Bath and Gloucester were forced to settle for a share of the spoils, while Exeter, Leicester and Saracens secured victories in England’s top-tier.
Wasps 31-42 Exeter
Exeter made it two Premiership bonus-point victories in a row to start the new campaign with a solid performance at Wasps keeping them atop the table.
Wasps led 24-21 at the interval following a thrilling first-half of Premiership rugby in Coventry, with each side crossing the line for three tries.
Elliot Daly got the hosts moving in the third minute with a try but nine minute later Santiago Cordero hit back for Exeter with a good finish.
Josh Bassett would make it 14-7 shortly after the restart before Exeter responded once again, this time Sam Simmonds powering over to make it 14-14 in a see-saw start to the game.
Henry Slade sliced through from 25 metres but Wasps fly-half Billy Searle’s penalty and a converted Nathan Hughes try sent his side in ahead.
Exeter turned the screw early in the second-half with another Simmonds try via the maul and an intercept score from Slade making it 35-24.
And they would have one final try to their name late on, with Don Armand powering over from close range as the Chiefs proved too strong.
The scorers:
For Wasps:
Tries: Daly, Bassett, Hughes, Robson
Cons: Daly, Searle 2, Sopoaga
Pen: Searle
For Exeter:
Tries: Cordero, S Simmonds 2, Slade 2, Armand
Cons: Steenson 6
Wasps: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Juan De Jongh, 12 Gaby Lovobalavu, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Joe Atkinson, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Ben Harris
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Zurabi Zhvania, 18 Will Stuart, 19 James Gaskell, 20 Ashley Johnson, 21 Joe Simpson, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Rob Miller
Exeter: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Ian Whitten, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Santiago Cordero, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Stuart Townsend, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Don Armand, 5 Sam Skinner, 4 Ollie Atkins, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Jack Yeandle (c), 1 Alec Hepburn
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Toby Salmon, 20 Sean Lonsdale, 21 Jack Maunder, 22 Joe Simmonds, 23 Alex Cuthbert
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant referees: Jack Makepeace, Simon McConnell
Television match official: Trevor Fisher
Leicester 49-33 Newcastle
Manu Tuilagi scored an excellent individual try as Leicester Tigers’ first game under Geordan Murphy ended in a thrilling 49-33 triumph over Newcastle Falcons.
The Midlanders were superb early on and touched down four times in the opening 23 minutes, with George Ford, Jonny May, Adam Thompstone and the aforementioned Tuilagi going over.
Ford was also successful off the tee six times, kicking three conversions and penalties apiece, while Sonatane Takulua responded for the Falcons.
At that point, Dean Richards’ men were 32-7 in arrears but they did well to reduce the deficit via a couple of Vereniki Goneva tries.
May went over for his second on the stroke of half-time but Mark Wilson and Sami Mavinga efforts gave Newcastle hope in the second period. However, three further Ford penalties kept the visitors at arm’s length and meant that Murphy’s reign got off to an excellent start.
For Leicester:
Tries: Ford, May 2, Thompstone, Tuilagi
Cons: Ford 3
Pens: Ford 6
Yellow Card: Veainu
For Newcastle:
Tries: Takulua, Goneva 2, Wilson, Mavinga
Cons: Flood 4
Leicester: 15 Telusa Veainu, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Brendon O’Connor, 6 David Denton, 5 Will Spencer, 4 Mike Williams, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 1 Greg Bateman
Replacements: 16 Jimmy Stevens, 17 Campese Ma’afu, 18 David Feao, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Guy Thompson, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Tom Hardwick, 23 Jordan Olowofela
Newcastle: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 8 Callum Chick, 7 Will Welch (c), 6 Mark Wilson, 5 Will Witty, 4 Calum Green, 3 Logovi’i Mulipola, 2 George McGuigan, 1 Sami Mavinga
Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Adam Brocklebank, 18 Jack Payne, 19 Tevita Cavubati, 20 Gary Graham, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Joel Hodgson, 23 Alex Tait
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Adam Leal, Wayne Falla
Television match official: Claire Hodnett
Saracens 44-23 Bristol
George Smith’s red card proved crucial as Saracens eventually secured a comfortable victory over newly-promoted Bristol at Allianz Park.
Wallabies legend Smith was sent off for a dangerous tackle with the scores level at 18-18 after the West Countrymen had given the champions a fright in the opening period.
Pat Lam’s men were excellent in the first half and, despite Matt Gallagher going over early on for the Londoners, the visitors moved 10-7 ahead thanks to Alapati Leiua’s try and Callum Sheedy’s penalty.
Sheedy extended their buffer before Farrell responded from the tee with successive three-pointers, but Bristol were playing some excellent rugby and Leiua rewarded their endeavour by crossing the whitewash.
However, Sarries increased the intensity in the second period, levelling matters via Alex Lewington. Smith was then red carded and the hosts duly completed a bonus-point victory through Billy Vunipola, who was returning from injury, and Liam Williams’ hat-trick.
Nick Haining did gain some consolation for Bristol but the red card ultimately hampered their chances in the second half.
The scorers:
For Saracens:
Tries: Gallagher, Lewington, B Vunipola, Williams 3
Cons: Farrell 4
Pens: Farrell 2
For Bristol:
Tries: Leiua 2, Haining
Cons: Sheedy
Pens: Sheedy 2
Red Card: Smith
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Matt Gallagher, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Sione Vailanu, 7 Jackson Wray, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 Nick Isiekwe, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Christopher Tolofua, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Billy Vunipola, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Nick Tompkins, 23 Liam Williams
Bristol: 15 Piers O’Conor, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Will Hurrell, 12 Siale Piutau, 11 Alapati Leiua, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Andy Uren, 8 Jack Lam, 7 George Smith, 6 Steve Luatua (c), 5 Joe Latta, 4 Ed Holmes, 3 Lewis Thiede, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Jordan Lay
Replacements: 16 Shaun Malton, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 John Afoa, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Nick Haining, 21 Harry Randall, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Tom Pincus
Referee: Andrew Jackson
Assistant referees: Matthew O’Grady, Robert Warburton
Television match official: Stuart Terheege
Bath 31-31 Gloucester
On his return to the Rec, ex-Bath wing Matt Banahan went over with three minutes remaining as the West Country rivals were forced to settle for a draw.
Bath had produced a superb comeback and led 31-24 late on, despite being 21-0 in arrears at one stage, but Banahan, who departed the club in the summer after over a decade’s service, inevitably had the final say.
Buoyed by their excellent start against Northampton Saints last weekend, the Cherry and Whites began this contest confidently and dominated the match.
Once again, Danny Cipriani was orchestrating proceedings and Johan Ackermann’s men opened the scoring after 15 minutes. It was his son, Ruan, who got on the scoreboard, touching down from close range, before the back-rower notched a double after Cipriani found him with a superb pass.
Todd Blackadder’s outfit were evidently rocked and Callum Braley added to their woes, but Semesa Rokoduguni’s try at the end of the first half lifted spirits at the Rec.
Bath began the second period on the front foot and a mistake at the lineout allowed Tom Dunn to cross the whitewash before a nasty-looking injury to visiting wing Charlie Sharples halted the game for several minutes.
The hosts’ momentum could have stalled, but, if anything, their intensity increased and Dunn remarkably levelled matters with 16 minutes left.
Billy Twelvetrees and replacement Rhys Priestland then traded penalties, but Elliott Stooke went over in the latter stages and appeared to have completed an outstanding turnaround.
However, inside the final three minutes, Cipriani floated another excellent pass which gave Jason Woodward a chance to send Banahan across the whitewash. Twelvetrees converted as the teams went away with three points each.
For Bath:
Tries: Rokoduguni, Dunn 2, Stooke
Cons: Burns 2, Priestland 2
Pens: Priestland
For Gloucester:
Tries: Ackermann 2, Braley, Banahan
Cons: Twelvetrees 4
Pen: Twelvetrees
Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jackson Willison, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Joe Cokanasiga, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Max Green, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Zach Mercer, 5 Matt Garvey, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Nathan Catt
Replacements: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Anthony Perenise, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Tom Ellis, 21 Chris Cook, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Aled Brew
Gloucester: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Henry Trinder, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Callum Braley, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Mariano Galarza; 4 Ed Slater (c), 3 Fraser Balmain; 2 James Hanson, 1 Val Rapava Ruskin
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Ciaran Knight, 19 Freddie Clarke, 20 Jake Polledri, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Mark Atkinson, 23 Tom Hudson
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson, Roy Maybank
Television match official: Geoff Warren