CLEVE Rugby Football Club is absolutely thrilled to welcome Bristol Bisons RFC, along with their friends, supporters, and the wider rugby community, to their new home at the Hayfields.
Founded in 2005, the Bisons are a trailblazing inclusive rugby club, proudly championing diversity by welcoming players and supporters of all abilities, backgrounds, ages, genders and sexualities.
After a tremendously successful 2024/25 season, when they won the Counties 1 Tribute Western North league championship title, Cleve start the new season at home to Cheltenham Tigers on September 6. On the 13th they are away to Old Centralians before welcoming Thornbury to the Hayfields on September 20.
Head coach Paul Vinicombe is back leading the same coaching team as last year.
Matthew Jarvis is the Backs coach, with Harry Casson looking after the forwards.
Continuity in these roles is important, as they are committed to leading the players from last season in a higher and more demanding league.
The Regional 2 Tribute Severn division pitches Cleve against some very old rivals: Thornbury, Chippenham and Keynsham.
There are also some fixtures against teams from a little further afield, including Newbury, Witney and Royal Wootton Bassett.
Off the pitch there has also been exciting news.
The club has secured grant funding from the Key Fund and West of England Combined Authority to install solar panels and upgrade our hot water heating and storage systems, a massive step forward which means lower energy bills, more savings for the club and more investment in the things that matter most.
Reduced reliance on the grid also means we’re less exposed to rising electricity prices.
Stephen Bateman