Power Ranking Europe's Top 15 Club Teams After Weekend of Jan. 9-11

The year's first phase of domestic action signed off to make way for the finale of the European pool stages next weekend.

In England, the leaders stumbled while the race for the playoff intensified with a win for Harlequins. Meanwhile, Sam Burgess opened his account.

In the Pro 12, the Ospreys recovered from defeat to the Scarlets to regain top spot with victory over the Dragons, while Munster and Leinster both stayed in pursuit of the top two.

French action centered around impressive wins for top two Clermont Auvergne and Stade Francais, with Toulon returning to winning ways.

As a refresher on the ranking criteria, we assess domestic and European form. For example, a team looking good at home and flying in the Champions Cup will get a higher rank than a team doing well in their league but struggling in Europe or playing in the lower tier Challenge Cup.

Based on that logic, here are this week's rankings.

15. Exeter (Premiership)

Exeter might be above Quins in the league, but the fact the Twickenham team are grasping for the last 16 in Europe’s elite whole the Chiefs slum it in the Challenge Cup gives Quins a leg up this rank and sends the Chiefs to 15th.

Furthermore, they were beaten this weekend by Shane Geraghty’s late drop goal for London Irish—not ideal preparation for a pool decider in Europe with a dangerous Connacht side.

14. Munster (Pro 12)

Despite keeping them third in the Pro 12, a routine win over lowly Zebre does not do much for Munster’s standing here.

They are three points behind Saracens and four behind Clermont in Pool 1 of the Champions Cup.

That means defeat on Saturday in North London will confirm their exit from the tournament. Were it anyone but Munster, you might be inclined to read their last rites now.

13. Harlequins (Premiership)

Quins are up to seventh in the Premiership after an impressive win over Leicester.

Fine displays from Danny Care and Nick Easter did their England prospects the power of good, while it also sparked chances of making the play-offs.

Conor O’Shea’s men are a point behind sixth- and fifth-placed Exeter and Leicester, respectively, and just two off Wasps, who are next at the Stoop to contest second spot in Pool 2 of the Champions Cup.

It is a fixture that will have great bearing on this ranking for both sides. Quins' better European record and chances of going through give them the edge over Munster.

12. Glasgow (Pro 12)

European qualification looks a non-starter for Glasgow, who would need Bath to topple Toulouse and score a heavy win over Montpellier themselves to revive hopes.

But in the Pro 12, they stay hot on Ospreys' heels after a 22-7 win over Scarlets to maintain a 100 per cent home record in the league.

Their fine league campaign gives the the edge over improving Harlequins for now. 

11. Toulouse (Top 14)

Toulouse sit seventh in the league after a 29-26 win over Grenoble.

They head their Champions Cup section by six points and await Bath at the Stade Ernest Wallon this weekend.

They are four points away from top-four status at home and have the firepower to get there. A significant advance up this ladder is not beyond them should they secure knockout Champions Cup rugby.

10. Wasps (Premiership)

Wasps added a heaped teaspoon of respectability to their defeat at Bath with late tries from Ben Jacobs and Alex Lozowski in the 32-26 reverse.

It might have been a welcome dose of reality after their thumping of Sale at home in the previous round, and it certainly brings this weekend’s challenge into stark relief.

Dai Young’s men sit one point behind Leinster and Harlequins in Champions Cup Pool 2.

A win against Quins on Saturday will set up a take-all finale with the Dubliners at the Ricoh a week later.

But Quins, fresh from walloping Leicester at the Stoop, will test James Haskell and Co. sternly. You can’t really call this a London derby anymore, but it could be the tie of the round.

9. Leinster (Pro 12)

Fourth in the Pro 12, Leinster secured a good away win at Cardiff before returning their focus to Champions Cup matters.

A home tie against a terrible Castres outfit should see them retain top spot in their pool as Harlequins and Wasps scrap it out for second.

Their far superior European performance thus far keeps them above Munster and Glasgow in this ranking, who both head them in the Pro 12.

8. Saracens (Premiership)

Sarries were undone by a booming, last-gasp penalty from James Hook as they lost 24-23 to Gloucester.

It could have been a different story had Chris Ashton not been in front of Neil de Kock before chasing down the No. 9’s kick to score what would have been the decisive try.

He was, and Saracens now have to pick themselves up to take on Munster at Allianz Park this weekend.

Any sort of win will put them top of the pool before Clermont Auvergne kick off later at Sale.

7. Racing Metro (Top 14)

Racing lost ground on the three teams above them with defeat at Toulon in the Top 14.

Wales coach Warren Gatland will have been pleased to see Jamie Roberts get on the score sheet to supplement a fine display from Leigh halfpenny on the home side.

Racing need to claim maximum points in their Champions Cup clash with Treviso this weekend to ensure they travel to Franklin’s Gardens in a strong position for the pool denouement with Northampton.

6. Stade Francais (Top 14)

An emotional weekend in the French capital saw Stade take on Castres—and take them apart, 49-13.

The pregame formalities gave a nod to events in Paris as both sides wore T-shirts in tribute to the massacre at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, and a minute’s silence was observed.

The crowd was soon in full voice to roar approval of a Sergio Parisse hat-trick in a six-try romp that put Stade top by five points until Clermont played later on Saturday.

Stade are second only on head-to-head with the men from the Massif Central, although their dismal European campaign in the Challenge Cup diminishes their ranking here.

5. Ospreys (Pro 12)

A 22-11 win over the Dragons ensured the Pro 12's top spot for the Ospreys before European warfare resumes.

Dan Biggar’s accuracy from the tee saw five penalties and a conversion added to Tyler Ardron’s solitary try from Steve Tandy’s side.

A game short on drama left Wales Online’s Andy Howell to sum up the Ospreys campaign so far thus:

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Before the clash with the Dragons, Ospreys had won only three of their last 11 fixtures in all competitions.

They might be Wales’ best team by a mile in the Pro12 but their points haul in the league was just one higher than at the same stage last season, when they failed to finish in the top four and make the title play-offs.

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They can show what they are made of this coming weekend when English champions Northampton arrive at the Liberty Stadium, where only a bonus-point win will keep a flicker of Europe alive.

Any sort of win will boost their ranking here.

4. Bath (Premiership)

Bath put Wasps to the sword at the Rec to close the gap at the top of the Premiership to a single point.

Sam Burgess took the limelight with his first try and vastly improved performance at inside centre, but the home pack was equally impressive.

They set the platform for George Ford’s talented back line to attack from front-foot ball and greedily took advantage.

A groin strain sustained by Semesa Rokoduguni was one sour note for Mike Ford’s men. A litmus test awaits this team in Toulouse this weekend. A win might still not be enough to get them out of their group, but it would signal their quality and their chances of taking out the Premiership this season.

If selected, it would also show us if "Slammin' Sam" has improved as quickly as this display suggested.

3. Northampton (Premiership)

The Saints slipped up away to Sale, who took full advantage of a depowered Northampton pack in a 20-7 win.

Jim Mallinder was forced to pick back rowers Calum Clark and Sam Dickinson in the engine room with no Courtney Lawes of Christian Day available. That lack of second-row strength told as Sale rumbled two scores over from mauls and generally beat the champions up front.

Clark and Dickinson also both saw yellow on an afternoon to forget for the Saints.

It’s not ideal preparation for a crucial trip to Swansea next weekend where Champions Cup-qualification chances could do with a bonus point win against Pro 12 leaders Ospreys.

2. Toulon (Top 14)

Bernard Laporte’s men return to second spot in this ranking with a good win over top-four rivals Racing Metro.

The return of Matt Giteau was welcome for the men from the Mayol, with the Australian scoring his side’s fourth try and opening up Racing’s rearguard with two clean breaks and three defenders beaten.

Leigh Halfpenny also looked in good nick, with a timely penalty to keep the visitors at arm’s length after the Parisians had fought back from 22-3 to 22-20 after half­­–time.

1. Clermont Auvergne (Top 14)

Les Jaunards slaughtered Brive 44-20 to stay top of the pile in France. Napolioni Nalaga caused havoc down Brive’s right-hand side, and—behind a dominant pack—fly-half Camille Lopez had his back line purring.

Willing runners were coming off his shoulders left and right, and Clermont’s midfield combination of Jonathan Davies and Benson Stanley were too hot to handle for Brive’s bewildered defenders.

As they head into Europe with qualification from a tough pool not yet secure, their shaky away form will come under scrutiny in the Mancunian evening gloom against a Sale side showing vast improvement.

Clermont are notoriously bad travelers, and the pressure will be firmly on to produce a performance to stay atop the pool.