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Harlequins (35) 52

Tries: Northmore, T Green (2), Porter, Isgro, Evans, Cleaves, Turner Cons: Smith (6)

Newcastle (0) 14

Tries: Leatherbarrow, McCallum Cons: Connon (2)

Marcus Smith warmed up for the autumn internationals with a standout performance in a dominant 52-14 Harlequins victory over bottom side Newcastle Red Bulls.

With Steve Borthwick's England set to take on improving Australia at Twickenham next weekend, Smith delivered a timely reminder of his talents.

The 26-year-old was superb with ball in hand with two try-assists as Quins ran in eight in all and his kicking was on point too, converting six of them from all angles.

Defeat for Newcastle left them still winless and rooted to the bottom of the Prem table, extending their losing run on the road to nearly three years since their last away league win at Gloucester in November 2022.

Smith's performance must surely place him in the conversation over the identity of England's playmaker as they prepare for forthcoming Tests against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina over the next four weeks.

His critics will point to inconsistency from week to week and he would be the first to admit he was not at his best against title contenders Exeter last weekend as Quins went down 38-0.

Yet here the best of Smith was on show and time and again it was the Quins star who punched holes in Newcastle's defence.

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Ben Marvell
BBC Sport Online

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Exeter (27) 39

Tries: Dweba, Slade (2), Feyi-Waboso, Yeandle Cons: Slade (3), Hodge Pens: Slade (2)

Gloucester (12) 12

Tries: Joseph, Thomas Cons: Byrne

Exeter Chiefs moved up to third in the Prem table with a confident 39-12 victory over the still winless Gloucester at Sandy Park.

In a frantic first half, Joseph Dweba touched down for the home side before Will Joseph's stunning end-to-end effort brought Gloucester level.

Henry Slade and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's efforts put the Chiefs on top again before Freddie Thomas restored hope for the visitors.

But it was Rob Baxter's men who proved the more composed in the second half, adding further tries through Slade and Jack Yeandle to claim a bonus point.

With no points to take back up the M5, Gloucester remain in ninth place.

The Chiefs were looking to build on their dominant victory against Harlequins last weekend and were clearly intent on replicating that form from the first whistle.

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Sophie Hurcom
BBC Sport England at the Recreation Ground

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Bath (19) 40

Tries: Pepper, Repath, Du Toit, Cokanasiga, Underhill, Arundell Cons: Russell 5

Bristol (15) 15

Tries: Ravouvou, Oghre Cons: Worsley Pens: Worsley

Bath overcame a resilient Bristol 40-15 in a fierce west country derby at the Rec to move up to second in the Prem ahead of the league's four-week break.

Bristol had their neighbours on the back foot for much of the first half, opening a 10-point lead through Kalaveti Ravouvou and Gabriel Oghre tries and a Sam Worsley penalty.

But Bath mounted a rapid comeback, scoring twice in four minutes as Ollie Lawrence and Cameron Redpath added to Guy Pepper's earlier try to take a four-point lead at the break.

Bristol's defence impressively kept a relentless Bath at bay for long periods until Joe Cokanasiga added the fourth try to open daylight on the scoreboard, and a late flurry saw Sam Underhill and Henry Arundell add two more in the closing minutes.

Finn Russell's clearance from kick-off was charged down to put Bristol immediately on the front foot and it set the tone, as the ball recycled wide and Ravouvou scored with less than one minute on the clock.

Bath's first attack was held up and their second then repelled from a metre out yet, on the third, they found a way through, as the Bears' clearance only went as far as Russell on half-way and Pepper side-stepped Ravouvou before swan diving over to level the score.

As the conditions worsened, Bristol capitalised.

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Mike Henson
BBC Sport rugby union news reporter

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Is there something stirring in Devon?

There have been a few false dawns - 'Exeter 2.0' crashed after a fast start to the 2023-24 campaign - but the Chiefs look like they may have finally rediscovered their mojo.

Their 38-0 walloping of Harlequins means Exeter are up in fifth, with one defeat in their first four matches.

While many eyes were on debutant Len Ikitau, Australia's player of the year, it was longer-standing Exeter stars who came good.

Centre Henry Slade scored two and set up another. The back row of Ethan Roots and Greg Fisilau, ably abetted by another Aussie debutant in Tom Hooper, put fearful dents into the away defence.

Fly-half Harvey Skinner, at the club for more than a decade and feared by some to be the weakest link in a stellar backline, was excellent.

They take on winless Gloucester at home in the final match before the league takes a break for the autumn internationals.

After being read the riot act by owner Tony Rowe during a 2024-25 campaign that Slade described as "embarrassing", Roots says mindsets have changed this term.

"There has been an attitude shift at the club about our standards and what we will and will not allow to happen," he told TNT Sports.

Mike Henson
BBC Sport rugby union news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

An absolute humdinger of a game saw Leicester recover from 10 points adrift to inflict defending champions Bath's first league defeat since they soft-pedalled into the play-offs in May.

With Henry Arundell and Adam Radwan lurking in the opposing back threes, there was plenty of high-revving action, but the Tigers' scrum dominance helped them claw their way back and replacement Billy Searle kept his nerve to land the decisive penalty with the clock in the red.

Lewis Moody's first appearance at Mattioli Woods Welford Road since he revealed he has motor neurone disease was the most memorable part of the day.

Accompanied by former team-mates Martin Johnson, Martin Corry, Tom Croft, Geordan Murphy, Leon Lloyd and others, the former Leicester and Bath star took in the ovation from his fans at half-time.

The affection for Moody from both fans and former dressing room colleagues was obvious and inevitable. It was telling that, as he made his way around the stadium, the Leicester ground staff broke off from repairing the first-half divots for full-blooded embraces with a true gentleman.