Bristol Bears confident despite starting PWR semis as ‘massive underdogs’

If the rumblings from the Bristol Bears camp this week are anything to go by, then the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) record book may have to be updated on Sunday night.

Since England’s top flight was rebranded, initially as the Premier 15s, in 2017, each of the 10 semi-finals contested has gone the way of the seeded team.

That means Bristol and Exeter Chiefs, who both hit the road this weekend after finishing the regular season third and fourth respectively, will need to make history if they are to secure their place in the PWR finals at Sandy Park on June 22.

Abbie Ward: Bump in the Road | tow

Bump in the Road explores the challenges faced by professional athletes and all working mothers, with England lock Abbie Ward. Watch the full documentary on RugbyPass TV

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Abbie Ward: Bump in the Road | tow

Bump in the Road explores the challenges faced by professional athletes and all working mothers, with England lock Abbie Ward. Watch the full documentary on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

Bears head coach Dave Ward needed no reminding of that fact or the task facing his side as they prepare to kick off the play-offs against Saracens at the StoneX Stadium on Sunday.

Ward has guided the Bears to the semi-finals in each of his three seasons in charge, but their previous two appearances at this stage have both resulted in away defeats, at Exeter in 2022 and at Gloucester 12 months ago.

“We come in like massive bastards, you know, we can’t escape that fact. I don’t think I’ve heard one person predict a Bristol win yet,” Ward told reporters.

“But that’s music to my ears in a way, because probably in the previous two seasons, people gave us more of a chance and we didn’t really show up.

“The fact that people don’t give us a chance means we can go under the radar with no problem and then shock and awe a few people on Sunday.”

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Ward took much of the responsibility for last season’s semi-final exit at Kingsholm, where his side failed to mount a shot until the second half before losing 21-12.

Drawing on his own experiences lining up at hooker in big knock-out games for Harlequins, the coach hopes he can create a winning atmosphere this weekend.

“I probably over-trained in that game at Gloucester and put a bit of fear into the players,” admitted Ward.

“(You have to) enjoy these opportunities, enjoy working hard. I’ve played in some pretty big games and I’ve always enjoyed it.

“You might have a minute to go in the European Challenge Cup semi-final and you’ve got Joe Marler and Kyle Sinckler in your side. You know, you won’t be focused (with) those two idiots messing around, telling jokes.

“So I think there’s that part of it, but also knowing that the next time you’re around these guys is the first scrum of the game.

“So I think we just understand that dynamic of who needs to get where they need to get as a coach, and I don’t put too much pressure on people. But like I said, keeping that focus and our goal.”

The Bears certainly don’t need to make the trip south with any fear. The team have built a reputation as PWR’s big entertainers – even breaking a number of attacking standards in the defeat to Sale last weekend – and they have recent experience of beating Saracens.

Ward insists the players did not discuss the Allianz Cup final defeat by the same opponents at the end of April, a game played without their Six Nations stars, but the league win in March was discussed.

Bristol started that game at 100mph, scoring two tries in the first six minutes and then kept their opponents scoreless in the second half as they went over Cousin three more times to win by 35- 10.

“I think the plan is there,” said Ward, who insisted Bristol “want Saracens” in the semi-finals.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Bears co-captain Abbie Ward, who knows what it takes to beat Saracens in a play-off game that helped Harlequins win the 2021 Premier 15 final.

“It gives you confidence (but) the final with Harlequins and winning the Premiership is not something I really need to talk about because I did it as Bristol,” she said.

“You don’t even have to go back three years; this season we beat Saracens. Yes, they were missing certain players, but any team on any weekend is missing certain players.

“So I think the players know that Saracens are beaten. You can watch them, yes, they can play fantastic rugby, but I think we support our brand and style and the rugby we can play as well.”

And the England second-row does not believe the semi-final game in north London presents as much of a fear factor as it has in previous years.

“It’s not particularly daunting to me,” she said. “And I think that’s something girls are feeling right now.

“I think previously Saracens at StoneX looked like an unbeatable side, a game you just couldn’t win. Whereas now I don’t think that’s the case.

“But I think that comes from the way we’ve played, from our results in recent seasons, from other results in (past) seasons and also from that belief, it’s that confidence and it’s how we’ve grown as a team. “

Abbie Ward suggests that this season, her third at the club, has been about “finishing off” the work that has been done in the first two years under Dave.

Bristol have struggled for form in the early stages of the season, losing three of their first five PWR matches – against each of their fellow semi-finalists – as new recruits including Holly Aitchison and Hannah Botterman have floundered.

Aitchison and Botterman will return to Saracens this weekend as part of a dynamic side that lost just one of their next 10 league games before last day’s defeat at Sale.

“It’s always going to be how we learned to grow up with each other and how we learned to play with each other,” Abbie Ward said.

“We’ve done that now, so we’ve got the foundations, we’ve got the depth and talent of the squad. We went through those experiences about decision-making and increased our decision-making team and strategy.

“So it’s about putting everything together and I think if we get all those parts right at the weekend then we’ll be absolutely fine.”