On the opening weekend of the new Premiership season, Gloucester delivered a thrilling and hard-fought 26-24 victory over Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park. The match featured seven tries in total, with Gloucester's efforts led by Dewi Lake and Ben Loader, both of whom scored twice. Additional tries came from Seb Atkinson, Will Joseph, and Junior Denny. Exeter's tries were scored by Josh Iosefa-Scott, Ethan Roots, Stephen Varney, and Louie Gulley. Conversion kicks were successfully taken by C Atkinson, Barton for Gloucester, and Slade for Exeter. Exeter had finished as runners-up in the previous season after losing to Northampton Saints in the final in June. However, they were significantly outperformed in this match. Exeter's director of rugby, Rob Baxter, admitted the team's performance was lacking in ambition and composure. In contrast, Gloucester's director of rugby, George Skivington, commended his team's effort and sportsmanship, especially during the second half when they were down a player. The match saw Exeter's replacement hooker, Louie Gulley, score a try on his Premiership debut. This was matched by 18-year-old winger Junior Denny, who scored with the final play of the game to secure Gloucester's first win in Devon since 2015. Gloucester had only managed one away win last season, finishing eighth in the league, but they immediately matched that with this impressive performance. The addition of Welsh players Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan has boosted confidence for the new campaign. Exeter had a thrilling spring and summer, reaching the Premiership final at Twickenham with unexpected success. With new American investment at Sandy Park, expectations are high for the future in Devon. However, this match served as a harsh reminder of the challenges ahead for Rob Baxter's team. The Cherry and Whites struggled throughout the previous season, finishing eighth and failing to reach the play-offs for seven years.