Two-time European winners Munster were dumped out of the Champions Cup at the pool stage for just the fourth time since 1998 as they were stunned by Castres at Thomond Park 31-29.
Edinburgh staged a second-half comeback to pick up a hard-fought 26-24 win over Gloucester in the Champions Cup and consigned the visitors to a fifth straight defeat.
A late converted try from Kalaveti Ravouvou proved just enough for Bristol to maintain their winning run with a 19-17 victory as Sale lost on the road in the Gallagher Prem for a sixth consecutive game.
Northampton stunned the Prem Rugby champions Bath with a devastating display of running rugby featuring a hat-trick of tries by freewheeling England back Tommy Freeman.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is determined to keep hold of the country's best players after deals for forwards Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake to join English Prem side Gloucester from Ospreys at the end of the season were confirmed.
Munster bounced back from a disappointing defeat to Bath last week to comprehensively beat Gloucester 31-3 in the Champions Cup at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork.
Gloucester beat Harlequins 26-15 at Kingsholm to record their first Prem win of the season at the sixth attempt.
Leicester Tigers eked out a 36-35 win against Sale Sharks as Bath, Harlequins and Exeter all won by big scorelines in Saturday's Gallagher Prem action.
Gloucester slipped to a fourth successive Prem defeat of the season as west country rivals Bristol toppled them 49-34 at Kingsholm.
Debutant Nathan Jibulu scored a second-half try as Sale beat Gloucester 27-10 to claim a bonus-point win on the opening night of the Gallagher Prem season.
The British and Irish Lions have suffered a hammer blow after Tomos Williams was ruled out of the rest of their tour to Australia.
Wigan Warriors have signed rugby union winger and former NFL running back Christian Wade on a short-term deal following the conclusion of his season with Gloucester.
London Irish administrator Lee Manning says it is only "a matter of time" until the next Premiership club goes bust and that "radical change" is needed.
Tom Willis surged over for two tries as Saracens dispatched second-placed Bristol Bears in a 35-26 victory in the Gallagher Premiership on Saturday.
Exeter claimed their first Gallagher Premiership victory of the season as they edged out West Country rivals Gloucester 22-15 at Sandy Park.
Gloucester beat an out-of-sorts Harlequins at Kingsholm as the visitors were blanked in a league game for the first time in a decade.
A round-up of Friday's action, as Bath suffered a setback in their Champions Cup opener and Gloucester came through a tough European Challenge Cup test against Edinburgh
Defending champions Northampton suffered a shock defeat to Gloucester, while Bath returned to top of the Premiership and Sale beat Leicester.
Six-try Bath powered their way to a bonus-point victory over Sale Sharks to round off the first block of Gallagher Premiership matches in style.
Handre Pollard scored 14 points as Leicester overturned a 19-8 half-time deficit to claim a 29-26 win against Gloucester in a thrilling Gallagher Premiership encounter.
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