Sale 15-12 Leicester: The new Premiership season kicks off on Friday night with champions Leicester taking on a revamped Sale side which lost a host of big-name players as well as coach Philippe Saint-Andre over the summer
The driving rain at Edgeley Park makes it hard for the teams to produce running rugby and it is the home side who cope better with the conditions as Leicester struggle to control the game
Sale have Lee Thomas to thank for the victory, the Welsh centre kicking five penalties while Leicester fail to nick a draw when fly-half Jeremy Staunton misses a late shot at goal
Saracens 18-14 London Irish: An overhauled Saracens outfit start well against the Exiles in the opening match of the Twickenham double header on Saturday, Glen Jackson scoring a try after running a penalty
Flanker Andy Saull also crosses before the break and with Jackson adding a conversion and two penalties, Saracens carve out a comfortable 18-3 lead at half-time
The game boils over 13 minutes into the second half, leading to the sin-binning of new Saracens hooker Schalk Brits and Irish full-back Delon Armitage
Saracens are reduced to 13 when Ernst Joubert also sees yellow and although a below-par Irish battle back to 18-14 with the help of a try from George Stowers, Sarries hang on
Wasps 26-15 Harlequins: After a summer of scandal, Quins are desperate for a good start against Wasps but lock George Robson is sent off for head-butting Joe Simpson just 46 seconds into the Twickenham contest
Harlequins bounce back from the early setback, however, and tries from Lions wing Ugo Monye and debutant centre Gonzalo Camacho give them a 12-5 advantage
But it is new winger Tom Varndell who grabs the headlines, scoring two tries on his Wasps debut to help his side claim their first opening-day Premiership victory since 2006
Northampton 20-17 Worcester: The action moves to Franklin's Gardens on Sunday, and it is unfancied Worcester who make the better start, going 17-0 ahead with tries from Miles Benjamin and Kai Horstmann
But the home side get their act together and a try from Phil Dowson, and two penalties from new signing Shane Geraghty - who takes over the kicking after an injury to Stephen Myler - makes the score 13-17
Worcester close in on a surprise away win but with time running out, wing Paul Diggin crosses near the corner to give Northampton a winning start to the season
Gloucester 24-5 Bath: James Simpson-Daniel scores a try in each half, including a 75m breakaway, to help Gloucester clinch a comfortable opening day victory
Shontayne Hape scores a late consolation try for Bath but Nicky Robinson ends any hopes of a comeback with a late breakaway try to end a bright West country derby
Leeds 9-9 Newcastle: Jimmy Gopperth kicked three penalties for Newcastle but missed four, while Ceiron Thomas slotted over three for Leeds, missing two as the Premiership's new boys opened their account with a home draw
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