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

Rugby fans across the continent were treated to a third successive weekend of action from the European Rugby Champions Cup in recent days as the competition's quarter-final lineup wrapped up.

Saracens, Leicester Tigers, Wasps, Racing 92, Toulon, Exeter Chiefs, Stade Francais and Northampton Saints will all take their places in the tournament's final eight, with the latter three passing as best-placed pool runners-up.

Meanwhile, the Challenge cup quarter-finals also took shape as Harlequins, Gloucester, Sale Sharks, Grenoble, Connacht, Montpellier, Newport Gwent Dragons and London Irish advanced.

Despite the good news, Sarries star Owen Farrell had a moment to forget on the pitch this weekend, while Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal has also been in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

Read on for a roundup of the biggest winners and losers in rugby this weekend.

Winner: English and French Titans

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For the second year in a row, the quarter-final makeup of the Champions Cup has taken on an Anglo-French appearance, as the big-spending powerhouses of England and France continue to flex their muscle.

Saracens' defeat of Toulouse saw them finish the pool with six wins from six, while Racing 92 and Leicester Tigers were similarly dominant in Pool 3 and Pool 4, respectively.

Undoubtedly the story of the weekend, though, was Exeter's feat in turning their tournament around by clinching a 33-17 win over Ospreys to win Pool 2. Meanwhile, Clermont's 37-28 defeat to Bordeaux meant they took the exit.

Upon reaching a new broadcast rights deal with the Aviva Premiership, Top 14 and Pro12 clubs, there was a lurking suspicion English and French clubs could run rampant in Europe, and that's now being confirmed, it seems.

In 2013-14, the last season in which the Heineken Cup was played under that name, three Irish teams made it to the quarter-finals; now, not even one side from outside England or France has made the cut.

England and France account for each of the eight quarter-final berths, including two all-English matchups, and while it may pose great promise for their clubs, prospects look quite dim for the rest of Europe at present.

Loser: Morgan Parra

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He's been the hero on so many occasions for Clermont Auvergne, but he was helpless but to become the villain on Sunday after coaching staff failed to inform their scrum-half of what they needed to advance.

A losing bonus point—along with their four tries—would have been enough for Clermont to advance, but after being awarded a last-minute penalty under the posts, the 27-year-old took a quick tap, which his side failed to convert.

The club's upper echelon may deserve some blame for failing to alert its star of the right decision, but it just goes to show that players need to stay up current on match context in such tight and pivotal matches.

Winner: Virimi Vakatawa

Virimi Vakatawa's rampant rise to the pinnacle of French rugby came full circle last week after Les Bleus coach Guy Noves named the sevens star in his squad for this year's Six Nations.

Ex-Racing 92 winger Vakatawa hasn't played professional rugby in the full-team format since 2013, but the latest Fiji-born sensation is expected to achieve big things after dominating the sevens circuit for some time. 

The rugby world has responded to his international call-up with almost unanimous glee. Even rival USA Sevens couldn't help but celebrate his talents, while ex-Newcastle centre Tom May tipped Vakatawa for a big future.

Of all the surprise selections and debut call-ups named in recent days, France may have their hands on potentially the most exciting in the form of Vakatawa.

Loser: Mourad Boudjellal

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The madness of Mourad Boudjellal's latest scheme can hardly receive its due comment in such a short span, but the Toulon owner's idea to move his club from the Top 14 to the Premiership is desperate and, in many ways, sad.

It's sad because it reinforces the notion that money has come to play a ruling hand in rugby, where chairmen with growing power can affect league policies—precisely what many fans don't want to see. 

It's sad because Boudjellal appears to believe his harebrained idea actually has a chance of passing regulation after being quoted by the Daily Mail's Chris Foy as saying "I'm serious in my approach."

And lastly, it's sad because a man of nigh irrepressible power would rather run to another haven due to spending limitations in his native France than stay and fight within the present means.

The news erupted just last week, but it seems the theory has already been debunked, and its chances of coming to fruition are slim to none.

Winner: Dylan Hartley

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Former England captain Dylan Hartley received grand news over the weekend following reports that he could have a chance of wearing the armband once again, despite his chequered disciplinary past.

According to BBC Sport, new England coach Eddie Jones would be willing to install the Northampton Saints hooker as his leader, even though Hartley has received more than a year's worth of bans in his career.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie stated: "It is primarily a matter for the head coach, and I'm not going to hinder that in any way. It's a matter of balance and perspective, and Dylan I'm sure brings many positives as well to the set-up."

Ritchie insisted Hartley has "paid the penalty," but while that may be enough to gain entry back into the squad, it may not yet be cause to reward him with the captaincy once again just yet.

It could be a risky decision for the Australian, but having only just arrived in the position, it makes sense Jones would look to a figure who's already settled and established in the role.

Loser: Owen Farrell

It was all smiles in the Saracens changing room on Saturday as Mark McCall's side kicked their way to a 28-17 win over Toulouse, thanks largely to the boot of England fly-half Farrell.

The No. 10 converted 14 points for the Aviva Premiership champions, but Farrell's team-mates won't easily let him off the hook after he missed a supreme try-scoring opportunity (see video).

Scything through the Toulouse defence, Farrell needed only to plop down with ball in tow to boost Saracens' lead, but a mistimed case of butterfingers saw the Red Rose playmaker lose out under the posts.