The Stormers overwhelmed the Bristol Bears 49-12 in their Champions Cup opener, scoring seven tries and securing a bonus point. Bristol fought back briefly but a red card for Stormers hooker JJ Kotze and a sin‑bin for Zas could not prevent the South African side’s dominance. Bristol will host Munster in their next pool game on 12 December.
Bristol Bears edged out reigning champions Northampton Saints 41-26 at Ashton Gate in a thrilling Premiership encounter. Louis Rees‑Zammit starred with a brace of tries, while the Bears held on to secure their second consecutive league win. The match featured a late penalty try after a cynical challenge on Rees‑Zammit.
England full-back Ellie Kildunne has signed for Bristol Bears ahead of the 2026-27 season. Kildunne, a World Cup winner and former World Player of the Year, has been capped 62 times by England, scoring 48 tries. She joins Bristol Bears from Harlequins.