Aviva Premiership round-up: Leicester and Newcastle win on thrilling opening day

Gloucester 31-38 Leicester Tigers

Leicester staged a remarkable second-half fightback to secure a spectacular 38-31 victory on the Aviva Premiership's opening night against Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Scotland international centre Matt Scott scored two tries on his Premiership debut, while wings Charlie Sharples and Henry Purdy also touched down as Gloucester cruised into a 31-7 lead five minutes after half-time.

Skipper Greig Laidlaw added 11 points from the boot, but Leicester stayed in the fight through tries by England centre Manu Tuilagi, South Africa wing JP Pietersen and scrum-half Sam Harrison, before flanker Brendon O'Connor crossed four minutes from time and then Harrison's injury-time effort left Gloucester in ruins.

Freddie Burns converted three tries and kicked a penalty, while Harrison added two conversions after Burns went off to secure an unlikely bonus-point triumph as Tigers scored 31 unanswered points in 33 second-half minutes.

Newcastle Falcons 19-17 Sale Sharks

Newcastle Falcons survived a last-minute penalty kick at goal to edge a 19-17 win over Sale Sharks in their opening Aviva Premiership game of the season at Kingston Park.

The Falcons led 19-10 deep into the second half but Sale battled back with a cracking try from full-back Byron McGuigan to cut the lead to just two points with Dan Mugford's conversion with just 10 minutes left.

It seemed Marcus Watson had scored a crucial try with three minutes left but the TV replay showed a knock-on and despite Newcastle turning the ball over after the scrum, Sale squeezed out a penalty, found touch and won another penalty with 17 seconds left on the clock.

Up stepped Mugford but he missed the shot at goal from wide on the right and Newcastle held on for victory.