Northampton returned to the top of the Premiership with a bonus-point win as they saw off Gloucester in a seven-try thriller at Franklin's Gardens.

After Mike Haywood's first-half try, scrum-half Cobus Reinach added two more after the break for the hosts.

But exciting Welsh winger Louis Rees-Zammit made more headlines as he claimed his first Gloucester hat-trick.

Rees-Zammit, 18, added two more to his first-half opener, along with a try for centre Chris Harris.

After scoring twice in the final 20 minutes of Gloucester's pre-Christmas 36-3 win over Worcester, that takes Hartpury College student Rees-Zammit's personal haul to five in two matches.

Gloucester took two points from the contest, while Saints' five-point haul takes them back above Exeter, who host champions Saracens on Sunday.

More to follow.

Northampton Saints: Furbank; Collins, Hutchinson, Francis, Naiyaravoro; Biggar, Reinach; van Wyk, Haywood, Painter, Moon, Lawes, Wood, Ludlam, Harrison (capt).

Replacements: Matavesi, Waller, Hill, Ratuniyarawa, Ribbans, Taylor, Symons, Tuala.

Gloucester: Marshall; Sharples, Harris, Atkinson, Rees-Zammit; Cipriani, Heinz (capt; Hohneck, Marais, Ford-Robinson; Craig, Mostert; Ackermann, Ludlow, Morgan.

Replacements: Gleave, Seville, Balmain, Grobler, Clarke, Simpson, Twelvetrees, Banahan.

Sin bin: Hohneck (60).