Bristol stunned arch-rivals Bath with a 43-16 bonus point victory to get their Premiership campaign off to a flying start at Ashton Gate.
This was a statement of intent from Pat Lam’s side who were better than their opponents in every aspect of play. Tries from Luke Morahan, with two, Nathan Hughes, Mat Protheroe, Piers O’Conor, John Afoa and Ioan Lloyd plus eight points from the boots of Callum Sheedy and Lloyd proved too much for Bath.
All Stuart Hooper’s side could muster was a first-half try from Zach Mercer with Rhys Priestland kicking 11 points.
Bristol opened the scoring with discarded England No 8 Hughes putting them on the front foot before the ball was moved wide to Charles Piutau who put Morahan over
