Pat Lam’s side will kick off the 2025/26 season away at Sale SharksA general view of the stadium before the Premiership Rugby Cup match between Bristol Bears and Bath Rugby (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Bristol Bears have been drawn in Pool A of the newly reinvented PREM Rugby Cup which will kick off with two rounds before the Gallagher PREM league season gets underway.

The Bears will play Bath, Gloucester, Exeter and Sale Sharks, home and away in the pool stages which will be contested over 10 weeks, with each team having two bye weekends. The new format, without Championship sides in 2025/26, will serve up plenty of derby games for fans to get their teeth sunk into during the international periods in the Autumn and the Spring.

The Bears will get their campaign underway with two away fixtures in the ‘pre-season’ block as Ashton Gate is being used to host the knockout stages of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

PREM Rugby Cup fixtures 2025/26

  • Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears – Saturday, September 13 – 3pm KO
  • Gloucester Rugby v Bristol Bears – Friday, September 19 – 7.30pm KO
  • Bristol Bears v Bath Rugby – Friday, October 31 – 7.45pm KO
  • Bye weekend – November 15
  • Exeter Chiefs v Bristol Bears – Saturday, November 22 – 3pm KO
  • Bristol Bears v Gloucester Rugby – Sunday, February 1 – 3pm KO
  • Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday, February 7 – 2pm KO
  • Bath Rugby v Bristol Bears – Saturday, February 14 – 3pm KO
  • Bye weekend – February 21
  • Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks – Sunday, March 1, 3pm KO
  • Semi-finals – Weekend of March 7
  • Final – Weekend of March 14