Gloucester back with a bang

Allen, absent from the Gloucester line-up since injuring his ankle against Leicester on the opening day, crossed to set Dean Ryan's men on their way before Morgan burst clear in the second half to put the visitors clear.

Ryan Lamb and Glen Jackson had exchanged kicks before Allen crossed, and although Ben Skirving pegged the visitors back, Morgan, returning from a hamstring injury, gave Martin Johnson something to consider as he broke decisively to score.

Lesley Vainikolo extended the advantage and although Eddie Jones' men hit back with a penalty try to set up a grandstand finish, they could not prevent their first home Premiership defeat of the season.

Meanwhile, former All Black Nick Evans made up for lost time as Harlequins inflicted a humiliating 32-10 defeat on London rivals Wasps in their derby clash at the Twickenham Stoop.

The ex-New Zealand fly-half, making his first start since suffering a knee ligament injury in his Quins debut win over Saracens on the opening day of the season, produced a match-winning display on his home debut for the club he joined during the summer.

The highlight of a man-of-the-match performance from Evans, playing in the unaccustomed role of full-back, was a quality first-half try which put his side into a commanding 21-3 lead after only 28 minutes.

Bristol ended their eight-month wait for a Premiership victory after climbing off the canvas to floor Northampton with a 14-13 win. Substitute centre Luke Eves' 69th-minute try - converted by his midfield partner Ed Barnes - halted a run of 11 successive league defeats stretching back to March.

Bristol stay bottom of the Premiership but they are now just one point behind reigning champions and fellow strugglers Wasps.

And London Irish rode the absence of three key players - including Delon Armitage - through international duty to inflict a fourth successive defeat on a listless Newcastle Falcons, winning by a comfortable 24-8 at Kingston Park.