Juarno Augustus put in a storming performance as defending Premiership champions Northampton Saints bounced back in style, while Bath and Saracens continued their unbeaten start to the season.

– Juarno Augustus marked his first start of the season with a barnstorming run to help Northampton beat Exeter Chiefs 30-24, bouncing back from a loss to Bath in the opening round of the season.Saints appeared to be cruising at 30-10, until England winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso dotted down two converted tries in eight minutes to set up a tense finale.

– Christian Wade scored a hat-trick of tries as Gloucester just did enough to win 44-41 away to west country rivals Bristol. Wade – back in the Premiership after six years away in the NFL and a spell with Paris-based club Racing 92 – climbed to 85 Premiership career tries, putting him equal fourth with former England scrumhalf Danny Care on the all-time list. Ruan Ackermann was on the bench for Gloucester, while centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg started for Bristol.

– Former Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny celebrated his first English Premiership try as Harlequins picked up a 28-14 bonus-point victory over Newcastle. The Stephan Lewies-captained Harlequins took a 21-7 lead into half time, but the second half was stalemated at 7-7 as Newcastle, with Philip van der Walt at flank, suffered their 23rd consecutive Premiership loss.

– A 22-point haul from outside centre Alex Lozowski helped Saracens beat Sale 45-26 after the visitors lost England flyhalf George Ford early on to a quad injury. Robert du Preez kicked a conversion and two penalties for Sale, who had Hyron Andrews and Jean-Luc du Preez in their pack. Scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl played 76 minutes for Saracens.

– Johann van Graan‘s Bath made it two wins out of two with a hard-fought 20-15 success away to Michael Cheika‘s Leicester Tigers. Lock Quinn Roux and flank Jaco Coetzee were in action for Bath, while Hanro Liebenberg started for Leicester.

Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images

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Src: sarugbymag.co.za