Bath fended off a spirited comeback from Gloucester on Saturday to beat their local rivals 38-17, extending their perfect start to the Prem season.
British and Irish Lions players Finn Russell and Will Stuart were in action for the first time this season as the champions made it three wins out of three.
Captain Russell's faultless kicking supplied 13 points for Bath, who led 28-7 at the break after a dominant first half.
The home side scored first-half tries through Tom de Glanville, Tom Dunn, Ollie Lawrence and Ewan Richards.
Gloucester crossed three times through Will Joseph, Ollie Thorley and Ben Loader – the latter two coming early in the second half when Russell was off the field – to close to 28-17.
The Scottish international fly-half was shown a yellow card in the 49th minute for kicking the ball away from Tomos Williams's grasp at the back of a ruck.
But Russell returned to kick his sole penalty of the contest before converting Richards' second try.
"We're very happy with that, I thought our first 20 minutes were excellent," Bath head coach Johann van Graan told the BBC.
"We were clinical, we kept on turning them around, we had control, we scored some fantastic tries."
FULL TIME
— Gloucester Rugby 🍒 (@gloucesterrugby) October 11, 2025
🛀🏻 38 - 17 🍒 | #BATvGLO pic.twitter.com/ae98md0kHa
Northampton, Prem champions in 2024, defeated last season's runners-up Leicester 32-26 in a pulsating East Midlands derby.
Bolstered by the return of Lions Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman, the Saints outscored the Tigers by five tries to two, with France international Anthony Belleau scoring two off the bench.
Bristol earned a hard-fought 18-14 victory against West Country rivals Exeter at Ashton Gate despite a 20-minute red card for Scotland international Tom Jordan.
The home side, who trailed 14-8 at the interval, triumphed with tries from Bill Mata and Gabriel Oghre. Sam Worsley kicked a penalty and a conversion, with Jordan adding a penalty.
Bath land the killer blow to end any Gloucester comeback hopes 🥊 pic.twitter.com/ASt3FlbRLq
— PREM Rugby (@premrugby) October 11, 2025
