Bristol Bears' 30-13 victory over Worcester Warriors on Saturday should refine how Pat Lam's side are viewed in the eyes of the rugby public.
Most believe the Bears to be entertain at all costs showmen. A Super Rugby-style/Barbarians love-child playing their own brand of rugby against pragmatic bores. But that couldn't be further from the truth.
This a club and group of players who are learning the canny knack of winning, even if that means doing it 'ugly.'
With Charles Piutau, Luke Morahan and Harry Thacker sidelined until the New Year, and Callum Sheedy, Max Malins and Semi Radradra away on international duty the majority of the world class X-factor players in this special squad were missing at Ashton Gate on Saturday.
But it mattered not, because Bristol battered the most workmanlike team in the Gallagher Premiership into submission with their mauling game while excellently countering what was thrown at them by their former forwards coach Jonathan Thomas who swapped camps in the summer.
What can certainly be said is Worcester Warriors are no longer a bogey side.
Until last year, Bristol Bears had never done the double over the Warriors, and until Saturday they had never won three in a row.
But inspired by new Welsh international full-back Ioan Lloyd, the Bears extended their winning run over.
Fresh from winning his first Welsh cap and becoming Bristol’s youngest ever international Lloyd, still just 19 years-old, will make plenty of headlines for his sparkling display on his return to club rugby, providing a moment of magic to put Piers O’Conor away for the opening try and stopping an almost certain Worcester score with an outstanding try-saving tackle on Nick David in the first half.
But it was the relentless power display from the forwards which delivered the result in this arm wrestle, forcing their collective way over the whitewash with mauls for Bryan Byrne and Siale Piutau to score and earning a penalty try from Ian Tempest who also handed out two yellow cards to Worcester's Andrew Kitchener and Conor Carey for illegally pulling down the Bears' most potent weapon on the day.
Yes Worcester had their chances in the contest, scoring tries through Tom Howe and former Bristol man Marco Mama - while Howe was unfortunate to have another effort disallowed after it was adjudged Oil Morris had knocked the ball forward which landed in the winger's hands, while dislodging it from Piutau in a tackle. But all three opportunities came from Bristol mistakes.
Worcester’s opening try came from broken field with fly-half Billy Searle regathering the loose ball after his attempted grubber kick was blocked by Dan Thomas and then pin balled off Henry Purdy into his hands. The former Bristol man then intelligently ghosted through a pack of forwards, with some potential blocking on Yann Thomas missed, before drawing full-back Lloyd and feeding Howe to race in for his second try in as many weeks.
The visitors' second score came from turnover ball as replacement Ethan Waller pounced on the pill when it squirted out of a Bears ruck, allowing his captain Ted Hill to stride clear of the defence before passing to Mama who dived over the line in his own thunderous 'Ash Splash' style.
That handed Worcester the lead for the first time in the match after 44 minutes and 49 seconds, but it lasted just five minutes and 23 seconds before the Bears struck back and then accelerated away.
Had Howe's second 'try' in the 64th minutes been given then it would have been a tighter, nervier finish but in the end it was a relatively routine day at the office for the Bears in the most competitive professional rugby league in the world.
The Bears host Northampton Saints on Friday night with their Round Three opponents without a win yet, having been battered 49-29 by Harlequins this weekend.
Bristol Bears: 15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Piers O’Conor, 12 Siale Piutau (C), 11 Henry Purdy, 10 Sam Bedlow, 9 Harry Randall; 1 Yann Thomas, 2 Bryan Byrne, 3 John Afoa, 4 Ed Holmes, 5 Joe Joyce, 6 Jake Heenan, 7 Dan Thomas, 8 Nathan Hughes.
Replacements: 16 Will Capon, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 John Hawkins, 20 Mitch Eadie, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Tiff Eden, 23 Alapati Leiua.
Worcester Warriors: 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Tom Howe, 13 Oli Morris, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Nick David, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Francois Hougaard; 1 Callum Black, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Andrew Kitchener, 6 Ted Hill (c), 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Marco Mama.
Replacements: 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Conor Carey, 19 George Merrick, 20 Joe Batley, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Ashley Beck
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant Referees: Johh Meredith & Peter Allan
Attendance: Behind Closed Doors
