Bristol have 'everything' to win title - Reed

Amber Reed is starting her 16th season with Bristol Bears

Bristol captain Amber Reed believes the club has "everything" to go one step further and win the Premiership Women's Rugby title, after being beaten in the final at the end of last season.

The Bears were defeated 36-24 by eventual two-time league champions Gloucester-Hartpury in June in their first-ever appearance in the final.

They start the 2024-25 campaign away to Loughborough on Saturday at 15:00 BST.

"We know we have everything to go and take the title to be champions, but it's about proving that week-on-week," Reed told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Last year showed that you have to prove it week-on-week, you can't have a couple of bad weeks because the league will run away with you."

Fly-half Reed, who is in her 16th season with the Bears and has been capped 67 times times by England, said the first game of the season was a chance for the team to make a statement.

"It was so competitive across the board you have to hit the ground running from the start and it's a big opportunity for this group while WXV is on to really lay down that marker," Reed said.

"We know that if we don't perform here it's going to be really tough at the back end of the season."

Bristol have retained much of their squad for the new season, with Scotland centre Emma Orr and Wales winger and Great Britain sevens player Jasmine Joyce-Butchers the headline new arrivals - although Joyce-Butchers previously played for the club.

Head coach Dave Ward, who took over in 2021, said the "motivation" was there among the group to go a step further than reaching the final.

"We want to go and win it as well. We've talked about a three, four, five-year plan - we want to win trophies for this group of players," Ward said.

"This year again presents us with a good opportunity to do that and Saturday is the first step on that ladder."