Their team may have been relegated to England's second division but Bristol rugby fans are as buoyant as ever, with a survey suggesting new recruit Steven Luatua is at the heart of their optimism.
Luatua announced back in February that he'd be joining Bristol at the end of the season, linking back up with former coach at the Blues Pat Lam.
But with Bristol's main focus next season centred around promotion back to England's top tier after a woeful 2016/17 season, Lam and Luatua have been charged with a job of resurrection.
And via a survey in the Bristol Post, the fans have let them know it.
Of all of Lam's recruitments, which has seen Bristol nab a whopping 18 players including Luatua as well as Irish back-up first five Ian Madigan and Force winger Luke Morahan, it's the Blues back-rower that has fans buzzing most with 51.5 per cent of respondents saying he's who they're most excited to see.
Indicative of the confidence Luatua has instilled in the club, after his recruitment almost half of the survey's respondents believe that back-row is now Bristol's strongest position.
Luatua has been in stunning form for the Blues this season, with the 26-year-old's name mentioned for a possible All Blacks spot in June's Lions series.
And Bristol rugby fans will be hoping he can emulate that form once he joins them.
However, the pressure doesn't just sit with the 26-year-old with 52.4 per cent of respondents confident that incoming coach Lam can deliver not just promotion to the Aviva Premiership but long-term success in the competition.
Regardless of how they perform next season, Lam has the fans' approval with 92.9 per cent suggesting they were either "very satisfied" or "quite satisfied" with who he's recruited since being appointed the role earlier this year.
Newshub.
