Rees-Zammit double helps Bristol beat Northampton at Ashton Gate
Louis Rees-Zammit scored a try in each half as Bristol Bears beat reigning champions Northampton Saints at Ashton Gate in a Premiership match on 3 October 2026. A late penalty try, awarded after a cynical intervention by Saints full-back Tommy Freeman denied Rees-Zammit a hat-trick, sealed the victory in the closing seconds.
The match opened with an emotional tribute and a minute's applause for Jackie Booy, who died last month, led by her husband and Bristol chairmen Chris. Bristol took an early lead when Gabriel Oghre finished a well-worked line-out and maul, only for George Hendy to score in the corner after a slick set-piece move and a pass from captain Fraser Dingwall. James Williams then kicked a penalty to restore Bristol's advantage before a sumptuous score was ruled out when Harry Randall knocked on in the build-up to AJ MacGinty's cross kick. Rees-Zammit’s close-range finish put the hosts 15-7 ahead, and after a lengthy delay for a head injury to Benhard Janse van Rensburg Hendy’s second first-half try cut the deficit to 15-14 at the break.
Bristol resumed strongly after the interval when Tom Jordan touched down for the third home try and Williams added his third successful kick to make it 22-14. Northampton then had a potential third try chalked off for obstruction, and Randall bundled over near the posts for a converted score that increased Bristol's cushion. The home side's scoring sequence followed sustained pressure and effective finishing from close range.
Northampton responded with two tries in four minutes to pull the score back into contention. A move beginning with Dingwall feeding Hendy led to Alex Mitchell going under the posts, and Josh Kemeny’s effort brought the visitors within eight points, with the period reported as getting Saints back in the game at 34-26.
Bristol defended resolutely in the final stages and the match was decided by a penalty try awarded in the closing seconds after the incident involving Freeman and Rees-Zammit. Wales wing Rees-Zammit’s double matched the two tries he had scored in the win over Sale the previous week.
Bristol: Jordan; Rees-Zammit, Janse van Rensburg, Williams, Ibitoye; AJ MacGinty, Randall; Woolmore, Oghre, Kloska, Rubiolo, Batley, Luatua, Grondona, Harding (capt). Replacements: Gwilliam, Chawatama, Halliwell, Taylor, Owen, Marmion, Pepper Ivanishvili.
Northampton: Freeman; Sleightholme, Hutchinson, Dingwall (capt), Hendy; Smith McParland; Iyogun, Langdon, Kundiona, Coles, Prowse, Kemeny, Taylor, Pollock. Replacements: Smith, Fischetti, Neculai, Lockett, Chick, Mitchell, Belleau, Pater. Sin bin: Neculai (74), Freeman (80).
The result gave Bristol a second successive Prem victory this season, a notable turnaround after they were unceremoniously thrashed 94-33 by Saints last season.