Power Ranking Europe's Top 15 Club Teams After Weekend of October 17-19

With Europe’s premier competition under way, this ranking takes on different feel this week.

Unless a team in the second tier Challenge Cup is dominating their domestic league and winning big in Europe, they fall out of the picture, with weight given to performances in the major tournament.

In some cases, it's clear the Challenge Cup is not being taken seriously anyway.

Bordeaux Begles, for instance, may have rocketed into the upper echelons of the Top 14 at home, but in Europe failed to find the required motivation to beat an average Edinburgh side on their own patch.

Stade Francais also appear non–plussed with the hassle of playing in the backwaters of Europe, losing at home to Newport Gwent Dragons.

We also saw Brive send a de-powered, demotivated team to Gloucester to receive a 55-0 drubbing.

These results may make the organisers think twice next season about removing the carrot of Champions Cup qualification for the winners of the Challenge Cup.

For now, those sides that can’t be bothered are out on their ear and the ranking now looks like this.

15. Harlequins (Premiership)

Harlequins have been poor in the Premiership to date, but shook that off to beat Top 14 runners-up Castres at home on Friday night.

Nick Evans took command of his team and the elements to dominate the French side with his boot. His kick through for Danny Care's try was a wonderful example of the New Zealander's class.

Quins face an all–English derby with Wasps next with a real chance of taking an early grip on the pool.

14. Bath (Premiership)

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Bath take another tumble with their second defeat in as many games.

Mike Ford’s troops had no answer to the power and precision of Glasgow’s performance.

They host a resurgent Toulouse next, and will need to front up in the forward battle if they want to record a home win over the French giants.

13. Montpellier (Top 14)

Montpellier continue to struggle for consistency this season, following up two wins in the league with a defeat to Toulouse in this intriguing pool.

They started well against the men from the Pink City but were undone by Toulouse's power and some great finishing from Yoann Huget.

Fabien Galthie's men entertain Glasgow next week, in a clash that will reveal a lot about both sides.

Montpellier have lost just once at home all season, on the opening day, while Glasgow appear to be getting better each week and will travel to the Languedoc full of confidence after seeing off Bath so handsomely.

12. Ulster (PRO12)

A Jekyll and Hyde evening from Neil Doak’s charges resulted in opening round defeat.

They will at least take comfort from the fact their second half was a vast improvement from their first, and they will need to extend that upward curve next week, with the small matter of Toulon coming to town.

They won the second 40 minutes 15-6 at Welford Road, but will need to produce that intensity of effort from the first whistle at Ravenhill.

11. Northampton (Premiership)

The Saints failed to show up in Colombes as a muscular and, frankly, mind-numbing Racing Metro bludgeoned their way to a 20-11 win.

Individual errors cost Jim Mallinder’s men a valuable bonus point. George Pisi dropped the ball when clean through thanks to a hamstring injury that saw the big Samoan wilt into the turf 10 metres from the line, and Ben Foden’s kick was charged down at the death for Marc Andreu to score a try that robbed Saints of a point.

It gives the East Midlanders a major job to qualify, and they will need to take the initiative, as they failed to do in Paris, when the unbeaten Ospreys come calling next week.

10. Leicester (Premiership)

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The Tigers force their way back into the ranking this week with a home win over Ulster.

The men from Ravenhill were abysmal in the first half and Leicester took full advantage with three tries.

They had to hang on after the break and their injury curse visited them once again as Manu Tuilagi limped off early, but this will be a galvanising win for Richard Cockerill’s players.

A trip to the Scarlets next week will provide another measure of how far their rehabilitation has come.

9. Racing Metro (Top 14)

There was no victory less impressive than Racing’s 20-11 win over Northampton.

They were gifted tries at either end of the game and in between made it their mission to stifle and stymie the contest.

Saints captain Tom Wood told the Guardian: "They did everything they could to slow the game down—bodies on the wrong side, hanging off the back of mauls and putting your legs above your head at the breakdown—and when we tried to police it, we conceded costly penalties."

Racing were helped in no small measure by having Jonny Sexton at No. 10, who moved the Saints around the field well with his world class boot. But there is not much to like about Racing, despite their star names and big spending.

8. Leinster (PRO12)

Leinster came back from a 12–point deficit to see off Wasps at the RDS.

Darragh Fanning’s double helped them secure a hard–fought win against Dai Young’s men, with Jamie Heaslip to the fore for a team decimated by injury.

The Irish Independent’s Ruaidhri O’Connor wrote: "It is easy to underestimate the power of the three stars on Leinster's jersey. Winning trophies breeds a belief that allows them to stage comebacks like last night's win over Wasps."

A trip to struggling Castres is next, and Leinster hope to have the likes of Rob Kearney, Mike Ross and Luke Fitzgerald available.

7. Toulouse (Top 14)

After a nightmare start to their domestic campaign, Toulouse have now beaten the French and European champions and followed it up with a win against a strong Montpellier team to get themselves on track.

The confidence gained from that result against Toulon was evident in Guy Noves’ players as they set about their task against Montpellier, not panicking when they fell 10-3 down and turning that into a 13-10 lead by half-time.

Two high quality finishes by Yoann Huget either side of half–time stood out, as did their strength in depth in key positions, with Luke McAlister making way for Toby Flood at No. 10 one such example of their quality.

An away win at Bath would confirm their recovery from that horror start to the season.

6. Munster (PRO12)

Munster’s players must have flame-retardant hands, so often have they reached into the fire to extract European victories.

They were at it again in Manchester’s suburbs, overturning a 23-7 half-time deficit with Ian Keatley slotting a last–gasp, winning drop goal.

A start as slow as this on Friday night against Saracens will, you sense, not be salvageable. Anthony Foley will no doubt be emphasising the need to get in front early all week to his players.

5. Glasgow (PRO12)

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Gregor Townsend’s men perhaps made the biggest statement of the weekend with a thumping 37-10 win over Bath.

The impressive Mark Bennett helped himself to two tries and sealed his place in Scotland’s autumn international squad.

The victory is another feather in the cap of coach Townsend, who has built a squad with strength in depth and a playing style that is so far standing up to the challenges thrown its way.

Allied to their strong start on the domestic front and now a great showing in Europe, the Warriors enter the top five.

4. Ospreys (PRO12)

Ospreys had the easiest job of the round and executed it well, recording a 42-7 win over Treviso at home.

There was not much to learn from this one–sided drubbing, rather we saw confirmation that players like Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb should all be starting for Wales in a few weeks’ time.

On a sour note, the sight of promising No. 8 Dan Baker being stretchered off in a neck brace after a lengthy delay on the field will worry Ospreys and Wales fans alike.

The flame-haired back-rower has emerged as a serious contender for Taulupe Faletau’s international jersey this season.

The news was promising for Baker who suffered no serious injury per BBC, but he will miss the clash with Northampton.

3. Clermont Auvergne (Top 14)

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Franck Azema’s team went down to a strong showing from Saracens but at least went home with a losing bonus point.

It was a much better performance than their last away match, a 50–point drubbing in Bordeaux.

They could have snatched more than the single point had Sebastien Vahaamahina’s try not been ruled out by the TMO, and they will look to deny Sarries the same losing bonus when the Fez Heads meet them in the return fixture later in the pool.

A mixed bag of an afternoon for Zac Guildford included two tries for the New Zealander followed by a horrible hash of a Charlie Hodgson kick that was gleefully pounced on by Chris Ashton.

Clermont will be aware that an Achilles' heel may have been exposed on their left wing.

2. Saracens (Premiership)

Sarries leap–frog Clermont having defeated the men from the Massif Central 30-23 with a bonus point win at Allianz Park.

Two tries each for David Strettle and Chris Ashton inevitably ignited talk of their possible England selection this week, but a sublime performance from Charlie Hodgson was much to do with this victory. The Telegraph’s Steve James wrote:

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This was some performance, even if it was far from perfect in the first half when Saracens missed a remarkable 25 per cent of their tackles. But in fairness their scramble defence was quite superb. ‘What pleased us most was how resilient we were,’ said (coach Mark) McCall. ‘We had to bounce back from several setbacks. We showed energy and intensity against a really good team. Clermont are the best team that we’ve played all season.’

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The bad news was the injury to Schalk Brits. The hooker damaged knee ligaments, per Sky Sports, and will be out until the new year.

1. Toulon (Top 14)

Toulon move into top spot thanks to their 28-18 home win over Scarlets and Clermont Auvergne’s away defeat at Saracens.

They were given a thorough examination by the West–Walians before completing their 12th consecutive European victory.

Steffon Armitage kept himself in the headlines with the try that broke the Welsh resistance and claimed the Man of the Match-award for his display.

Toulon know they will need to assert greater authority when they come up against the real big hitters on the continent, but functional got the job done in Round 1.

A stiff test awaits in Belfast next.