Bristol Bears triumphed over reigning champions Northampton Saints with a 41-26 victory in a pulsating Prem clash at Ashton Gate. Winger Louis Rees-Zammit was a standout performer, scoring a double for the home side.
The first half saw both defences working hard, with Bristol leading 15-14 at the break after tries from Gabriel Oghre and Rees-Zammit, countered by two from George Hendy for Northampton. Bristol then extended their lead with converted tries from Tom Jordan and Harry Randall.
Northampton fought back with tries from Alex Mitchell and Josh Kemeny, narrowing the gap to 34-26. However, Bristol's defence held firm in the closing stages, sealing the win with a penalty try in the final seconds after Tommy Freeman's intervention denied Rees-Zammit a hat-trick.