Year Founded: 1897
Nickname: Crusaders
Ground: Shaftesbury Park (2,250 – 250 seated)
This season: 11th (P1 W0 D0 L1 TB1 LB Pts 1)
Last season: 10th (P26 W9 D0 L17 TB16 LB5 Pts 58)
Past five games vs. Rams
Dings Crusaders 31-25 Rams (December 2025
Rams 73-24 Dings Crusaders (September 2025)
Rams 26-17 Dings Crusaders (January 2025)
Dings Crusaders 36-44 Rams (September 2024)
Dings Crusaders 19-48 Rams (March 2019)
Recent form
National One’s great entertainers continued where they left off at the back end of last term, sharing 14 tries in a 52-42 shoot-out at Bishop’s Stortford in their Hertfordshire opener.
Pre-season was no different for the Bristolians who played three home games.
In their last they were edged out 40-31 by two-time Super Rygbi Cymru runners-up Ebbw Vale.
Crusaders previously took on Cinderford (33-35) and Bargoed.
It followed a trend of high-scoring epics from the back end of 2025/26.
In the last game Dings lost 52-40 to Rosslyn Park, but they hammered Leicester Lions 63-21 on the back of a 40-34 home triumph against Stortford.
Expect points on Saturday…
Players to watch
Sam Cantwell – Australian hooker proved a shrewd signing from Royal Wootton Bassett last summer, racking up 13 tries in 25 appearances in his debut season for Dings.
Bagged a brace against Rams at Shaftesbury Park last season and has also featured for Cornish Pirates in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Alex Bilton – Long-serving stalwart has racked up more than 100 caps since joining from Corsham in 2019.
Equally adept in the engine room or back row, a strong carrier and useful line-out operator.
George Boulton – A classy operator at inside centre or fly-half, the former Cinderford man arrived in the summer of 2023.
Was ever-present in helping Crusaders win National Two West, chipping in with eight tries.
Followed up with 70 points (four tries, 19 conversions and four penalties) in another 26-game campaign as Dings stayed at Level Three the following year.
Captain missed two outings last term but added 63 points (five tries, 18 conversions) and pulls the strings.
