Beth Wilcock was one of Harlequins' many try-scorers
Harlequins scored 103 points on their Premier 15s return as the league restarted with 35-minute halves one of several law adaptations to reduce coronavirus transmissions.
Despite the shortened game, Quins scored 17 tries in the 103-0 win against DMP Durham Sharks.
Two-time champions Saracens began the season with a less emphatic victory, beating Worcester 34-25.
League newcomers Sale and Exeter both lost on their Premier 15s debuts.
It was announced that Exeter and Sale would replace Richmond and Firwood Waterloo in April but, despite Chiefs signing several international players, they could not make a winning start to their campaign.
Two tries from England lock Zoe Aldcroft helped Gloucester to a 34-14 bonus-point win against Exeter, while Loughborough also earned five points in their 29-7 win against Sale.
Bristol v Wasps was moved to 31 October after a Bears player tested positive for coronavirus, with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) including reserve weekends in the fixture list to allow for matches to be rearranged.
Having been halted in April, the league made its return nine days after a financially struggling RFU announced a 25% funding cut for the women's top flight.
As well as 35-minute halves, other law changes - to be reviewed after nine rounds - are aimed at reducing the number of scrums, including free-kicks given for a forward pass and no scrum option at a free-kick or penalty.
Two-time champions Saracens were top of the table when the 2019-20 season was declared null and void because of the pandemic. Harlequins - who have twice lost to Sarries in the Premier 15s final - were second.
Analysis
Women's rugby journalist Adam Zoltie at Saracens v Worcester
After women's rugby was obliged to spectate while other major sports returned over recent months, there was palpable excitement from the community heading into round one.
Neither side seemed affected by the eerily empty Allianz Park and all concerns regarding Covid-19 and potential transmission were seemingly forgotten at kick-off - although Worcester Warriors did have to make changes to their matchday squad as a precaution owing to numerous players not having received test results.
Much of the talk since the league's launch on Monday was around the newly adapted laws - designed, according to the RFU, to limit the amount of close contact between players and therefore minimise the risk of transmission.
Many purists worried this would cause the women's game to be a hybrid of the XVs and sevens codes with faster play and fewer stoppages. The reality was that this was still very much the longer form of the game, just a little quicker.
The game did see fewer scrums and the restrictions around the line-out - where mauls can only be driven from a throw-in from within 22 metres - meant that these were a lot cleaner, with less competing and more quick ball off the top.
If this is indicative of how the next eight games under the new laws will go, then spectators are in for an entertaining product.
