Sale dropped into the Challenge Cup after being brushed aside by La Rochelle as the French giants kept alive their bid for a hat-trick of Champions Cup titles.
Harlequins moved to the top of the Premiership with a bonus-point win over Newcastle, while Bristol ended Sales' long winning home run.
Northampton mounted a stunning fightback to beat Sale 21-17 and moved to the top of the Gallagher Premiership table with a sixth successive victory.
Clinical Ulster secured a big victory against Racing 92 in the Champions Cup while Bath edged out Cardiff and holders La Rochelle lost again.
Sale produced a superb second-half show to open their Champions Cup campaign with a 28-5 victory over Stade Francais at AJ Bell Stadium.
Marcus Smith won the duel between England's fly-halves in waiting but it was the contribution of Harlequins' pack that underpinned a 36-3 win over Sale.
George Ford kicked a late penalty as Sale extended their lead at the top of the Gallagher Premiership to five points with a 11-9 win against Bath.
Tom Curry will miss the entire Six Nations and most likely the rest of the season after Sale revealed he must undergo surgery for a hip injury.
Bath hung on to beat Bristol 20-19 as their near neighbours almost pulled off the upset; Sale go top of Gallagher Premiership with 40-22 victory over Newcastle.
A round-up of Saturday's Premiership action as Harlequins go top of the table with win at Leicester, while Sale prevail again away to Bristol.
Jamie Shillcock returned to haunt former side Bath as he scored the winning penalty with the last kick of the game to snatch Leicester a 25-24 Gallagher Premiership win.
Owen Farrell has condemned the online vilification of Tom Curry after the England flanker alleged he was racially abused vs South Africa.
Bath maintained their winning start in the Gallagher Premiership with a 25-16 triumph over defending champions Saracens, while Sale and Bristol were also victorious.
Luke Cowan-Dickie will continue to be eligible for England selection after confirming a move to Sale, after the collapse of his Montpellier move.
Steve Borthwick has called up 14 players to his England Rugby World Cup training squad, confirming Owen Farrell will be captain.
Bath prop Beno Obano and London Irish centre Will Joseph have been cut from Steve Borthwick's England Rugby World Cup training squad.
Saracens turned things around from a second-half deficit to seal a first Premiership title since 2019, beating Sale Sharks 35-25.
Recap all the updates from Saturday's 2023 Gallagher Premiership final as Saracens beat Sale 35-25 at Twickenham.
Two men have been charged in connection with protest activity during the Premiership final at Twickenham on Saturday.
England flanker Ben Curry is doubtful for this year's Rugby World Cup after Sale Sharks said he will undergo surgery on a hamstring tendon injury.
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