Saturday's Premiership fixtures delivered a surprising away victory for Gloucester against Exeter at Sandy Park, while Bristol Bears comfortably outscored Sale Sharks, spoiling Courtney Lawes' much‑anticipated homecoming. Gloucester, bolstered by a host of new signings, launched their campaign with a dominant 45-24 win that also earned them a valuable bonus point, marking their first league triumph on Devon soil since 2015. The match showcased the immediate impact of summer acquisitions Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan and Jean Kleyn, who helped the Cherry and Whites overturn the odds against a side still reeling from illness and a raft of injuries.
From the opening whistle, Gloucester announced their intent. Full‑back Ben Redshaw executed a perfectly timed kick‑pass that found winger Ben Loader in space, allowing him to cross for a try just five minutes in. Exeter responded with a period of sustained pressure, eventually rewarding tight‑head prop Josh Iosefa‑Scott with a short‑range effort that Henry Slade successfully converted.
Gloucester, however, soon reclaimed the initiative. Scrum‑half Caolan Englefield displayed clever vision, slipping a chip over the Exeter line that landed in the hands of England centre Seb Atkinson, who touched down for the second Gloucester try. Fly‑half Charlie Atkinson added the conversion and, moments later, a second Loader try arrived after a pinpoint cross‑field kick from the same fly‑half.
The momentum continued to swing in Gloucester's favour when back‑rower Ethan Roots surged down the left touchline, finishing a break set up by Greg Fisilau. Exeter, already hampered by a spate of illnesses, gave away a soft penalty from the restart, which Gloucester turned into a strategic kick to the corner.
Hooker Dewi Lake, leading the maul, emerged with the ball and grounded it in the corner for a bonus‑point try, with Charlie Atkinson converting from the touchline to push the lead to fourteen points at halftime. The second half opened with Lake adding a second try after only six minutes, cementing his influence on the game. Gloucester then appeared to seal the contest when winger Will Joseph launched a solo run from midfield, evading multiple defenders before diving over for a try that Charlie Atkinson again converted.
Exeter managed a late consolation when Italian scrum‑half Stephen Varney, playing against his former club, broke through to score, with Slade adding the conversion to narrow the gap to 38-19. A determined tackle by Redshaw denied Varney a second try, and even after blind‑side flanker Freddie Thomas received a yellow card for an infringement near his own line, Gloucester's defense held strong. In the closing stages, Exeter salvaged a bonus‑point try when replacement hooker Louie Gulley, on his Premiership debut, gathered a line‑out ball five metres from the try line and grounded it.
Junior Denny added a final Gloucester try, sealing a comprehensive 45-24 victory. The other headline of the day involved Sale Sharks and the return of England veteran Courtney Lawes.
The 37‑year‑old, who last featured in the Premiership when he captained Northampton to the 2024 title, made his debut for Sale in a match that ultimately ended in defeat. Bristol Bears, under Pat Lam, opened their season with an entertaining 34-24 win at Salford, scoring five tries to the visitors' two. Bristol applied early pressure, but Sale’s former fly‑half AJ MacGinty missed a relatively straightforward penalty, allowing the Bears to stay in contention.
Sale then built a brief lead when Cowan‑Dickie powered over from close range after a well‑executed move involving Roe, with George Ford converting to make it 7-0. Bristol responded quickly; a long pass from James Williams found Wales international Louis Rees‑Zammit, who dived over in the right corner for the Bears' first try.
Although Ford kicked a penalty for Sale, Rees‑Zammit added a second try just minutes later, again finishing a move that began with a pass from full‑back Tom Jordan. Just before halftime, scrum‑half Randall collected a loose ball and sprinted over for his own try, giving Bristol a 20-10 lead at the break, with Williams converting. The second half saw Sale winger O'Flaherty break away to score in the right corner, and Ford's second conversion narrowed the margin to three points. However, Bristol quickly re‑established their advantage when Randall sliced through the defense for his second try, and later Gwilliam powered over from close range for the Bears' fifth try.
O'Flaherty added a second try for Sale, but Bristol's Williams completed his conversion tally, leaving Sale empty‑handed as the final whistle blew. Both matches highlighted the importance of early season signings and the depth of squad talent.
Gloucester's new arrivals proved decisive, delivering a performance that not only secured three points but also a valuable bonus point, positioning them strongly in the early league table. Meanwhile, Bristol's fluid attacking play and ability to capitalize on turnover opportunities demonstrated why they are considered a threat under Lam's guidance.
For Sale, the loss underlines the challenges of integrating seasoned internationals like Lawes while rebuilding a competitive side. The weekend's results set an intriguing tone for the weeks ahead, with Gloucester and Bristol both showing the capacity to dominate opponents, while Exeter will need to regroup after a difficult start hampered by health setbacks.