Bath Rugby and Bristol Bears face off this Friday night at The Rec in a West Country semi-final that’s more grudge match than garden party. Bath, top of the Premiership table and fresh off a Challenge Cup win, have been playing with the kind of controlled power that suggests they’re done being nearly men. Bristol, meanwhile, arrive with their usual chaos engine fully tuned—Harry Randall pulling strings, Gabriel Ibitoye making defenders look silly, and a backline that can turn a loose ball into points before you’ve blinked. 

Bath’s pack is brutal, their defence miserly, and their ambition clear: end a 29-year title drought. Bristol have already beaten them this season and will be hoping to do it again, but they’ll need to survive the scrum, the maul, and the noise. 

Kick-off is 7:45pm.