Anyone would be forgiven for assuming a side with six Wales internationals in the starting line-up, two more on the bench and another three in the wider squad would be one of the best teams in Welsh rugby, surely.
But the outfit in question is actually Bristol Bears Women, who are bidding to reach their first Allianz Premier 15s final and be crowned the best side in England's top women's rugby competition, which is regarded as the finest in the world. The Bristol outfit boast no fewer than nine Wales stars from the recent Six Nations squad - including the likes of captain Siwan Lillicrap, flanker Alisha Butchers and winger Jasmine Joyce - and is only surpassed by Gloucester-Hartpury Women who have 10 current Test stars.
Finishing third in the regular season, Bristol are among the clubs at the forefront of unifying their rugby approach in a league where most Premier 15s clubs are affiliated to a Gallagher Premiership side. The women's team is based at Bristol's high performance centre, one of the most ultra-modern facilities in the country, while players have access to men's coaches and can sit in on meetings with their counterparts.
