Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby round-up: Gloucester-Hartpury roar back to beat Bristol, Exeter crush Sale

Gloucester-Hartpury made it nine wins from nine with a stirring comeback win over Bristol Bears in the Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby at Kingsholm.

Natasha Hunt raced over for an early try for the home side, but Holly Aitchison brought Bristol level in the 22nd minute. The Bears took the lead on the stroke of half-time with hooker Lana Skeldon getting on the end of a slick move.

Skeldon doubled up early in the second half and Amber Reed's missed conversion was the only negative for the visitors as they raced into a 19-7 lead.

England U18 fly half Millie Hyett started the comeback with a smart run and touch down with half an hour left to play.

The home side's dominant pack was responsible for their next score. First, they won a big scrum penalty that brought the ball to the five metre line before a rolling maul laid waste to the Bristol defence. Neve Jones put the ball down, but it was a group effort. A successful conversion from Emma Sing levelled the scores.

England prop Ellena Perry powered over for what seemed like the go-ahead try, but was held up by the desperate Bristol defence.

Undeterred, the home side continued to attack and got their reward with the clock already having ticked over 80 minutes. Nel Metcalfe powered through the dogged Bristol line to secure the win, 24-19.

Elsewhere, Exeter Chiefs handed a lesson to Sale Sharks with a 64-5 victory.

Sale started well enough. Piggyback penalties got them down the field and they enjoyed strong field position for the first 10 minutes. But that was as good as it got for the visitors as, at the first time of asking, their defence quickly was found wanting.

Quick ball out of an attacking lineout found winger Claudia MacDonald who sailed over the line. A Gabby Cantorna conversion made it 7-0.

Penalties carried Exeter into the red zone again and Hope Rogers bustled over for their second try.

Lauren Delaney got the visitors on the board with a try in the 30th minute, but Eilidh Sinclair hit back with her first try four minutes later following some quick feet out wide. MacDonald doubled up on the verge of half time to give the hosts a healthy 28-5 lead at the break.

Cliodhna Moloney made it 35 for the home side shortly after the break, before a Catie Benson sin-binning made a dire Sale situation worse.

Sinclair got her second try of the afternoon, backing up after a dominant Brooke Bradley run just before the hour mark.

Harriet Millar-Mills made it 54-5 before another Sale yellow card, this time for Vicky Irwin. With the clock already past 80 minutes, Robyn Wilkins added one final score to put the exclamation mark on a dominant display.

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