Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of January 30 to February 1

Sonny Bill Williams swapped the rugby pitch for a square battleground this weekend, as he took his talents back to the boxing ring, while the Six Nations participants edged one step closer to the start of the tournament.

In the business world, Leinster have big prospects in sight after announcing their intention to redevelop the RDS, giving the Dublin giants a potential platform to once again be considered among Europe's titans.

It wasn't all positive for the Six Nations contenders, though, as a certain England Saxon took his first, slightly disappointing steps toward the national team, while the Top 14 standings were shaken up by a couple of shock results.

Read on for in-depth discussion of all that and more in this weekend's roundup of the biggest winners and losers in world rugby.

Winner: Bath, Blues Earn Impressive Victories in LV= Cup

Steve Bardens/Getty Images

Saracens, Leicester Tigers and Exeter Chiefs each claimed victories to retain top spot among their respective LV= Cup pools this weekend, while a massive 45-42 win over Wasps saw Cardiff Blues claim Pool 3's summit.

Mark Hammett's men weren't the only ones to impress en route to a bonus-point win, however, as Bath edged Harlequins 23-21 at the Stoop to move within reach of Pool 1 leaders Saracens.

It was a mixed weekend for the Pro12 sides, as Scarlets beat London Irish 27-18 to claim their first win of the tournament—a feat Newport Gwent Dragons and Ospreys couldn't replicate against Exeter and Gloucester respectively.

The Six Nations means some sides have been weakened even further in the face of international selection, but the LV= Cup continues to serve as an entertaining testament of how deep resources run among the Anglo-Welsh teams.

Loser: Clermont and Stade Francais Suffer Shock Top 14 Setbacks

David Rogers/Getty Images

Saturday proved to be a fruitful day for the minnows of the Top 14, as La Rochelle defended their borders from the threat of Clermont Auvergne, while Stade Francais suffered a damaging home defeat to Oyonnax.

Promoted party La Rochelle left it late to seal their victory, as Mali Hingano crossed over in the 77th minute to help seal a 16-12 triumph, while the victory in Paris was only Oyonnax's second away win of the campaign.

It just so happens their first away win also came in Paris, when they emerged as victors over Racing Metro back in November, with the capital seemingly a favourable destination for the team who thrive best at home.

The bonus point means Stade still finish Round 17 of the 2014-15 season level on points with Toulon and Clermont, but the reigning champions may be seen as better equipped to cope with the loss of internationals during the Six Nations.

Winner: Bright Days Ahead as Leinster Announce RDS Expansion

David Rogers/Getty Images

The Royal Dublin Society Stadium will soon undergo massive transformation after it was revealed that €20 million (£15 million) will be spent on its redevelopment.

Per ESPN Scrum, the ground will be turned into a 25,000-seat venue, with the renovations planned to begin in 2016. Club CEO Mick Dawson is quoted as saying:

"

Leinster Rugby has a loyal supporter base and the redeveloped capacity of 25,000 in a purpose-built venue will provide greater opportunities for our supporters and commercial operations. Gate revenue is a significant feature of our current business model, and we are sure that this redevelopment will help with this, as well as allowing us to explore additional commercial revenue streams.

At the moment, we have a section of terrace for supporters and though the final plans are not yet complete, we hope to have a terraced section in the new stadium to accommodate people who prefer this. Though the majority of supporters will be seated.

"

Compared to other Irish teams, Leinster have been among the more active investors in foreign transfers in recent years, and the stadium investment could set the province up for more big moves in the future.

With the promise of selling naming rights to help foot the bill of the redevelopment, Leinster may soon take their challenge against the French and English sides one step further thanks to a move that promises to benefit the club hugely in the long term.

Loser: Saxons Earn Wolfhounds Victory, but Sam Burgess Fails to Shine

Henry Slade and Christian Wade did their bit to impress coach Stuart Lancaster, as the duo each scored tries for England Saxons in an 18-9 win over the Irish Wolfhounds.

The "A" team fixture had a number of intriguing storylines comprised within, one of which was how Bath man Sam Burgess would fare on his representative debut in union. The answer: Not that well.

Burgess was largely forgettable in what was a fixture lacking in rhythm for patches, Ian Madigan kicking all the points for an Irish side that struggled to find any sense of tempo with ball in hand.

Joe Schmidt will have been pleased to see Sean O'Brien make his first appearance since returning from shoulder surgery, but Lancaster's faith in Burgess' rise won't have been boosted by this performance.

The centre managed to gain just nine metres off six carries, per ESPN Scrum, the fewest made by any starting Saxons back except scrum-half Lee Dickson, while his defensive work was also far from inspiring.

Winner: Sonny Bill Williams Extends Unbeaten Boxing Record

Even with the 2015 Super Rugby season looming, the Chiefs' superhuman-like Sonny Bill Williams managed to fit preparation for a boxing match into his preseason routine—successfully too, as Saturday's win displayed.

The New Zealand international took his fight record to 7-0 thanks to this weekend's unanimous-decision win over American Chauncy Welliver.

As the attached video shows, the 31-year-old Spokane native is far from an elite competitor, coming into the Sydney bout on the back of a three-fight losing streak.

Nonetheless, Williams' fascination with the boxing world continues to spin in pristine fashion, leaving the barnstorming centre in good spirits ahead of his first season back in Super Rugby.