Premiership Women's Rugby: Gloucester-Hartpury Thrash Bristol Bears 54-14

Gloucester-Hartpury reclaim top spot with a dominant 54-14 win at Bristol Bears, while Saracens surge and other results shake up the standings.

Gloucester-Hartpury extended their lead at the top of the Premiership Women's Rugby table with a commanding 54-14 win at Bristol Bears.

The result reinforced their status as title favourites as Saracens also enjoyed a convincing victory in a separate London derby, leaving the rest of the pack chasing a growing points gap. Gloucester-Hartpury had eight different scorers, underscoring their depth this season.

Elsewhere, Leicester Tigers’ poor run continued with a heavy defeat to Loughborough Lightning, while Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks played out a 26-26 draw.

Champions march on at Bristol

Gloucester-Hartpury were in control from the start, racing into a 35-point lead before half-time. Sam Monaghan opened the scoring in the fourth minute, with Mia Venner, El Perry, Tatyana Heard and Sarah Beckett adding further tries before the interval.

Bristol Bears, who reached last season’s playoff semi-finals, have had a challenging start to this campaign and sit near the bottom of the table after four rounds.

The second half continued in Gloucester’s favour as Bethan Lewis extended the lead in the 42nd minute. Evie Gallagher finally got Bristol on the scoreboard in the 54th, but Gloucester-Hartpury answered with further tries from Rachel Lund and Nel Metcalfe, with Lucy Skuse sealing a late consolation for Bristol.

Saracens keep up pressure with derby win

On Saturday, Saracens crossed for nine tries from eight players, with World Cup winner May Campbell crossing twice and Zoe Harrison adding 12 conversions as part of a dominant display.

Trailfinders made a bright start through Francesca McGhie, but Saracens responded quickly through Sydney Gregson and went on to lead 26-5 at halftime, aided by scores from Marlie Packer, Alysha Corrigan, Lotte Sharp and Campbell.

After the break, Poppy Cleall extended the lead and Campbell added a second. Liz Crake finished the visitors’ scoring with another try, before Jess Breach capped the night with a late touchdown for Saracens.

Leicester's losing run continues

At Franklin's Gardens, Loughborough Lightning outmatched Leicester Tigers to win 38-10. Leicester opened the scoring through Georgie Lingham, while Lightning’s Lucia Scott celebrated her league debut with a try on her first touch after a clever pass from Bo Westcombe-Evans.

Westcombe-Evans, in her 50th appearance for Lightning, crossed four times to help the visitors to eight tries. Tigers showed moments of resilience with three tries but were unable to convert momentum into points, and a late chance for a further score was halted by a crucial tackle from Scott on her debut.

Westcombe-Evans reflected after the match: “That was a lot of fun. It meant a lot to me on my 50th cap, and four tries is pretty cool.”

Sale miss late penalty in Exeter draw

Exeter Chiefs finished level with Sale Sharks at the Morson Stadium, with a 26-26 draw describing a tightly fought contest. The first half produced two tries apiece and left the game poised at 14-12 at the break.

Sale extended their lead after the break through two more tries, but Exeter struck back with a score from Emily Robinson to narrow the gap. Hope Rogers then crossed to level the game, setting up a dramatic finale where Holly Aitchinson missed a late penalty for Sale, and Exeter could not convert a late opportunity, leaving the match tied at full time.

Expert view

analysts say Gloucester-Hartpury’s squad depth remains a key strength and a sign they are the team to beat this season, while the tight results elsewhere highlight a highly competitive league.

Summary

Gloucester-Hartpury sit five points clear at the summit after a comprehensive win in Bristol. Saracens boosted their title bid with a strong derby performance, while Leicester Tigers endured another defeat and Exeter Chiefs earned a valuable draw against Sale Sharks.