Newly promoted Bristol Rugby have confirmed that they will rebrand as Bristol Bears ahead of their Aviva Premiership return next season, BBC report.

The club have confirmed that the new name and crest will come into place at the beginning of June.

Bristol Rugby as they are known currently, are managed by Pat Lam, who secured the Championship trophy last week and the club’s return to top flight rugby.

The club celebrated their title with a resounding 68-10 win against Doncaster Knights at Ashton Gate.

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Talking about the rebrand, Bristol owner Steve Lansdown took to the club’s website to give his thoughts on the proposed change.

It’s a process that we have been exploring for a number of years. I’m tired of hearing about Bristol’s status as a ‘sleeping giant’. Now, we want to see the club realise its fantastic potential in one of the UK’s most dynamic cities.

Bristol Rugby have previously rebranded in the past 20 years, when they took the name of Bristol Shoguns as part of a sponsorship deal.