Northampton, Bath begin Prem season with crushing wins as Pollock sports new hair

Prem Rugby season 2026/27 began on Friday as defending champions Northampton Saints score 59 points in victory over Newcastle Red Bulls; Bath also record big victory away to injury-hit Harlequins; Henry Pollock sports new hairstyle on opening night fresh from signing new contract

>Friday's opening night of the Prem Rugby season sees defending champions Northampton Saints and Bath post crushing wins over Newcastle Red Bulls and Harlequins...

>Tommy Freeman and James Pater scored hat-tricks as Northampton, the reigning Prem champions, took advantage of a favourable opening fixture to record a convincing victory over last season's bottom club.

>Since the end of last season, Newcastle Red Bulls have recruited extensively and they did show signs of improvement but it was a tough ask against a side making a statement of their intention to fiercely defend their title.

>It’s victory in Round 1 of the Gallagher PREM at a sold-out DPD Stadium 🙌

😇 59-26 🐂 pic.twitter.com/JWkG4zKUeX

>Tries from George Hendy, Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme took Saints' tally to nine with Fin Smith adding five conversions and Anthony Belleau two.

>Christian Wade scored two tries for the visitors to take his Premiership tally to 95 - just six behind the record holder Chris Ashton. Cam Jordan and Werner Kok were the other try-scorers with two conversions coming from Zack Henry and one from Brett Connon.

>The opening night of the Prem Rugby season also saw Henry Pollock in action for the first time since signing his new £400,000-a-year contract, and he emerged for kick-off sporting a cornrows hairstyle.

>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

>Santi Carreras produced a wonder try as Bath exploited the absence of Harlequins' England contingent to launch their Gallagher Prem title challenge with a 33-17 victory at The Stoop.

>Red Roses vs New Zealand: Mackenzie Carson, Sarah Bern and Maddie Feaunati all included in side for match at Allianz Stadium

>England vs Canada LIVE! WXV Global Series score, updates, analysis from Sandy Park

>Henry Pollock: Northampton chief expects more players to work with promoters like Eddie Hearn as he lifts lid on negotiations

>Phil Dowson: Eddie Hearn has raised the profile of rugby

>Australia vs South Africa: Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus makes 13 changes to starting side for Perth Test after series win over All Blacks

>Marlie Packer chats to Sky Sports about England's Red Roses losing their winning run, planning a response vs New Zealand and motherhood

>Carreras stopped a certain try by kicking a final pass destined for Cadan Murley while it was in mid-air, darting forwards to catch the ball and then winning the foot race that began just outside his own 22.

>We open our Gallagher PREM campaign with five points on the road.

🤝 @theTRUESPEED pic.twitter.com/sClhMzyB6Y

>It was a unique score from the Argentina full-back that mixed skill and athleticism and crucially it came in the 32nd minute as Harlequins looked to capitalise on the threats created by their high-tempo attack.

>While Bath produced fewer thrills, they entered the interval 28-10 ahead with their line-out maul an important weapon and they also finished the stronger of the sides once Quins had run out of steam.

>Marcus Smith, Alex Dombrandt, Fin Baxter and George Furbank were missing through injury, leaving Murley and Chandler Cunningham-South as the last men standing from Quins' England contingent.