Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of January 1-3

Rugby outfits across the continent are hoping 2016 will be their year, with some seeking major improvements and others looking to merely see more of the same continued success.

Saracens moved six points clear at the top of the Premiership standings on Saturday thanks to a 26-6 defeat of Leicester Tigers that once again established their place as front-runners for the crown.

Elsewhere, the Pro12 title race was blown wide open following a weekend of results that saw no fewer than six teams jostling for top spot, with former giants falling while others continue to gain momentum.

Ex-England coach Stuart Lancaster also suffered a setback in his hunt to return to Test rugby, with all that and more discussed in this weekend's biggest winners and losers.

Winner: Pro12 Title Race

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A New Year's Day defeat at Cardiff Arms Park saw Scarlets extend their losing streak to four successive matches, and the Pro12 title hunt is a lot healthier because of it.

Munster triumphed 9-7 at Ravenhill to climb level on points with Ulster and within reach of the summit, while a 14-11 win for Edinburgh at Glasgow Warriors pushed them closer to the top spots.

Second-placed Leinster have a game in hand and sit just a point below Pro12 leader Scarlets, but as we move into 2016, the race to finish at the head of the standings is entirely up for grabs.

Loser: Stuart Lancaster

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It's been revealed Japan won't offer former England coach Lancaster a route back into international coaching as was previously reported, according to the Press Association (h/t ESPN Scrum).

The Sun was cited after claiming the ex-Leeds Carnegie tactician could accept a four-year offer to lead the Cherry Blossoms through the 2019 Rugby World Cup hosts' own tournament.

Additionally, it was reported those responsibilities could also encompass the role as coach of new Super Rugby outfit, the Sunwolves, but former Hurricanes and Cardiff Blues boss Mark Hammett has since taken that position.

Winner: Soaring Saracens

Reigning Premiership champions Saracens are well on their way to a successful title defence after opening up a six-point lead at the division's summit on Saturday.

Mark McCall's men clinched a bonus-point win over Leicester after storming their way to no fewer than three penalty tries along with a fourth, provided by in-form hooker Jamie George.

He, along with the likes of George Kruis and Maro Itoje, is advancing his bid to play more prominent roles in Eddie Jones' England side at the Six Nations, and it's all thanks to his surging club form.

Europe's in-form team continues to devastate the domestic competition, and the Tigers now sit third in the standings, 11 points off the lead and with hope of a 2016 turnaround getting off to a poor start.

Loser: Glasgow Warriors

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While the reigning Premiership champions enjoyed a stellar maintaining of their pace, Pro12 title-holders Glasgow Warriors were not so fortunate in their first outing of 2016.

Gregor Townsend's men suffered a second successive defeat to Edinburgh on Saturday, meaning not only does this most recent disappointment leave Warriors eighth in the Pro12 table, it's also a tremendous blow to the ego.

Retaining their crown is hardly impossible for Glasgow, who lie nine points off the Pro12 lead with half the season to play, but pressure is mounting for a team who looks to be suffering from several substantial summer departures.

Winner: Danny Cipriani

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Owen Farrell is doing a fine job throwing his hat in the ring to start for England thanks to his Saracens form, but another fly-half impressing of late is Sale Sharks maestro Danny Cipriani.

He led Sale to a 15-9 victory against former club Wasps on Saturday, kicking all the hosts' points to show England coach Jones that he can keep the kind of calm he might be looking for in a No. 10.

Sharks coach Steve Diamond told BT Sport he's "confident" Cipriani will rejoin the international fold soon, and his most recent man of the match display will undoubtedly have done his chances a world of good.