It is a big season for Bristol Bears who in the last two years have missed out on the play-offs in the home straight.

They looked well set at the end of January when the Premiership went into its Six Nations hibernation, but as the days lengthened and the weather improved, something that should have suited the Bears, they lost five of their last eight matches to finish sixth.
Their campaign was cursed by injury from the outset with AJ MacGinty, Harry Randall and Gabriel Ibitoye all picking up medium or long-term injuries in the opening match against Leicester Tigers and they finished the ca...