Baxter's delight as Exeter produce Premiership shock

The Aviva Premiership newcomers celebrated their elevation in the best possible style as fly-half Gareth Steenson racked up an individual tally of 17 points to sink the Cherry and Whites – for whom Nicky Robinson missed all five of his kicks at goal, twice hitting the post.

Baxter said: "We are the Premiership new boys and the home game first up suited us more than them. I am in fact a little disappointed as I felt that had we moved the ball more in the first 20 minutes we could have opened up a bit more daylight. We should have backed ourselves more.

"We've not won or lost anything today – the next three to four weeks are important as we have to see that we are improving and can meet the continuing demands of the season."

Former Rotherham fly-half Steenson added: "Our pack was outstanding today and it's my job to put the ball over the bar. It is not the easiest place to kick a goal and I have had plenty of bad days. It takes a bit of getting used to, especially in winter, as we hope to make this ground a fortress for us."

Gloucester coach Bryan Redpath said: "Our performance was not acceptable. The players have embarrassed themselves in front of all our supporters."

Northampton captain Dylan Hartley described the Saints'

27-19 victory over defending champions Leicester as the "perfect start" to the season.

Despite a desperate day with the boot by Stephen Myler – he missed five penalties – Saints were worthy winners after storming into a 14-0 lead.

And when Jim Mallinder spared Myler any further agony, replacing him with Shane Geraghty in the final quarter, England back Geraghty kicked five points and carved out a try for tighthead prop Brian Mujati.

It was a special day for another of Hartley's front-row team-mates as loosehead Soane Tonga'uiha scored Northampton's first two tries during a sensational start. England hooker Hartley said: "It's a special achievement, seeing off a pack as powerful as Leicester's, so we are feeling good inside. This is the perfect start to the season, a reward for our hard work and a positive attitude."

Brendan Venter blamed the second-half sin-binning of Alex Goode for Saracens' 33-16 defeat by London Irish at Twickenham.

Last season's beaten Aviva Premiership finalists led 10-6 at the interval but unravelled when Goode was shown a yellow card for palming the ball to safety from an offside position as the Exiles attacked their line.

In his absence Irish amassed 15 points through tries from Delon Armitage and Sailosi Tagicakibau and a penalty and conversion from Ryan Lamb.

Venter refused to criticise referee Andrew Small's decision but left little doubt of the impact it had on the outcome.

"The sin-binning swung the game – it was the issue today," he said. "I'll get myself into trouble if I debate the decision."

In the other Twickenham opener, Mark Van Gisbergen and Nick Evans earned a London derby draw for Wasps and Harlequins with a magnificent seven kicks apiece. It was Wasps full-back Van Gisbergen who kept his nerve when kicking to save the game four minutes from time.

England's women were beaten 13-10 in the World Cup final last night as New Zealand maintained their stranglehold on the competition with a fourth consecutive triumph at Twickenham Stoop.

The hosts could not capitalise on first-half yellow cards for Anna Richards and Mel Bosman and were made to pay when pacy winger Carla Hohepa danced through to help the Black Ferns to a 7-0 half-time lead.

The teams traded penalties before Charlotte Barras touched down and Katy McLean converted to get England back on terms, but Kelly Brazier's penalty 15 minutes from time edged New Zealand to victory.