Saturday’s Premiership fixtures delivered a surprising away triumph for Gloucester, who overcame Exeter Chiefs, while Bristol Bears comfortably dispatched Sale Sharks, dampening Courtney Lawes' much‑anticipated homecoming. Gloucester, sporting several fresh faces, kicked off their campaign with a dominant 45‑24 victory that also earned them a valuable bonus point against the previous season’s beaten finalists, Exeter, at Sandy Park. The win marked the first time Gloucester have secured a league triumph on Devon soil since 2015, a milestone made possible by the impact of new summer signings Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan and Jean Kleyn.
Their contributions helped the Cherry and Whites break a long‑standing away hoodoo. Exeter entered the match already hampered by a wave of illness that compounded the injuries already plaguing their squad. As a result, the Chiefs appeared disjointed for large stretches of the game, only regaining a semblance of their usual composure in the closing minutes when the result was already beyond doubt. The opening five minutes saw Gloucester seize the initiative when full‑back Ben Redshaw delivered a perfectly timed kick‑pass that set winger Ben Loader free for a try.
Exeter answered swiftly, applying sustained pressure that culminated in a short‑range effort by tight‑head prop Josh Iosefa‑Scott, which Henry Slade successfully converted. Gloucester, however, displayed superior tactical kicking. Scrum‑half Caolan Englefield executed an elegant chip over the Exeter defence, allowing England centre Seb Atkinson to dive on the ball for a try. Fly‑half Charlie Atkinson added the conversion and soon after, a second try for Loader arrived courtesy of another precise cross‑field kick from Atkinson, who found the winger in space on the opposite wing.
Back‑rower Ethan Roots, representing England A, then launched a blistering run down the left touchline, breaking through the defensive line to touch down after an initial break by Greg Fisilau. The momentum continued as Exeter conceded a soft penalty from the restart; Gloucester opted to kick to the corner, and captain and hooker Dewi Lake rose from the ensuing maul to ground the ball in the corner for a bonus‑point try. Charlie Atkinson’s conversion from the touchline was immaculate, extending Gloucester’s lead to fourteen points at halftime. The second half began with Lake adding a second try after just six minutes, cementing his brace and further widening the gap.
Gloucester appeared to be cruising toward victory when, on the hour mark, winger Will Joseph produced a spectacular solo effort. Starting from his own half, Joseph evaded multiple tacklers, sprinted down the field and crossed the try line, with Atkinson again converting to push the score even higher.
Exeter managed to claw back a few points when Italian scrum‑half Stephen Varney, playing against his former club, broke away to score. Henry Slade’s conversion narrowed the deficit to 38‑19. A subsequent tackle by Redshaw denied Varney a second try, and despite blind‑side flanker Freddie Thomas receiving a yellow card for an infringement near his own line, Gloucester’s defence held firm.
The Chiefs salvaged a late consolation bonus‑point try when replacement hooker Louie Gulley, making his Premiership debut, gathered the ball from a five‑metre line‑out and touched down. Junior Denny added a seventh try for Gloucester, sealing a comprehensive victory.
In a separate fixture, the 37‑year‑old England veteran Courtney Lawes made his Premiership debut for Sale Sharks, only to see his side fall to a 34‑24 defeat at the hands of Bristol Bears in Salford. Lawes, who last featured in the competition when he captained Northampton to the 2024 title at Twickenham, was unable to prevent the Bears from taking the early initiative. Bristol applied pressure from the outset, though Sale’s former fly‑half AJ MacGinty missed a relatively straightforward penalty early on.
Sale then enjoyed a spell of sustained pressure, culminating in a try by Cowan‑Dickie, who powered over from close range after a well‑executed move involving Roe. George Ford converted, giving Sale a 7‑0 lead. Bristol responded quickly; a line‑out was taken rapidly, and a try by full‑back Tom Jordan was ruled out. Nevertheless, the Bears struck first in the 12th minute when James Williams delivered a long pass to the Wales winger Louis Rees‑Zammit, who dived over in the right corner.
Sale’s Ford added a penalty, but Rees‑Zammit scored his second try just eleven minutes later, again finishing a move that began with a pass from Jordan. Just before halftime, scrum‑half Randall collected a loose ball and dived over from close range for Bristol’s third try. Williams converted a penalty in the 31st minute and then added the conversion for Randall’s try, putting the Bears ahead 20‑10 at the break. The second half opened with Sale winger O’Flaherty breaking free and grounding the ball in the right corner, with Ford’s second conversion narrowing the margin to three points.
However, Bristol’s relentless attack soon restored their dominance. In the 57th minute, Randall sliced through the defence to score his fourth try, again from close range. O’Flaherty added a second try for Sale, but Bristol’s forward Gwilliam powered over for the fifth try, and Williams converted his third conversion, sealing a 34‑24 victory for Bristol. Overall, the weekend showcased Gloucester’s resurgence under a new‑look squad and highlighted the depth of talent across the Premiership, while Bristol’s attacking flair and disciplined defence proved too much for Sale, despite the presence of seasoned campaigner Courtney Lawes.
Both matches offered a preview of the competitive narratives that will shape the season ahead.