Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of January 15-17

International rugby is once again within reach as the Six Nations edges ever nearer, and Europe's biggest stars are clearly looking to impress after the Champions Cup laid on a spectacle this weekend.

Not every player was on their best behaviour, though, as a certain Clermont Auvergne forward was told off for pushing an official, while others demonstrated tremendous sportsmanship in the same fixture.

We also saw our first batch of clubs make it through to the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup, while the departures list grew in kind.

Read on as we discuss the biggest winners and losers from around the world of rugby this week.

Winner: Champions Cup Qualifiers

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It was a big weekend for English club rugby as Saracens and Leicester Tigers sealed their places in the final eight of this season's Champions Cup, finishing top of Pool 1 and Pool 4, respectively, with a game to spare.

They're joined in the quarter-finals by Racing 92, who obliterated Scarlets 64-14 on Sunday to maintain their unbeaten run through Pool 3, where Northampton Saints are also hoping to finish on a high note.

Ospreys beat Clermont Auvergne to move to the summit of Pool 2 and are the only team outside England and France to head any pool. Meanwhile, Toulon's 15-11 victory over Wasps on Sunday puts them at the top of Pool 5, but just a single point separates the two clubs, with reigning champions Toulon travelling to Bath next Saturday, while Dai Young's side host Leinster.

A host of European titans are still contending for places as second-best finishers in their respective groups, but as things stand, Saracens, Leicester and Racing are the only trio to have booked their spots in the next phase.

Loser: Viktor Kolelishvili

Pushing an opponent off the ball is one thing; pushing the referee in any context is an entirely less forgivable offence.

Clearly, the letter of the law doesn't ring true with Clermont Auvergne flanker Viktor Kolelishvili, however, after he was pictured pushing referee Wayne Barnes to get a clearer view of the Ospreys defence on Friday.

The Georgian was extremely fortunate not to be shown a yellow card at the time, but Paul Williams of Rugby World called for him to receive a hefty retrospective punishment for his "bonkers" offence.

European Rugby risks a dangerous precedent being set if it fails to do so, with players threatening to run amok in their ref-barging unless an example is made of Kolelishvili.

Winner: England Newcomers

The Eddie Jones era is beginning to take shape, and the England coach's reign underwent its first substantial development on Thursday after the national team's head coach named his 33-man squad for the Six Nations.

The Australian is yet to select a captain, but the armband is up for grabs with a host of young guns coming through and no less than seven uncapped players named.

Included in that number is Maro Itoje (Saracens), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks), Paul Hill (Northampton Saints), Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs), Jack Clifford (Harlequins) and Ollie Devoto (Bath).

Only 11 of the players in the squad are aged 25 and over, showing a desire from Jones to promote a new wave of potential superstars in time for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Among those more experienced players sits a batch of familiar names, but Jones' fresh perspective really has opened up the international platform to those yet to taste Test rugby.

Loser: Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle Falcons are about as close to rock bottom as they've been in recent years.

Adrift at the bottom of the Aviva Premiership and with survival prospects uncertain, the club's campaign dropped to a new low on Saturday in the wake of a 24-7 defeat to Russian side Enisei STM.

Enisei remain at the bottom of Pool 1 in the Challenge Cup, but their weekend win represents just the second time a club from outside Europe's Six Nations has managed to defeat a Premiership outfit.

As a result, Newcastle's Challenge Cup future is also in serious doubt as they sit behind Brive and Connacht in the Pool 1 order, meaning the one saving grace of their 2015-16 season might have just been dusted off.

The Chronicle's Mark Smith detailed Saturday's outing as "the worst Falcons performance" he'd seen "for ages," and the northeast outfit are desperate to come out of their tailspin.

Winner: Alun Wyn Jones

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In the same week that he penned a dual contract with Ospreys and Wales, Alun Wyn Jones also enjoyed a barnstorming performance in the Welsh club's 21-13 win over Clermont last Friday.

But apart from leading his side to a memorable European win, Jones also displayed some spectacular class when he pleaded with official Barnes to refrain from showing an opponent a yellow card.

The Ospreys lock was twice thumped by Clermont flanker Kolelishvili during altercations on the floor, but that didn't stop Jones telling Barnes to keep 30 men on the pitch, despite the advantage it would have given the hosts.

BBC Sport commentator Brian Moore hailed Jones as an "outstanding" player following his performance, where his rare show of sportsmanship only built on a terrific contribution to the team.