Rugby Union Dec 07, 2025

Gallagher Prem: Gloucester beat Harlequins for first win of season as Bristol Bears hammer Northampton Saints after early red

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
Gallagher Prem: Gloucester beat Harlequins for first win of season as Bristol Bears hammer Northampton Saints after early red

Gloucester beat Harlequins 26-15 at Kingsholm to record their first Prem win of the season at the sixth attempt.

Full-back Ben Redshaw stole the show with two tries as Gloucester triumphed for the first time in league action since May.

Flanker Lewis Ludlow and wing Ollie Thorley also crossed for George Skivington's team, securing a bonus-point success complemented by fly-half Ross Byrne kicking three conversions.

Quins, whose England star Marcus Smith endured a frustrating afternoon, trailed by only two points at the interval, but could not add to touchdowns from wing Cadan Murley and skipper Alex Dombrandt, with Smith adding a conversion and penalty.

The visitors produced only occasional glimpses of their trademark attacking game, and second-half inaccuracy cost them dearly as Gloucester eased home without remotely hitting top gear.

Gloucester dominated early possession, but Harlequins struck first when Murley finished with ease from Evans' pinpoint pass for a 10th‑minute lead.

Gloucester hit back immediately as Redshaw dazzled with a solo try, beating three tacklers and sidestepping a fourth, with Byrne adding the conversion.

Quins regrouped despite losing prop Titi Lamositele, with Dombrandt scoring his 50th Premiership try and Smith adding the extras for a 12‑7 advantage.

Handling errors stalled Gloucester, yet Rodrigo Isgro's reckless kick gifted Ludlow a try on his 250th appearance, Byrne converting for a 14‑12 half‑time lead.

Gloucester struck again on the hour mark as Redshaw pounced for his second try and Byrne's conversion left Quins floundering.

Smith narrowed the gap with a penalty, but Thorley's sharp finish in the corner restored Gloucester's grip on the game, and they held firm to deny Quins a losing bonus point and finally ignite their Premiership campaign with a morale-boosting win.

Northampton's unbeaten start to the season came to a shuddering halt as they were blown away 46-12 by impressive Bristol at Ashton Gate.

Saints lost Edoardo Todaro to a first-minute red card and it was downhill all the way after that as Bristol ran in six tries.

Scrum-half Kieran Marmion scored two and Tom Jordan, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Aidan Boshoff and Luka Ivanishvili also crossed, with Sam Worsley kicking five conversions and two penalties.

JJ van der Mescht and Tom Litchfield scored Northampton's tries, one of which Fin Smith converted.

Saints endured a nightmare start as Italy wing Todaro was sent off for a dangerous aerial challenge on Worsley.

Bristol immediately capitalised, Marmion darting over from a quick tap penalty. Jordan soon added another, running a sharp angle off James Williams, before Harry Thacker's burst and slick inter-passing allowed Marmion his second.

Despite losing Jack Bates to injury, replaced by Louis Rees‑Zammit, Bristol's momentum continued. Van Rensburg's crunching tackle freed Ravouvou to race 45 metres for a stunning score, and Boshoff's try completed a dominant 35‑0 half-time lead.

Saints responded after the break through Van der Mescht's powerful finish, but Worsley's penalty kept Bristol clear.

Litchfield chased George Furbank's kick for a second Saints try, yet Worsley added another penalty and Ivanishvili's line‑out drive sealed Bristol's emphatic superiority.

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