Saturday’s Premiership round delivered a surprise away triumph for Gloucester, who overcame Exeter Chiefs, while Bristol Bears comfortably dispatched Sale Sharks, spoiling Courtney Lawes' much‑anticipated homecoming. Gloucester, playing with a refreshed squad, launched their campaign with a dominant 45‑24 victory, earning a valuable bonus point against last season’s beaten finalists Exeter at Sandy Park. The win marked Gloucester’s first league success on Devon soil since 2015 and signalled a promising start to the season. The newly assembled side, bolstered by high‑profile summer signings such as Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan and Jean Kleyn, displayed a brand‑new confidence.
Exeter, meanwhile, were hampered by a wave of illness that compounded an already depleted roster, leaving them looking disjointed for much of the match. Only in the dying minutes, when the result was already beyond doubt, did the Chiefs briefly resemble their usual high‑tempo selves. The opening five minutes saw Gloucester’s full‑back Ben Redshaw unleash a perfectly timed kick‑pass that set winger Ben Loader on a clear path to the try line, giving the home side an early lead.
Exeter answered swiftly, applying sustained pressure that culminated in a close‑range effort by tight‑head prop Josh Iosefa‑Scott, with Henry Slade converting to level the scores. Gloucester’s tactical kicking soon turned the tide.
Scrum‑half Caolan Englefield executed an incisive chip over the Exeter defence, allowing England centre Seb Atkinson to dive over for a try. Fly‑half Charlie Atkinson added the conversion and later supplied a cross‑field kick that found Loader again, enabling the winger to notch his second try of the afternoon. Back‑rower Ethan Roots, a England A regular, then embarked on a spectacular solo run down the left touchline, breaking through the defensive line to touch down after an initial burst by Greg Fisilau. The momentum was firmly with Gloucester.
A soft penalty from Exeter after a restart gave Gloucester another opportunity. Redshaw’s kick landed in the corner, and captain‑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 flawless, extending Gloucester’s lead to fourteen points at the break. The second half began with Lake adding a second try after just six minutes, cementing his impact on the game. Gloucester continued to press, and around the hour mark winger Will Joseph produced a brilliant solo effort, sprinting from midfield, evading multiple tackles and diving over the line to make it 38‑19. Atkinson’s conversion completed the score.
Exeter attempted a late resurgence. Italian scrum‑half Stephen Varney, now representing the Chiefs, broke away and scored against his former club, with Slade adding the conversion to narrow the gap. However, a crucial tackle by Redshaw denied Varney a second try, and even a yellow card for blind‑side flanker Freddie Thomas did little to halt Gloucester’s disciplined defence. The Chiefs managed a consolation 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 then added another try for Gloucester, sealing a comprehensive 45‑24 victory. In the other fixture, Sale Sharks’ veteran England forward Courtney Lawes made his long‑awaited Premiership return, only to see his side fall 34‑24 to Bristol Bears at the AJ Bell Stadium. Lawes, who captained Northampton to the 2024 title, was unable to prevent a spirited Bristol side, coached by Pat Lam, from taking the early points.
Bristol began strongly, though Sale’s former fly‑half AJ MacGinty missed a relatively easy penalty early on. Sale then built some pressure, culminating in a close‑range try by Cowan‑Dickie after solid work from Roe, with George Ford converting to give the hosts a 7‑0 lead.
Bristol responded quickly when a line‑out was taken hastily, nullifying a potential try by Sale full‑back Tom Jordan. The Bears’ first try arrived in the 12th minute: James Williams delivered a long pass to Wales winger Louis Rees‑Zammit, who sprinted into the right corner and grounded the ball. Sale’s Ford kicked a penalty, but Rees‑Zammit struck again in the 23rd minute, receiving a pass from Jordan and crossing the line once more. Just before halftime, scrum‑half Randall collected the ball and dived over from close range, giving Bristol a third try.
Williams added a penalty in the 31st minute, and his conversion of Randall’s effort put the Bears ahead 20‑10 at the break. The second half opened with Sale winger O’Flaherty breaking free and scoring in the right corner, while Ford’s second conversion narrowed the margin to three points.
Bristol, however, soon re‑asserted control. In the 57th minute, Randall again sliced through the defence to score his second try, and the Bears continued to pile on pressure.
O’Flaherty added a second try for Sale, but Bristol’s Gwilliam powered over from close range to make it the Bears’ fifth try. Williams converted his third attempt, extending the lead and leaving Sale empty‑handed. Overall, the weekend showcased Gloucester’s resurgence under a new coaching regime and highlighted the depth of talent across the Premiership. Gloucester’s blend of fresh signings and home‑grown players produced a dynamic, attacking style that overwhelmed Exeter, while Bristol’s balanced mix of experienced internationals and emerging talent proved too much for Sale, despite Lawes’ valiant effort.
Both matches offered a glimpse of the competitive narrative that will unfold throughout the season.