Bristol Rugby are not planning to make wholesale changes to their squad this summer – even if they win promotion to the Guinness Premiership.

Head coach Paul Hull will instead offer the majority of his existing squad – who lead the Championship – the opportunity to play in the top division.

Hull has recently tied up new deals with five of his existing players whose contracts had been due to expire in the summer, while another raft of players agreed new terms at the end of last season.

And while Hull plans to bolster his squad should they win promotion back to the top division of English rugby, he does not want to make sweeping changes.

He said: "The plan is to try to keep the majority of the squad together – the squad that has played well together, grown up together this year and had that confidence together.

"So if we achieve our goal, hopefully we just need to add to that squad. The confidence, team spirit and game-plan will already be there – and the structure is in place – so that's the aim.

"We'll definitely add to the squad – but it won't be wholesale changes. There won't be 10 or 12 changes like last summer – there won't be that many. It will be adding to the squad we've already got."

Hull has been busy scouting players from across the world as he seeks to add fresh talent to his ranks. But the head coach has strict criteria about the type of players – and people – he wants to bring to Bristol this summer.

"Every single player we recruited this season has contributed to the programme, which is vital, and every player we recruited this year is part of the Bristol culture," he said.

"They are good professionals and good people to work and interact with. And that is just as important as the playing ability of new players coming to the club.

"That is one of the main characteristics we look at when we are looking to bring new players to the club.

"It's not just about star players – if he doesn't work hard, he won't be coming to Bristol."

Hull signed eight senior players last summer and has brought in three new faces – Sam Giddens, Jamie Miller and Alex Crockett – since the season kicked off. And while he is taking into consideration the additional demands of a potential Premiership campaign, he remains eager not to upset the mood and balance of his current squad.

"This is a nice place to be at the moment, everyone is working hard together and pulling in the right direction – from the board right down to the support staff," he said.

"It's a good environment at the moment and a professional environment, where everyone is working hard. There's no complacency here, that's for sure.

"There are obviously different rules in the Premiership with, for example, having four props in your match-day squad – so we would need to strengthen, obviously.

"There's also second-team rugby – you have to play in the A-team league – so you might want to strengthen your Academy as well.

"There are things we'll have to do, but generally speaking, it would be nice to keep together the group that is here and has done so well this season."

Bristol travel to fourth-placed Nottingham – 39-0 winners at Birmingham & Solihull on Tuesday – this Sunday.

Bristol (from): Backs – L Arscott, T Arscott, L Robinson, J Adams, L Eves, S Giddens, A Jarvis, J Spice, R Shaw, S Alford. Forwards – M Irish, D Blaney, R Johnston, W Thompson, D Crompton, M Vunipola, M Sambucetti, N Budgett, R Winters, R Pennycook, J Miller, J Merriman, I Grieve, J Phillips.