Bristol power past champions Northampton as Rees-Zammit scores twice

Bristol Bears beat reigning Prem champions Northampton Saints 41-26 at Ashton Gate on 3 October to make it two league wins in a row, according to BBC Sport.

Bristol led only 15-14 at half-time. They finished far stronger.

Hooker Gabriel Oghre opened the scoring for the home side. A try, touching the ball down over the opposition line for five points, set the tone for a fast, open first half.

Winger Louis Rees-Zammit scored twice for Bristol. Centre Tom Jordan and scrum-half Harry Randall, the player who feeds the scrum (the packed contest for the ball) and runs the tempo, also crossed.

Fly-half James Williams added three conversions for Bristol. A conversion is the kick at goal for two extra points after a try.

Northampton kept coming. Winger George Hendy scored twice, while scrum-half Alex Mitchell and flanker Josh Kemeny added one try each.

Fly-half Fin Smith kicked three conversions for Saints. That kept the champions within a score for long spells.

Bristol sealed it with the last play. Tommy Freeman was judged to have illegally stopped Rees-Zammit scoring what would have been a hat-trick, so the referee awarded a penalty try. That is given when foul play prevents a certain try, and it is worth seven points with no kick needed.

What makes this stand out is the timing. Bristol absorbed pressure from the champions, then found another gear late. For fans, this means an early-season statement with momentum behind it.