Bristol boss Richard Hill admits west country rivals Bath have the potential to be "devastating" Guinness Premiership opponents.
The clubs meet at Ashton Gate tomorrow, with Bath looking to consolidate a title play-off position and Bristol targeting a victory that could lift them out of the bottom three.
Former Bath and England scrum-half Hill has made only two changes from the side pipped by Wasps last weekend, calling up lock Gareth Llewellyn and back-row forward Andrew Blowers.
But there is no place for England hooker Mark Regan, who is on the bench providing cover for in-form New Zealander Scott Linklater.
Hill said: "They (Bath) have some great players, and they have the ability to cut a side to ribbons.
"They’ve a good pack of forwards, who give them a great set-piece, and they also carry the ball well and like to offload.
"The coach gives them a licence to play that way, and they can be devastating.
"In the past, we have set out to restrict their possession in the first 20 or 30 minutes and tried to contain them.
"When we have been able to do that, we’ve usually emerged with the win. When we haven’t and they have scored early tries, it has been a difficult afternoon."
