The Bears scored eight tries and put 50 past Bath in their last game before the two-month lay-off and, with a resurgent Harry Randall setting the tone, are now attacking with an elan and panache that is hard to resist.
They were certainly too good for a Saints side that looked very rusty, albeit their England contingent were largely missing. They won’t be happy though, this was more like the flaky performances that marred last season.
Bristol made the quickest start with a charge down try by lock Joe Batley after promising England U20 scrum-half Archie McParland took too long over his kick.
McParland, making his first Premiership start, was greeted with a vicious little sleet storm in the opening minutes and confronted with a hard counter rucking Bristol pack that made life hell for the next 80 minutes.
He was lucky moments later when a pretty cynical looking tackle on Randall without the ball was treated leniently as Saints made a miserably poor start.
Denne historien er fra March 24, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra March 24, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
AS Sebastián Piñeyrúa's historic six-year term as President of Rugby Sudamérica comes to an end, his replacement shows no signs of slowing down.
Scarratt excited by new pathway
ENGLAND centurion Emily Scarratt is delighted with the new women's BUCS programme which aims to provide a smoother pathway for young aspiring female players.
Baxter: I want to make things better
ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.
Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.
New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.
Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
CAMERON Anderson has hailed the impact made by defence coach Jason Gilmore, below, since he arrived at The Stoop in the summer.
Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
BATH secured a thumping away success in the opening match of their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Ampthill at Dillingham Park.
New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.
