Ranking Europe's Top 15 Club Teams After Weekend of May 22-24

The Aviva Premiership final will be a clash of styles after Bath and Saracens won their semi-finals to reach the Twickenham showpiece next weekend.

Bath swaggered past Leicester in a seven-try romp that had their free-wheeling stamp all over it.

Saracens’ scrapping signature was equally as evident in their 29-24 win over Northampton to give themselves a chance of shackling Mike Ford’s men and reclaiming the title they last won in 2011.

In the Pro 12, Glasgow overcame Ulster, while Munster saw off the Ospreys. The two will travel to Belfast for the final.

In France, the league programme came to an end with the real drama taking place in Toulouse, where a last-gasp miss in front of the posts by Bordeaux’s Lionel Beauxis cost his team a place in the play-offs.

Here is what it all means for the power rankings this week.

15. Exeter

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A fine season for Exeter ended before the knockout rugby began when the Saracen pipped them in the play-offs.

But Rob Baxter’s men can reflect on a strong campaign that got them to the final of the LV Cup and the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup.

With some smart recruitment in the summer, Exeter's progression from Championship club to silverware contenders in the top flight should continue its trajectory next season.

14. Ulster

Ulster recalled all their big names for their return to Glasgow, having been beaten there a week earlier.

And it looked for a long time like the changes would do the trick and secure a place in a final on their own home turf.

But the record of no away winners in the competition’s semi-finals was upheld when Finn Russell converted DTH van der Merwe’s late try. The Belfast Telegraph’s Jonathan Bradley wrote that Ulster had earlier defeats in the campaign to lower opposition to blame for this semi-final not being played at their place:

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In the first-half of last night’s defeat Ulster played some great rugby but, with the margin of error so thin when visiting the likes of Scotstoun, it just wasn't enough and only served to further highlight the great importance of finishing in the league's top two. A lesson for next season must surely be to remember just how costly losses to the likes of Zebre and Dragons later became.

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13. Oyonnax

Oyonnax occupy the final play-off spot in France after their defeat at Toulon.

It is a fine achievement for Christophe Urios’ men in only their second season in the top flight.

They will travel to Toulouse to play for a place in the last four, where they lost by just a single point back in August. They beat the giants 9-3 as recently as March.

12. Ospreys

Ospreys nearly pulled off a late smash and grab to beat Munster and claim a place in the Pro 12 final.

Their final attack ended with Josh Matavesi crossing the stripe, but they were denied what would have been a match-winning try after Nigel Owens called play back to check on a suspected Rhys Webb knock-on at the start of the move.

The video replay confirmed Owens’ suspicions, and he blew the final whistle.

The season ends trophy-less for Steve Tandy’s side, but in Webb and Dan Biggar, Ospreys have one of the best half-back pairings in Europe and a solid spine of a team that will improve.

11. Leicester

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The chasm in finishing and cutting edge between the Tigers and Bath was frightening in their 47-10 defeat.

Richard Cockerill’s men have battled injuries and poor form all season but still dominated territory and possession against Mike Ford’s team. It counted for little against a clinical Bath side, though.

Leicester will go away and lick their wounds, intent on being better next season.

10. Racing Metro

Racing got themselves back into the play-offs on the final day with thumping 53-10 win over Castres.

Juan Imhoff scored two of his side’s six tries as they took advantage of defeats for Bordeaux and Oyonnax to secure a fifth-place finish and book a quarter-final with Stade Francais.

A season that took a nosedive after their exit from Europe threatened to end with this star-studded side outside the play-off picture.

But in their final season in France, Jonny Sexton and Jamie Roberts still have a shot at leaving their team as champions.

9. Stade Francais

Stade suffered a shock 27-0 defeat to Brive, who saved themselves from relegation with this result and sent Stade into a quarter-final with Parisian rivals Racing Metro.

It meant Gonzalo Quesada’s men finished fourth in the table; they're level on 70 points with Toulouse but with one less win.

Crucially, it also sends them into the play-offs low on confidence and devoid of momentum.

8. Toulouse

Toulouse claimed third place after a dramatic 23-22 win over Bordeaux-Begles.

The home side were down to 14 men after a red card for Census Johnston for punching, and they had a horrible last-minute miss by Lionel Beauxis to thank for sealing a win that knocked Raphael Ibanez’s side out of the play-offs.

Toulouse will now play Oyonnax for a place in the semi-final.

7. Northampton

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The Saints fell victim to Saracens' tenacity and a raft of injuries that hampered their bid to defend their Premiership title.

Already without Ben Foden and George North, they lost Foden’s two replacements, Ahsee Tuala and James Wilson, by half-time, and the team also lost prop Alex Corbisiero to a shoulder problem during the first half.

Add to that a ferocity from Saracens that Jim Mallinder’s men couldn’t live with, and it was clear that this just wasn’t Saints’ day.

A season in which they were runaway winners of the league has ultimately ended fruitless, with a humbling defeat that knocked them out of Europe and now a home reverse in the Premiership semi-finals.

6. Munster

Munster held off a late comeback from Ospreys to book a place in the Pro 12 final.

After Paddy Butler’s 49th-minute try made it 21-8, the Irish side looked set for a comfortable last half-hour against Steve Tandy’s men, but a try from Jeff Hassler and five points from Dan Biggar made it a tense finish as Anthony Foley’s men hung on for a 21-18 win.

In what may have been Paul O’Connell’s last game for the province at Thomond Park, it might have been a farewell defeat had Rhys Webb not knocked on in the build-up to Josh Matavesi’s score.

That aside, the Irish Independent’s Ruariadh O’Connor says there are problems for Munster to sort out before the final: "Anthony Foley has much work to do ahead of their meeting with Glasgow Warriors at Kingspan Stadium next Saturday. Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and Simon Zebo all left the field early, his fly-half has the yips and their fast and loose game plan kept Ospreys in it to the end."

5. Glasgow

Glasgow left it late against Ulster, but DTH van der Merwe’s 75th-minute try hauled them level, and Finn Russell’s conversion from somewhere near the right hand touchline sent them to Belfast for the Pro 12 final.

That they had just defeated the team who call the final venue home made it all the sweeter for Gregor Townsend’s men.

They had beaten the same side in the last round of the regular season to set this immediate re-match up, and Ulster’s altered lineup looked to have done a job on the Scotsmen until van der Merwe’s try, courtesy of a sumptuous miss pass from Russell, sent Scotstoun wild.

4. Bath

Bath obliterated Leicester to reach their first Premiership final since 2004.

Seven tries from Mike Ford’s men, including a hat-trick for wing Matt Banahan, blew the Tigers away 47-10 at the Rec.

They did all this despite living off meagre possession, according to ESPN.co.uk, where the stats read 65 per cent possession for the East Midlands side and 70 per cent territory.

The Independent’s Chris Hewett wrote:

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Despite spending well over half the semi-final being smashed around by the visiting forwards and staying alive on scraps of possession that barely amounted to starvation rations, the West Countrymen succeeded in making a…point about the nature of the union game: namely, that there is one hell of a lot more to it than an 80-minute dogfight at the tackle area and endless driving mauls from five-metre line-outs.

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3. Saracens

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Saracens summoned all their famed grit and determination to raid the home of the champions and end their reign with a 29-26 win over Northampton to reach the Premiership final.

Mark McCall’s players were as rabid in their pursuit of Northampton ball-carriers as their "wolf pack" nickname suggests. The Independent’s Hugh Godwin wrote:

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How fitting that this Premiership semi-final should come to a shuddering end…with a penalty to Saracens at a breakdown. The home team…were sucked for the umpteenth time into a Saracens whirlpool, victims of Jamie George and Juan Figallo jackalling over the ball. It could have been any one from the titanic Saracens pack: Jacques Burger, the Vunipola brothers Mako and Billy, the astonishingly athletic Maro Itoje, the replacement lock Jim Hamilton… it would be unfair not to mention every man-jack of them.

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Five of that pack got into double figures for their tackle count, per ESPN.co.uk, including hooker Jamie George, who joined David Strettle on the scoresheet.

The rest of the victors’ points came from Owen Farrell’s boot, who made 14 tackles as well. Sarries lived on the edge, however, and Mako Vunipola spent 10 minutes in the sin bin for a ruck infringement, while the outstanding Burger also coughed up a penalty at the breakdown, contributing to 19 penalties conceded.

Make no mistake: This will be a statistic Bath’s coaching staff will ensure next week’s referee will be aware of.

For now, you have to credit Saracens for their attitude, endeavour and quality under pressure.

2. Clermont Auvergne

Clermont made sure of second place and a bye into the semi-finals with a 29-17 win over Montpellier.

Tries from Fritz Lee and Jonathan Davies helped overturn an early deficit, with the shoe leather of Morgan Parra and Ludovic Radosavljevic doing the rest of the work.

Whoever they face in the semis, you can be sure that unless this campaign ends with Clermont as champions, these perennial bridesmaids will remain closely acquainted with the tag of chokers.

1. Toulon

Toulon sealed first place in the Top 14 with a 46-17 win over Oyonnax.

The result ensured Bernard Laporte’s men safe passage through to a home semi-final in their bid to repeat last season's European and domestic double.

Drew Mitchell led the way in this rout with a brace that confirmed the champions will be able to put their feet up as the play-offs begin.