Champions Gloucester-Hartpury earned a 31-27 win over Exeter Chiefs in a thriller that was a repeat of last season’s Premiership Women’s Rugby final.
The momentum swung one way and another at Sandy Park as both sides claimed try-scoring bonus points, but Exeter eventually succumbed to their first loss of the season through a late Mia Venner try.
Gloucester-Hartpury got off to a superb start, racing into a 17-0 lead thanks to tries from Kelsey Jones, Alex Matthews and Sam Monaghan.
But DaLeaka Menin pulled one back for the Chiefs before a Claudia MacDonald brace levelled the scores and set up a grandstand finish.
Emily Tuttosi put Exeter in front for the first time, kick-starting a series of lead changes as Matthews restored Gloucester’s advantage before Gabby Contorna kicked the hosts back in front by a single point.
But with seven minutes left on the clock, the luck of the bounce helped Venner collect a kick before sprinting half the length of the pitch up the wing to score a remarkable winning try.
“That was a really tough game. It feels good to come away with the win,” said player of the match Lleucu George.
“They came out in the second half and threw everything at us. We had a rough patch the first 20 minutes of the second half and had to dig deep, especially our forwards.”
Saracens continued their fast start to the season, earning a third win from three games by thrashing Leicester Tigers 60-17 at Welford Road.
The visitors ran in 10 tries and pulled clear in the second half after going in at the break with a 10-point advantage.
Lotte Clapp and Sydney Gregson both scored twice for the London club as they moved to a perfect 15 points for the season, level with Bristol Bears and Exeter Chiefs.
Bristol ran in seven tries as they beat Trailfinders Women 41-17 at Shaftesbury Park to register their third win of the campaign.
Scotland international Lana Skeldon scored a brace in an even first half as the hosts went in with a 12-11 lead at the break, Rosie Inman scoring for Trailfinders.
Bristol pulled clear with a dominant second half showing as Hannah Botterman, Lara Atkin-Davies, Phoebe Murray, Meg Varley and Meryl Smith all crossed the whitewash for a resounding margin of victory.
Loughborough Lightning earned their second win of the season away to Sale Sharks, claiming a 24-12 victory at the CorpAcq Stadium.
Cath O’Donnell and Carmela Morrall both scored doubles for Lightning, who led 17-0 at the break before a spirited fightback from the home side in the second half.
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