"He came back to Bristol with the aim of getting us back into the Premiership and he duly achieved that. Now, he will lead us on our return and he'll do so with pride."

"He works well with all the coaches and represents us on the field."

"Also, with all the changes and new signings this season, I felt that it was very important to have as much continuity as possible. Retaining Matt as skipper ticks that particular box."

"All in all, he is the perfect choice."

The move capped a memorable few weeks for Salter who signed a new two year contract at the end of June.

Matt himself told the Bristol Evening Post:

"It's a huge honour to have the captaincy for another season."

"Last season was superb. It wasn't an easy job because we were trying to win a championship."

"This season could be easier than last season. There will be more senior players around me while the younger ones have gained more experience."

"Next season will be a new experience for us as a team. We have to treat the season on a week-by-week basis. We cannot look too far ahead and as long as we keep improving, then the rest will look after itself."