites here, I do not see them losing. Also, with the previous meetings between these sides ending with many points, I expect a similar outcome in this one, too.