James Merriman says Bristol will head to Bedford this weekend full of confidence after a dramatically improved defensive showing against Rotherham.

Bristol are level with Bedford on 14 points at the top of the Championship – and Saturday's clash at Goldington Road is being viewed as the first major test Paul Hull's side will have faced this season.

Flanker Merriman was pleased with the way Bristol Rugby tightened up defensively in Sunday's 36-10 win over Rotherham, keeping the Titans at bay until Brad Hunt's 79th-minute try.

There were mitigating circumstances for the late try they conceded, however, with Dan Norton in the sin-bin and Mat Turner down injured at the time.

Bedford are yet to concede a try in their opening three matches and are conceding an average of just seven points per match.

But with Bristol Rugby having scored 15 tries in their first three matches, Merriman is confident they are building the all-round game required to enjoy a successful season.

"Against Rotherham, everyone showed good commitment at the tackle area and we had some good collisions and knocked them back over the gain line," said Merriman.

"We can take a lot of confidence going into Bedford with that kind of defence.

"We're going up to Bedford, who haven't conceded a try yet and have a lot of confidence at home. It's going to be a tough, physical game up there.

"We're under no illusions, we know we've got a big job to do up there. But we'll take a lot of confidence from our defence – and our structures are starting to come into play more and more now, too.

"The different partnerships and combinations are starting to gel, we've just to keep training hard and go to Bedford full of confidence."

Bristol's display on Sunday was a marked improvement from their 40-36 win at Birmingham & Solihull and the 28-23 home victory over London Welsh.

And Merriman realises how important gradual improvement will be in a competition that will ultimately be settled by play-offs.

"We want to improve game by game and we know we haven't made the best start – but we don't want to be peaking too soon," he said. "At the same time, we've had three good wins and in each game we've improved. As long as we can keep improving, hopefully the results will follow.

"Everyone has got to put their hand up if they want to keep playing. Paul Hull and John Brain have given opportunities to everyone over these three games and everyone has had a chance to put their hand up. It's up to them who they pick for Bedford now."

Bristol's medical team were yesterday assessing the injuries suffered by No 8 Bertrand Bedes (knee), hooker Ross Johnson and winger Mat Turner (both ankle) in the bonus-point victory over Rotherham.