The Bristol Bears and Bath Rugby rivalry is one of the fiercest in English rugby, and this Friday night’s Gallagher Premiership clash promises high stakes and fierce competition. Both teams are battling not only for local pride but also crucial points that could influence their play-off ambitions.
Last season, Bristol secured a league double over Bath but fell short in a dramatic play-off semi-final at the Rec, where Bath went on to claim their first league title in 29 years. So far this season, Bath have dominated with three wins against the Bears, including a commanding 40-15 league victory in October and two wins in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
This weekend, Bristol must win to keep their play-off hopes alive, while Bath aims to solidify their position and secure a home semi-final spot, with Leicester Tigers closely trailing them in the standings.
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Here’s everything you need to know to follow the match live:
Match Details
- Date: Friday, May 29, 2026
- Venue: Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol
- Kick-off: 7:45 pm BST
How to Watch
The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2, with streaming available on HBO Max starting from 7:00 pm BST. Rugby fans can also catch live commentary on BBC Radio Bristol.
Post-match highlights will be accessible on the Premiership Rugby website. For continuous updates, BristolLive and SomersetLive will offer live blogs packed with team news, real-time score updates, analysis, interviews, and reaction straight from the ground.
Team Line-ups
Bristol Bears
15. Noah Heward, 14. Louis Rees-Zammit, 13. Matias Moroni, 12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 11. Kalaveti Ravouvou, 10. AJ MacGinty, 9. Harry Randall
- Ellis Genge, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. George Kloska, 4. James Dun, 5. Joe Batley, 6. Joe Owen, 7. Fitz Harding (c), 8. Santiago Grondona
Replacements: Tomas Gwilliam, Jake Woolmore, Max Lahiff, Jimmy Halliwell, George Taylor, Kieran Marmion, Tom Jordan, Jack Bates
Bath Rugby
15. Santi Carreras, 14. Joe Cokanasiga, 13. Ollie Lawrence, 12. Max Ojomoh, 11. Henry Arundell, 10. Ciaran Donoghue, 9. Ben Spencer
- Beno Obano, 2. Kepueli Tuipulotu, 3. Thomas du Toit, 4. Ted Hill, 5. Charlie Ewels, 6. Ethan Staddon, 7. Guy Pepper, 8. Sam Underhill
Replacements: Dan Frost, Francois van Wyk, Vilikesa Sela, Ewan Richards, Josh Bayliss, Tom Carr-Smith, Cameron Redpath, Alfie Barbeary
Officials
- Referee: Karl Dickson
- Assistant Referees: Dan Jones, Jonathan Healy
- TMO: Andrew Jackson
This derby promises edge-of-the-seat rugby and could be pivotal for both sides as the season reaches its climax. Don’t miss a moment of the action from Ashton Gate.