Saracens and Exeter extend winning starts in PWR
Neither Saracens nor Bristol had lost in the league this season before Sarries' win at Ashton Gate on Saturday
- Published
Saracens and Exeter maintained their perfect starts to the Premiership Women's Rugby season on Saturday, with the Chiefs sending defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury to their first defeat of the campaign.
Mikiela Nelson scored two of Exeter's three tries in an impressive 21-15 victory at Kingsholm.
The home side led 15-14 at the break, with Carys Williams-Morris giving Gloucester-Hartpury an early lead and Amy Dale responding to Exeter's scores from Nelson and Clara Nielson, but Canada international prop Nelson's second-half try for the visitors proved decisive.
At Ashton Gate, Sydney Gregson and May Campbell both crossed twice for Saracens in a 41-24 win over Bristol Bears.
Bristol winger Millie David's second try of the match reduced the hosts' deficit to seven points midway through the second half.
However, Leanne Infante's brilliant reverse pass set up Saracens winger Gregson for her second score, before Bryony Field went over from a rolling maul to put the result beyond doubt.
Sarries have taken a maximum 15 points from their opening three games and are top of the table, while Bristol - only playing for the second time this season - claimed a try bonus point but slipped to their first defeat.
Elsewhere, England winger Bo Westcombe-Evans scored two tries as Loughborough Lightning registered their first victory of the season with a comfortable 36-17 home win over bottom club Sale Sharks.
Westcombe-Evans, fresh from helping the Red Roses retain their WXV1 title in Canada last weekend, was one of three early scorers as Lightning raced into a 17-0 lead early on and Lia Green's score wrapped up a try bonus point before half-time.
Late tries from Beatrice Rigoni and Iona Antwis added respectability to the scoreline for Sale, who have now lost both of their first two matches.
Harlequins also got their first win of the campaign with Australian Kaitlan Leaney's double helping them to a 31-17 bonus-point success over Leicester on Sunday.
Lisa Neumann, Katie Shillaker and Jade Konkel also crossed for Quins to give Ross Chisholm a first win as head coach, while Charlotte Fray, Julia Omokhuale and Katie Childs scored late for Tigers.