Power Ranking Europe's Top 15 Club Teams After Weekend of January 2-4

This week, a change at the top of Europe's power ranking and signs of a good second half of the season to come from Wasps, Leicester and Leinster, who all improve their standings.

There were some timely performances from players vying for international spots, particularly by England wide men, with Christian Wade looking lethal for Wasps, Jack Nowell starring for Exeter, David Strettle bagging a pair with Saracens and Marland Yarde's epic try-saver against London Welsh.

The Telegraph runs the rule over the wing contenders.

So, with one week of league play left before the drama of the European Champions Cup pool stage conclusion, here is how we stand.

As a reminder, credit is given for league performances combined with how sides are doing in Europe.

15. Exeter (Premiership)

The Chiefs slip to 15th in this ranking after tumbling out of the play-offs and down to sixth with defeat to Gloucester.

The Cherry and Whites eked out a 9-0 lead, but the home side roared ahead with tries from Matt Jess and Jack Nowell, only to make a dog's breakfast of clearing their lines to allow Gloucester back in.

They also butchered a great chance for a third score and had to make do with a losing bonus point, going down 25-26.

14. Leicester (Premiership)

Leicester arm-wrestled Bath into submission at Welford Road to leave themselves fifth in the league but level on points with fourth-placed Wasps.

This was more like the abrasive Tigers we know well, according to the Telegraph’s Mick Cleary:

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Their 17-8 success over Bath was a massive win for Leicester. It was a throwback to the Tigers of old. A shot across the bows for the rest of the league. A show of defiance after being bullied too often by teams recently at the breakdown.

"

13. Munster (Pro 12)

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Munster's season took another body blow with defeat away to Connacht. Anthony Foley's side were well beaten in Galway despite a massive performance from Paul O'Connell.

Two defeats in Europe have left qualification hopes hanging by a fragile thread in a season that looks like being one to forget thus far.

Third place in the Pro 12 table still offers hope of success there, with just three points separating the Irishmen from leaders Ospreys.

12. Toulouse (Top 14)

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Toulouse were on the end of a 24-6 thumping at Clermont Auvergne that leaves them languishing in eighth place in the Top 14.

Only their form in Europe is keeping them in this ranking at present, as they lead the way with four wins from four in their pool.

They face a host of low-to mid-ranking sides in their next four fixtures before a clash with Toulon, so now is the time to hit some form if league progress is to happen for Guy Noves' men.

11. Stade Francais (Top 14)

It was a short-lived stint atop the pile in France for Stade Francais, who followed a resounding win over Toulon with a whimpering defeat to Lyon, compounded by a red card for fly-half Morne Steyn for a kick at Lyon wing Mosese Ratuvou.

The South African told French paper Midi Olympique he found the red card hard to take, per Planet Rugby:

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Steyn was shown a red card after 31 minutes for kicking Lyon winger Mosese Ratuvou.
Revealing that a Lyon player tried to eye gouge him, hence his angry reaction, Steyn said that he would have understood if he'd been penalised or yellow carded.

'The decision by the referee is very hard. If he penalises me or gives me a yellow card, fair enough. But to send me off for that action, I don't understand that,' Steyn told Midi Olympique.

'The Lyon player tried to put his hand in my eyes. I was beside myself. I hate that kind of behaviour.

'Those are things you shouldn't do, I was angry and reacted badly. But was it worth a red card? Honestly, it's hard.'

"

The Parisians stay second for now.

10. Wasps (Premiership)

Wasps crept into the play-off places in the Premiership with a second slaughter at the Ricoh in as many games.

Their debut crowd of more than 28,000 shrunk to more than 15,000 for the visit of Sale, but they were given their money's worth with five tries­—two from Joe Simpson—and an eye-catching performance from wing Christian Wade, as described by ESPNScrum.com:

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Wasps were dominant in both the set-pieces and open play, while winger Christian Wade lit up a dank, foggy Ricoh Arena with a series of dazzling runs which had the Sale defenders constantly back-pedalling. The elusive Wade failed to add to his seven tries for the season but provided the warning signs for the Sharks in the opening stages when he easily rounded opposite number Tom Arscott and captain David Seymour to highlight the visitors' defensive deficiencies.

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That's six wins from their last seven in the league.

9. Glasgow (Pro 12)

Glasgow were beaten by Edinburgh in their second Scottish derby of the festive period but retained second place in the table with Munster also suffering defeat.

They face the forward power of the Scarlets next before a winnable game against Zebre, but the date circled on Gregor Townsend's calendar will be February 21 when the Ospreys come to town.

It is likely that the Warriors will be out of Europe by then, and he may well rest his big guns in their remaining pool fixtures with that game in mind, while hoping the Six Nations does not cause him any injury concerns.

8. Ospreys (Pro 12)

The league leaders looked short on ideas as they went down 22-10 to the Scarlets.

Steve Tandy's men were murdered in the scrum by a rampant Scarlets front row, per Wales Online, and their forwards coach Chris Gibbes told the same outlet where the Swansea-based side went wrong:

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We probably didn’t turn up with enough intensity although we did talk about it and knew what was expected of us.

Coming down here is a hell of a tough place to play, so we knew what was in front of us.

We knew what we needed to do and what works for us, but we just didn’t do that.

"

7. Leinster (Pro 12)

Leinster looked to have stopped grinding the gears at last as they cruised past Ulster 24-11 to go fourth in the Pro 12. Indeed, they were the only top five side to win last weekend.

Ian Madigan scored a cheeky try and was impressive throughout, as were Luke Fitzgerald at outside centre and flanker Jack Conan.

They are in a strong position in Europe, too, which cannot be said for any of the teams above them in the Pro 12, so they climb this week.

6. Saracens (Premiership)

Sarries moved to within striking distance of Bath with a 22-6 win over London Irish.

Having had a winless November in the league, the Fez Heads' upturn in fortunes has coincided with returns to form and fitness for the Vunipola brothers and Owen Farrell, while wing David Strettle rediscovered his scoring touch with a double over the Exiles.

The club also gave a debut to ground-breaking concussion technology in the game, with players wearing sensors to monitor potential impacts, as the Telegraph's Paul Bolton wrote:

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The sensors, roughly the size of a mobile phone SIM card, have been developed by a company in Seattle and have been used in American Football where they are attached to the players’ helmets.

The sensors measure the force and direction of blows to the head and Saracens hope that the data they collate will help their medical staff improve their understanding of concussion injuries and to devise effective preventative measures.

"

5. Racing Metro (Top 14)

Racing are not setting many fireworks off at the moment, but the results are coming.

They trundled to a 12-9 win over Bordeaux Begles at home to keep their top-four campaign going and sit fourth, four points off top spot.

They have lost only once since November, that a narrow away defeat to Toulouse.

4. Bath (Premiership)

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Bath were outmuscled 17-8 at Welford Road to fall six points behind leaders Northampton. It was an inauspicious first start at outside centre for Sam Burgess who had a quiet day for his new club and was denied a try after a pass to the former Rabbitoh was deemed forward.

The gulf to the leaders is negligible in the context of the league's play-off format which should see Mike Ford's side comfortably qualify for the semi-finals barring a drastic collapse in the second half of the season.

More intriguing were the two post-match lines to come out of the club in Burgess's admission that 15-a-side is a bit harder to master than he thought, per the Telegraph, and the signing of Scarlets and Wales No. 10 Rhys Priestland.

That must have been an awkward dinner table conversation in the Ford household.

3. Toulon (Top 14)

The champions of Europe have lost their way in recent weeks with defeat away to Stade Francais followed by a humbling 16-12 loss to Montpellier.

Leigh Halfpenny's four penalties were all they could muster as Bernard Laporte's men slipped to third in the table.

There is no question Matt Giteau's absence has blunted Toulon's attacking creativity, so it was welcome news, per ESPNScrum.com, that the Australian is back in training following a groin problem.

2. Clermont Auvergne (Top 14)

In the Top 14’s heavyweight collision of the weekend, Clermont battered Toulouse 24-6 at Stade de Marcel Michelin.

Camille Lopez scored 14 points and Wesley Fofana provided a well-taken try to top the win off.

Clermont are now top with a vastly superior points difference over Stade Francais and the better head-to-head record.

A home fixture next with Brive offers them the chance to cement their position, and they then travel to La Rochelle, where they need to banish the French away-day wobbles that affect the top sides in the division so frequently.

1. Northampton (Premiership)

The Saints march on at the top of the Premiership.

Their latest win came over an improved Newcastle side with another strong display from No. 8 Samu Manoa and a hatful of points from fly-half Stephen Myler courtesy of a try, three conversions and two penalties.

Northampton's form, combined with Toulon's slump to two straight defeats, means Jim Mallinder's men deserve top billing in this week's ranking.