Bristol Bears facts for kids
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| Full name | Bristol Rugby Club | ||
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| Union | Somerset Rugby Football Union | ||
| Nickname(s) | Bears, Bris | ||
| Founded | 1888 | ||
| Location | Bristol, England | ||
| Ground(s) | Ashton Gate Stadium (Capacity: 27,000) | ||
| Chairman | Chris Booy | ||
| Director of Rugby | Pat Lam | ||
| Captain(s) | Fitz Harding | ||
| Most appearances | Darren Crompton (138) | ||
| Top scorer | Felipe Contepomi (573) | ||
| Most tries | Harry Thacker (35) | ||
| League(s) | Premiership Rugby | ||
| 2024–25 | 4th | ||
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| Official website | |||
Bristol Bears is a professional rugby union team from Bristol, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, which is England's top rugby league.
The club started as Bristol Football Club in 1888. For many years, they played at the Memorial Ground. Since 2014, their home games have been at Ashton Gate Stadium. The team's head coach, Pat Lam, joined in 2017. In the 2024–25 season, Bristol finished 4th. This means they can play in the 2025-26 European Rugby Champions Cup.
In 2018, the club changed its name to Bristol Bears. Before that, from 2001 to 2005, they were called Bristol Shoguns because of a sponsorship deal. Bristol won the John Player Cup in 1983. They have also won England's second division four times. Their most recent win was in 2017–18. In 2019–2020, Bristol won The European Challenge Cup for the first time.
Contents
- Team History
- How the Club Started
- Rugby During the World Wars
- The 1950s: A New Style of Play
- 1960s–1980s: More Success
- The 1990s: Challenges and Comebacks
- The 2000s: Name Changes and Ups and Downs
- 2010–2015: Trying to Get Back to the Top
- 2015–2018: Promotion and Relegation
- 2018–2019: The Bristol Bears Are Born
- 2019–Present: European Champions
- Club Achievements
- Current Players
- Club Staff
- Coaches and Directors of Rugby
- Famous Players
- Images for kids
- See also
Team History
How the Club Started
Bristol Football Club began in 1888. Two local clubs, Carlton and Redland Park, joined together to form one strong Bristol team. They played their first home games at the County Cricket Ground.
Their first match was a tough loss to Cardiff. The team got much better over the next few years. By 1891–92, wearing their famous navy and white shirts, they won 20 out of 24 games. Soon, they were playing against the best teams in England and Wales. In 1900, J. W. Jarman became the first Bristol player to play for the England national team.
Rugby During the World Wars
Rugby games stopped during the First World War. After the war, Bristol Rugby started again in 1919. They moved to a new field at Radnor Road. In 1921, the Memorial Ground stadium was built. Bristol played Cardiff in the first match there, winning 19–3.
The club celebrated its 50th birthday in 1938. During World War II, a Bristol Supporters team kept rugby alive. This helped the club restart quickly in 1945.
The 1950s: A New Style of Play
In the early 1950s, the team's performance improved a lot. This was thanks to captains like Bert MacDonald and Dick Hawkes. In 1957, John Blake became captain. Under his lead, the club played an exciting, fast-paced rugby style. They broke records for wins and points scored.
1960s–1980s: More Success
Bristol celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1962–63. In 1965–66, they won 39 games, a club record. In 1971–72, they scored over a thousand points for the first time. They were seen as the best team in England and Anglo-Welsh champions.
In 1983, led by Mike Rafter, Bristol won the John Player Cup. They beat Leicester 28–22. During this time, Alan Morley set a world record with 479 tries in senior rugby.
The 1990s: Challenges and Comebacks
In 1996, Bristol Rovers football club started sharing the Memorial Stadium. Bristol Rugby later lost ownership of the stadium. In 1998, Bristol was moved down to the second division. The club faced money problems, but Malcolm Pearce helped save them.
Bristol won the second division title in 1998–99. They beat Worcester 22–11 to get back into the top league.
The 2000s: Name Changes and Ups and Downs
The Rugby World Cup in 1999 affected the start of the 1999–00 season. Many players were away. The team finished sixth that season. In 2001, the club changed its name to Bristol Shoguns. This was due to a big sponsorship deal with Mitsubishi Motors.
In 2001–02, the Shoguns did well. They reached the play-off final and qualified for the Heineken Cup. However, in 2002–03, Bristol was moved down a league again. This happened because of problems off the field.
In 2003, Richard Hill became head coach. He had a plan to get Bristol back to the top league. They won National League One in 2004–05 and were promoted. Bristol played some games at Ashton Gate Stadium to fit more fans. In 2006–07, they finished third in the league. This earned them a spot in the Heineken Cup again.
The 2008–09 season was tough, and Bristol was moved down from the Premiership. Paul Hull took over as head coach.
2010–2015: Trying to Get Back to the Top
Bristol tried to get back to the Premiership right away but lost in the play-off final. Many players left, and the club faced money problems again. In 2011, Liam Middleton became head coach. The club finished top of the championship table in 2011–12 but lost in the play-off semi-finals.
In 2012, businessman Stephen Lansdown became the owner of Bristol Rugby. Andy Robinson joined as director of rugby in 2013. Bristol finished top of the championship in 2013–14. However, they lost the play-off finals to London Welsh.
For the 2014–15 season, Bristol Rugby moved to Ashton Gate Stadium. This stadium could hold 21,497 fans. The club signed many new players, hoping for promotion. But they lost the play-off finals to Worcester Warriors by just one point.
2015–2018: Promotion and Relegation
In 2015–16, Bristol finally won promotion to the Aviva Premiership. They beat Doncaster Knights in the play-offs. They signed new players like Rhodri Williams and Tusi Pisi.
In November 2016, Andy Robinson was replaced by Mark Tainton as interim head coach. In February 2017, Tom Varndell became the leading try scorer in the Aviva Premiership. However, Bristol finished last in the Premiership that season and were moved down again.
On December 5, 2016, it was announced that Pat Lam would become the new head coach for Bristol Rugby. He joined before the 2017–18 season. Bristol secured promotion back to the Premiership in 2017-18 RFU Championship with two games left. They finished 20 points ahead of the second-place team. This time, there were no play-offs for promotion, which was good for Bristol.
2018–2019: The Bristol Bears Are Born
On June 1, 2018, Bristol Rugby officially became the Bristol Bears. This happened as they returned to the Premiership. The club signed famous players like Charles Piutau and John Afoa.
Their first match as Bristol Bears was against their rivals Bath Rugby. Over 26,000 fans watched Bristol Bears win 17–10. They finished the season in 9th place. In the European Challenge Cup, they reached the quarter-finals.
In November 2019, it was announced that Semi Radradra would join the Bears for the 2020/21 season. This made their back three players very strong.
2019–Present: European Champions
Bristol signed England players Nathan Hughes and Dave Attwood for the 2019/2020 season. They started the season with a big 43–16 win against Bath Rugby. The season was paused in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When rugby restarted, new players like Semi Radradra and Kyle Sinckler joined. Bristol finished third in the Premiership. They lost in the semi-finals to Wasps.
In the Challenge Cup, Bristol won their group. They beat Welsh side Dragons 56–17 in the quarter-finals. Then they won against Bordeaux Bègles in the semi-finals. In the final, they played Toulon. Bristol scored the fastest try in a European Rugby final, just 15 seconds into the game! They won the cup 32–19, earning their first major European title.
In September 2023, the club's new away kit featured an image of Ursa. This is a sculpture from Bristol, connecting the team to local art. In December 2024, Bristol won 54–24 away to Leicester Tigers. This was their tenth away win in a row in the Premiership, a new record.
Club Achievements
Bristol Bears Trophies
- European Challenge Cup
- Winners: (1) 2019–20
- RFU Championship (England's second division)
- Winners: (4) 1998–99, 2004–05, 2015–16, 2017–18
- RFU Knockout Cup (now called John Player Cup)
- Winners: (1) 1982–83
- Runners–Up: (3) 1972–73, 1983–84, 1987–88
- British and Irish Cup
- Winners: (1) 2010–11
- EDF Energy Trophy (also known as Powergen Shield)
- Winners: (1) 2003–04
Current Players
Senior Squad
Here are the players for the Bristol Bears senior team in the 2024–25 season:
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
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Academy Squad
The Bristol Bears also have an Academy squad, which helps train future rugby stars:
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
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Club Staff
Management
- Owner – Stephen Lansdown
- Chairman – Chris Booy
- Chief Operating Officer – Tom Tainton
First Team Coaching
- Director of Rugby – Pat Lam
- Forwards Coach – Mark Irish
- Senior Backs & Skills Coach – Dave Walder
- Defence Coach - Jordan Crane
- Assistant Forwards Coach - Chris Morgan
- Assistant Backs & Skills Coach – Sean Marsden
- Kicking Coach - Dave Alred
- Mental Skills Coach - Tom Bates
- Head of Athletic Performance – Kevin Geary
Academy Staff
- Senior Academy Manager – Gethin Watts
- Junior Academy Manager – Gary Townsend
- Academy Transition Coach – Danny Grewcock
- Academy Transition Coach – Glen Townson
- Senior Academy Coach - Brad Barnes
- Junior Academy Coach - Keith Leaker
Bristol Bears Women
- Head Coach - Dave Ward
- Assistant Coach - Tom Luke
Coaches and Directors of Rugby
| Years | Name | Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| 1980–1984 | David Tyler |
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| 1984–1986 | Mike Rafter | |
| 1986 - 1989 | Bob Hesford |
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| 1989 - 1990 | Colin McFadyean | |
| 1990–1992 | Rob Cunningham | |
| 1992–1995 | Brian Hanlon | |
| 1995–1996 | Alan Davies | |
| 1996–1998 | Darryl Jones | |
| 1998–2000 | Bob Dwyer |
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| 2000–2002 | Dean Ryan |
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| 2002–2003 | Peter Thorburn | |
| 2003–2008 | Richard Hill |
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| 2008–2011 | Paul Hull |
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| 2011–2013 | Liam Middleton |
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| 2013–2016 | Andy Robinson |
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| 2016–2017 | Mark Tainton | |
| 2017– | Pat Lam |
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Famous Players
Lions Tourists
These Bristol players were chosen for the Lions tours while playing for the club:
- Wallace Jarman (1899)
- Percy Down (1908)
- Maurice Edward Neale (1910 Tour to South Africa)
- Jack Spoors (1910 Tour to South Africa)
- Tom Richards (1910 Tour to South Africa)
- John Pullin (1968 & 1971)
- Alan Morley (1974)
- Mark Regan (1997 & 2001)
- Simon Shaw (1997)
- Kyle Sinckler (2021)
- Ellis Genge (2025)
Rugby World Cup Players
These players represented their countries at the Rugby World Cup while playing for Bristol:
| Tournament | Players Selected | England Players | Other National Team Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 2 | Richard Harding, Jonathan Webb | |
| 1991 | 0 | ||
| 1995 | 1 | Kyran Bracken | |
| 1999 | 8 | Garath Archer, Kyran Bracken, David Rees | Jamie Mayer  , Pablo Lemoine  , Al Charron (vc)  , Agustín Pichot, Eduardo Simone  |
| 2003 | 1 | Ross Beattie |
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| 2007 | 5 | Mark Regan, Shaun Perry | Alfie To'oala, David Lemi  , Marko Stanojevic  |
| 2011 | 1 | William Helu  |
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| 2015 | 4 | Matthew Morgan  , Anthony Perenise, Jack Lam , Tommaso Benvenuti |
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| 2019 | 5 | James Lay, Jordan Lay, Chris Vui, Alapati Leiua , Siale Piutau (c) |
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| 2023 | 7 | Ellis Genge (vc), Kyle Sinckler, Max Malins | Kalaveti Ravouvou  , Santiago Grondona , Chris Vui (c), Steve Luatua |
Images for kids
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Bristol playing Northampton during the 2007–08 Premiership.
See also
In Spanish: Bristol Bears para niños
