Bristol Bears began their Premiership campaign with a bonus-point 34-24 victory over Sale Sharks at Corp Acq Stadium. Louis Rees-Zammit scored two tries, Harry Randall added two, and Tomas Gwilliam crossed late to secure the win. Despite early tries from Luke Cowan-Dickie and two from Tom O'Flaherty, Sale fell short of bonus points.

Bristol showed continuity with no new starters, while Sale welcomed back Courtney Lawes and Joe Marchant from France. Injury concerns lingered for both sides, with Ethan Staddon (Bristol) suffering an ACL and Mac Ginty missing a penalty for Sale. Pat Lam praised his team's workrate and defensive effort, calling it evidence of pre-season preparation.

The win gave Bristol confidence ahead of their next fixture, while Sale faced a disappointing start after a seventh-place finish last season and a losing home record. The match featured a disallowed try for Sale due to O'Flaherty not grounding the ball, and a decisive Bristol maul in the final quarter set up Gwilliam's try. Sale missed a late penalty by George Ford, ending their hopes of a losing bonus point.