Bath inflict opening night Premiership revenge over Northampton

AFP

Ted Hill celebrates with teammates Joe Cokanasiga and Orlando Bailey after scoring Bath's second tryDavid Rogers / Getty Images Europe / Getty Images via AFP

Bath turned the tables on English Premiership champions Northampton on the opening night of the new season with a 38-16 victory at the Recreation Ground.

Three months after losing 25-21 to Saints in last season's final at Twickenham, Johann van Graan's side ran in five tries in a bonus-point victory.

Joe Cokanasiga, Ted Hill, Ben Spencer, Ollie Lawrence and replacement Jaco Coetzee scored for the home side, while Finn Russell kicked five conversions and a penalty.

Flanker Josh Kemeny touched down on his Premiership debut for Saints, while Fin Smith booted a conversion and three penalties but they outgunned on the night by a Bath side seeking revenge.

Bristol also got off to a winning start on Friday with a 24-3 victory away at Newcastle.

The home side put up a tougher fight than when they suffered a record 85-14 defeat at Ashton Gate five months ago but still fell to their 22nd league defeat on the bounce.

A brace from Max Malins and tries from James Williams and Siva Naulago, with AJ MacGinty adding two conversions, delivered Bristol's bonus point win at Kingston Park.

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