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Cup holders edge out Gloucester
LV= Cup holders Cardiff Blues edged out Gloucester at Kingsholm on Sunday, while there were also wins for Wasps, Leeds and Saracens.
Ceri Sweeney kicked a last-gasp penalty to see the Blues beat Gloucester 26-25 in a thoroughly entertaining repeat of last season's Anglo-Welsh final.
The Blues had won that Twickenham showpiece 50-12 in April, but it was Gloucester who led 16-13 after a frenetic opening half thanks to tries from captain Gareth Delve and flanker Adam Eustace, plus a penalty apiece from fly-half Nicky Robinson and full-back Freddie Burns.
Cardiff's points came courtesy of a Xavier Rush score plus eight points from Sweeney's boot.
Burns and Sweeney traded penalties early in the second stanza before Sam Norton-Knight glided over to put Cardiff back in front.
But two late penalties from Spencer looked to have given the Cherry and Whites a first win in five games, only for Sweeney, who kicked 16 points in total, to hold his nerve in the dying seconds.
England winger David Strettle was injured scoring a fourth-minute try as Harlequins and Scarlets opened their campaign with a hard-fought 15-15 draw.
Strettle, released to play for his club when Martin Johnson reduced his original 32-man squad for the Twickenham clash with Australia to the match-day 22, continued briefly after treatment.
But clearly struggling, he was replaced by George Lowe nine minutes later in his side's opening pool match at The Stoop.
Harlequins added a further try from lock George Robson and a penalty and conversion from fly-half Rory Clegg.
The Welsh side replied with tries from centre Gareth Maule, left-wing Andy Fenby and a penalty and conversion from number 10 Rhys Priestland.
Neil Back guided a youthful Leeds side to a 28-17 victory over his former employers as Leicester were beaten at Headingley.
The 2003 World Cup-winner, who served the Tigers with such distinction during his seven years at Welford Road, is steadily acclimatising to the demands of top-flight rugby as Leeds' head coach.
Last weekend, his men beat Wasps to register their first Guinness Premiership win of the season - and overcoming the reigning champions represented another notable scalp.
First-half tries by David Lemi and Mark Van Gisbergen combined with the boot of Dave Walder to earn Wasps a hard-fought 24-20 victory over London Irish.
Wasps, who took this match seriously by playing a close-to-full-strength team, were 18-10 up at the break thanks to the touchdowns by two of their back three.
Walder had kicked a conversion and two penalties by then and he added another three-pointer after the interval to steer the visitors home.
Peter Hewat went over for a brace of tries for Irish, one either side of half-time, but they could not recover despite late pressure.
Saracens beat Bath 30-22 for the second time in nine days to kickstart their campaign.
The Guinness Premiership leaders twice came from behind, before running out deserved victors of an entertaining match.
Fly-half Glen Jackson kicked 20 points, helping Saracens to nine wins from 10 in all competitions.
