Bristol finished fourth in the table, securing their semi-final spot – and their first since 2021 when they topped the league – in the final round of the regular season with a win against Harlequins six days previously.

They did so with the smallest squad in the Premiership and after missing key players such as fly-half AJ MacGinty and winger Gabriel Ibitoye for large chunks of the season.

Against Bath they scored a breathtaking try which started metres from their own tryline through Kalaveti Ravouvou and was capped off by James Dun, and showcased plenty more of the quick, slick ball-handling skills that made them one of the top attacking outfits this season, and briefly stopped Bath in their tracks.

But across 80 minutes they could not match their opponents – particularly with the loss of scrum-half Harry Randall on 37 minutes to a shoulder injury and following two yellow cards.