Adrian Jarvis says Paul Hull's appointment as head coach has lifted the mood at Bristol and injected new life into the club.

Hull stepped up from assistant coach to take charge of last week's 32-13 Guinness Premiership defeat at Sale – and the move was made permanent when Richard Hill's reign as head coach came to an end on Thursday night.

Bristol host Harlequins tomorrow, knowing victory is essential if they are to stand any realistic chance of catching Worcester and avoiding relegation.

And fly-half Jarvis, who swapped Harlequins for Bristol last summer, believes Hull is the right man to take the club forward.

"We're all professionals, so we have just been getting on with the job, but I think Hully's had a really good influence," said Jarvis.

"It has been a lift for the side – a different coach with fresh views. Everyone seems to have picked themselves up and are quite positive at the moment.

"We know we definitely need to get something out of this game at the weekend. Training has gone well this week and the guys have picked themselves up after losing to Sale."

The opening 20 minutes at Edgeley Park were hugely encouraging for Bristol as they took a 6-0 lead through two Jarvis penalties.

But Sale fought back to score four tries and eventually secure a comfortable victory, leaving Bristol nine points adrift of Worcester at the bottom of the table.

And Jarvis appreciates the size of the task facing his side if they are to remain in the Premiership beyond the end of the current season.

"To stay in the Premiership would be massive," he said. "You don't want to be remembered just for surviving a relegation battle, but from the position we are in now, to survive would be a tremendous effort.

"Strangely, it would be something to be quite proud of. And if we can get a win on Sunday, we can put pressure on for the rest of the season – four points now could be massive."

Jarvis spent six years with Quins before joining Bristol and has gone on the record this week saying he remains convinced he made the right move, despite seeing his former club pushing for the play-offs while Bristol struggle to stay afloat.

"I was at Harlequins for six years and to be honest I felt like I needed a change," he said.

"I'm enjoying things here, and I am really enjoying not being in London. Obviously, the rugby has not gone to plan, but I am still glad I came down here.

"It will be interesting playing against Quins. We played them in the second game of the season at the Stoop and that was quite strange, playing against guys I had played with for six years.

"It will hopefully be slightly easier at the Memorial Stadium this weekend, because I haven't seen the boys quite as much as I used to, and hopefully I will be able to get one over them."

Bristol: T Arscott; L Robinson, Neil Brew, L Eves, D Lemi; A Jarvis, S Perry; M Irish, D Blaney, D Crompton, D Attwood, N Budgett, R Pennycook, J El Abd (capt), D Ward-Smith. Reps: S Linklater, W Thompson, R Winters, A To'oala, H Thomas, E Barnes, Nathan Brew.

Harlequins: M Brown; D Strettle, G Tiesi, J Turner-Hall, T Williams; C Malone, A Gomarsall; C Jones, G Botha, M Ross, O Kohn, G Robson, C Robshaw, W Skinner (capt), T Guest. Reps: A Croall, M Lambert, J Evans, N McMillan, J Poluleuligaga, N Evans, U Monye.