Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of May 22-24

The big guns of European rugby saw their campaigns tick further into the post-season this past weekend as the Premiership and Pro12 each decided which outfits will compete for this year's crowns.

The Top 14's normal season also came to a close as the play-off combatants were decided, along with those teams who weren't fortunate enough to secure their top-flight survival.

Away from the domestic scene, Gloucester took a huge step forward in sealing their Champions Cup future, while England coach Stuart Lancaster handed out international lifelines to a host of his potential stars.

All that and more will be discussed in further detail as we round up the biggest winners and losers in world rugby this weekend.

Winner: Great Britain Women Sevens

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England Women Sevens clinched a 15-14 victory against the United States on Saturday to take the last automatic qualification spot for Rio 2016 on Great Britain's behalf.

The win came in the bronze-medal matchup of this weekend's Amsterdam Sevens World Series leg and acted as a straight shootout for the last automatic spot at next year's Olympics.

Tries from Emily Scarratt, Marlie Packer and Jo Watmore were enough to give England the means necessary for their last-gasp triumph, with coach Simon Middleton quoted by ESPN Scrum as saying:

"

I am obviously absolutely thrilled we have qualified Great Britain for the Olympics. 

Of course, we didn't do it the easy way, leaving it to the dying moments of the last game and then making it go down to the wire with points difference. Looking ahead, we know we have to improve our consistency but it is certainly going to be an exciting period.

"

Great Britain joins Australia, New Zealand and Canada as the quartet to have booked their spots at next year's tournament, while their male counterparts have also qualified.

Loser: Munster

A torrent of crimson flooded from the stands and onto the Thomond Park pitch this Saturday as Paul O'Connell departed the venue for the last time as a Munster player.

Ronan O'Gara took his leave of the sport not so long ago and O'Connell will now sadly join those of the Irish old guard edging closer to the close of their careers.

It's been speculated for months now the Ireland lock will opt for a change of scenery later this year—either by moving club or hanging up his boots altogether—and O'Connell confirmed as much after his side's Pro12 play-off semi-final win over Ospreys.

Speaking to Sky Sports (h/t ESPN Scrum) after helping the Red Army take their place in this season's Pro12 play-off final, O'Connell admitted this was likely his last game as a Munster player at the Limerick site:

"

It probably is. It probably is. I said before the end of the season would be the time for fully making all those decisions but yeah it's probably the last time I will play for Munster here.

Certainly the job isn't done. We have had a poor record in semi-finals in recent years. So to have gotten over that hurdle is great. I suppose we had a really good reputation in the past at being good at knock-out rugby. But in the last eight finals we have been quite poor.

So to get a win over the line, especially against Ospreys who are such a good side in the Pro12 and very good away from home, was great. We'll recover now and prepare for a big game against Glasgow next week.

"

Munster take on Glasgow Warriors next Saturday at Kingspan Stadium hoping to claim this season's Pro12 crown and give O'Connell the best send-off possible.

That will come before the 35-year-old prepares to take part in Ireland's Rugby World Cup, now effectively confirmed as his last major tournament.

Winner: Gluttonous Gloucester

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Having not so long ago taken the inaugural European Rugby Challenge Cup as their own, Gloucester are bound for further continental accomplishments after beating Connacht in the Champions Cup play-off semi-final.

The 40-32 win came thanks to extra-time tries from Darren Dawidiuk and Jonny May, with the Cherry and Whites now ready to take on Bordeaux in next Sunday's play-off final.

This season hasn't always been easy to watch as a Kingsholm supporter, but director of rugby David Humphreys will assuredly be proud with how their term has come to a close.

Charlie Sharples, Bill Meakes and Ross Moriarty were also on the scoresheet for Gloucester to send them past their Irish opponents and into next weekend's make-or-break clash with Bordeaux at Sixways.

Loser: Bayonne

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A rousing 45-12 win over La Rochelle wasn't enough to secure Bayonne's future as a Top 14 outfit on Saturday as they joined Lyon in relegation.

It's heartbreaking news for Bayonne, who finish the campaign level on points with Castres and just one point off both Grenoble and Brive, but they are nonetheless forced to accept a disappointing drop down to France's ProD2.

The seven-try bonus-point victory did in some ways show what the Top 14 will miss with Bayonne now a part of the second tier, signing their season off in style before they attempt to make the long journey back.

Winner: England Fringe Stars

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A clash against the Barbarians next Sunday will give a long list of England potentials their chance to fight for a place at this year's Rugby World Cup after Stuart Lancaster named a 24-man squad for the fixture.

Players from Bath and Saracens have not been considered as they will compete for the Premiership crown just a day before Sunday's Twickenham collision. Gloucester players are also out of the running after booking their place in the Champions Cup play-off final.

Among those fighting to make an impression will be Joe Launchbury—finally making a full return to fitness—along with Christian Wade, Danny Cipriani, Henry Slade and captain Lee Dickson.

Speaking on his selection, via ESPN Scrum, coach Lancaster said:

"

This is an exciting squad with a good mix of young players who have performed well in the Premiership this season, players on the fringes of the World Cup squad and those already selected.

It gives us some valuable time together before the training camps begin next month to assess those who could come into the group before the World Cup and also a chance to assess those who should come into the reckoning beyond 2015.

The Barbarians team is full of quality and experienced internationals who will play together this week against Ireland ahead of our game so it will provide a real test for this group and we are looking forward to that challenge.

"

Robbie Deans will coach the Barbarians side, boasting some elite-level internationals including the likes of newly recruited Wasps man George Smith, Brad Thorn and Adam Jones.