PREM Rugby: Round 9 Recap - Newcastle Red Bulls snap 19-match league losing streak

Now, having waited the entire 2025 calendar year, the PREM's most northerly side are off the mark at last. It was another stunning weekend of action across the 10-team top division, with Bristol igniting the fireworks to top the table on Friday night before being overtaken by Northampton on Saturday. Here is RUCK's Gallagher PREM Rugby recap for Round nine.

Kalaveti Ravouvou’s late try earned Bristol Bears a gritty 19-17 win over Sale Sharks at Ashton Gate and sent them top of the Gallagher Premiership after a tightly contested encounter. Sale controlled large periods with an excellent defensive display and struck first through Tom O’Flaherty, but Joe Owen’s try on the stroke of half-time left the sides level at 7-7. The visitors again pulled clear early in the second half when Ernst van Rhyn powered over from a maul and George Ford added a penalty to make it 17-7.

Bristol struggled for fluency but found a lifeline when Matias Moroni finished in the corner to cut the deficit. With Sale reduced to 14 men following Rekeiti Ma’asi-White’s yellow card, the Bears finally broke through, Ravouvou stepping inside to score under the posts nine minutes from time. The victory is Bristol’s fourth straight league win, while Sale will rue missed chances in a match they largely controlled.

BRISTOL BEARS: 19
TRIES: Owen, Moroni, Ravouvou
CONVERSIONS: Jordan, Williams

SALE SHARKS: 17
TRIES: O’Flaherty, van Rhyn
CONVERSIONS: Ford 2
PENALTIES: Ford

Newcastle Red Bulls ended a 19-match Gallagher Premiership losing run with a dramatic 25-19 victory over Gloucester, securing their first league win since 2024. The hosts dominated early through their pack, with captain George McGuigan and Tom Christie both scoring from mauls to establish control. Gloucester hit back before the break through Ollie Thorley, but Newcastle still led by 10 at half-time.

The Red Bulls looked set for a comfortable win when Simon Benitez Cruz broke clear to score under the posts and Thorley was shown a 20-minute red card for a high tackle. However, Gloucester rallied strongly, with tries from Mike Austin and Ciaran Knight reducing the deficit to six points and setting up a tense finish. Newcastle held firm to finally celebrate a long-awaited win, remaining bottom but closing to within four points of Gloucester after a much-needed boost in confidence.

NEWCASTLE RED BULLS: 25
TRIES: McGuigan, Christie, Benitez Cruz
CONVERSIONS

PENALTIES: Connon 2

GLOUCESTER: 19
TRIES: Thorley, Austin, Knight
CONVERSIONS: Byrne 2

Bath held on for a dramatic 33-26 win over Exeter Chiefs at The Prem, with Arthur Green scoring in the final seconds to snatch victory after a remarkable Exeter fightback. Bath surged to a 26-0 lead in the first half, capitalising on an early 20-minute red card for Exeter’s Campbell Ridl, with tries from Obano, Barbeary, Carreras, and Lawrence.

Exeter responded before the break through Dweba and Woodburn and extended their momentum in the second half with scores from Fisilau and Feyi-Waboso to level at 26-26. Despite Exeter dominating the latter stages, Bath’s resilience and relentless 38-phase attack allowed Green to touch down the match-winning try, securing their seventh Premiership win of the season and moving two points clear of Exeter in a tightly contested top-four battle.

BATH: 33
TRIES: Obano, Barbeary, Carreras, Lawrence, Green
CONVERSIONS: Russell 4

EXETER CHIEFS: 26
TRIES: Dweba, Woodburn, Fisilau, Feyi-Waboso
CONVERSIONS: Slade 3

Northampton Saints produced a stunning 10-try display to demolish Harlequins 66-21 at Franklin’s Gardens, reclaiming the top spot in The Prem. The Saints surged ahead early with Danilo Fischetti, Alex Coles, Alex Mitchell, and Tommy Freeman all crossing before half-time, despite Marcus Smith’s clever line setting up Cassius Cleaves and Alex Dombrandt for Quins’ two scores.

Northampton’s second half was equally ruthless, with Coles and Edoardo Todaro adding further tries, and Fin Smith finishing off the scoring after clever play from Anthony Belleau. George Hendy was central to much of the attacking brilliance, creating space and offloading with precision. Harlequins could not contain the relentless pace and power of the Saints’ forwards and backs, leaving them in eighth, while Northampton’s bonus-point win pushed them two points clear of Bath atop the table. Captain Fraser Dingwall’s injury was a late concern.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: 66
TRIES: Fischetti 2, Coles 3, Mitchell, Freeman, Todaro 2, F Smith
CONVERSIONS: F Smith 8

HARLEQUINS: 21
TRIES: Cleaves, Dombrandt 2
CONVERSIONS: M Smith 3

Leicester Tigers secured a 36-28 win over Saracens at Welford Road, moving closer to the Premiership play-off places. Freddie Steward and Olly Cracknell opened the scoring for the hosts, while Saracens responded through Theo McFarland. Adam Radwan’s interception try and Joe Heyes’ short-range effort gave Leicester a commanding lead, despite Saracens hitting back with tries from Rhys Carre, Juan Martin Gonzalez, and Charlie Bracken to claim a late bonus point.

Leicester’s early dominance, powered by strong carries from Radwan and Sam Williams, combined with Billy Searle’s kicking precision, kept the visitors under pressure. Saracens struggled to control possession, often relying on tactical kicks, and were hindered by Elliot Daly’s yellow card. Radwan’s second try and Leicester’s relentless attack ensured the Tigers’ victory, keeping them within two points of fourth-placed Bristol Bears, while Saracens remain sixth in the table.

LEICESTER TIGERS: 36
TRIES: Steward, Cracknell, Radwan 2, Heyes
CONVERSIONS: Searle 4
PENALTIES: Searle

SARACENS: 28
TRIES: McFarland, Carre, Gonzalez, Bracken
CONVERSIONS: Burke 4