Gloucester stunned Exeter Chiefs with a commanding 53-26 victory at Sandy Park on the opening weekend of the new Premiership season. The result is significant because Gloucester had won only once away from home last season, while Exeter were last season’s runners-up and had been expected to build on their run to the final.

Gloucester scored seven tries, including two each from Ben Loader and new captain Dewi Lake, plus scores from Seb Atkinson, Will Joseph and 18-year-old Junior Denny. Exeter’s tries came from Josh Iosefa-Scott, Ethan Roots, Stephen Varney and Louie Gulley, earning them a bonus point, but Gloucester led 26-12 at half-time and secured their first win in Devon since 2015.