Mark Regan believes relegated Bristol are in good shape to make an immediate return to the Premiership.

Bristol bowed out of the top flight with a humiliating 73-3 defeat at Leicester, with Regan retiring from the game after an 18-year playing career.

"It's no given that Bristol will come straight back up. It's going to be tough," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"But we're in a good position to come straight back up, we have the resources and we have the players to do it."

Former England international Regan began his career at Bristol in 1991 before returning to the Memorial Stadium in 2005 after spells with Bath and Leeds.

Head coach Paul Hull called him off the bench for the last quarter of the game at the Walkers Stadium where Leicester ran in 11 tries.

"We were always on a hiding to nothing," he added. "Leicester are on fire at the moment and we couldn't stick with them.

"You take the rough with the smooth and that's a bit of the rough at the end of the day, but I've had many, many highs and I'll think of the highs rather than the lows.

"Paul Hull won't even look at the video. I think he's just relieved the season's over now and he can build from scratch for next season."

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