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

There was no shortage of drama—and just a hint of comedy—about the final weekend of pool play in the Champions Cup, as we learned who will face who in the quarter-finals.

One of the most striking things about how the last eight clubs have shaken out is that we are guaranteed an English team in the final, with four Premiership sides in the top half of the draw.

Saracens will play Northampton, while escape artists Exeter will face Wasps, with the winner of each game facing off for a place in the final.

In the bottom half of the last-eight draw, Racing 92 will host Toulon, while Leicester face Stade Francais—a side they have already battled twice in the pool phase.

It's a curious-looking draw and notable for the absence of Clermont Auvergne, who were the shock side to find themselves out of the tournament after a tumultuous weekend.

Here is what it means for the B/R power ranking.

15. Leinster (Last Week, 6)

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Leinster went out with a whimper against Wasps.

Leo Cullen's men shipped 51 points to the Ricoh Arena side to put the final nail in an awful Champions Cup season for the three-time winners.

They had rallied of late in the Pro12 and are a single point behind Scarlets with a game in hand.

14. Ospreys (7)

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The Ospreys began the weekend leading their pool with qualification in their own hands, but a trip to Sandy Park is not the sort of final hurdle you want in your way.

Steve Tandy's men duly came unstuck in Devon as the Chiefs plundered a bonus-point victory and swept past the Welshmen into first place.

Ospreys must now throw their lot into the rest of the Pro12 campaign, where they languish seventh, some way off the play-off spots.

13. Toulouse (13)

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Toulouse ended a sorrowful Champions Cup campaign with another defeat, this time at home to Saracens.

The 28-17 loss ended a poor pool phase, and they will now have to refocus on their league position, where they sit second behind leaders Racing 92.

12. Clermont Auvergne (5)

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Clermont hit the self-destruct button and found themselves out of Europe after a historic home defeat to Bordeaux-Begles.

The men from the Massif Central had not lost in Europe at home for six years. Even in defeat they could have salvaged qualification by kicking a late penalty and earning a losing bonus point.

But Morgan Parra had other ideas and went for broke, leaving Les Jaunards pondering a springtime with no prospect of finally capturing that elusive European crown.

11. Harlequins (8)

Harlequins slip after putting their feet up and handing Montpellier a handsome 42-9 win on Friday, having already qualified for the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

They will play London Irish in an all-Premiership last-eight clash, with both sides' league form making Quins heavy favourites to win at home and advance to the semi-finals.

10. Bordeaux-Begles (14)

They get nothing but their bus fare home for it, but at least Bordeaux-Begles will go down as the team who ended Clermont's six-year winning record at home in Europe.

Their 37-28 win over Les Jaunards turned the pool on its head and meant Raphael Ibanez's men only missed out on winning the pool by points difference in their head to head with Exeter.

9. Ulster (10)

Ulster hammered Oyonnax, but it still couldn't get the Irish side into the last eight.

Before this tournament began, if Les Kiss' side had been told they would beat both Toulouse and Oyonnax home and away, they would have been forgiven for thinking that might be enough to get them a place in the next round.

But Stade Francais' win over Leicester and Northampton's bonus-point victory over Scarlets pushed the Irishmen further down the list.

8. Northampton (15)

The Saints made the last eight of the European Cup with a 22-6 win at the Scarlets that was enough to take one of the three available runner-up spots.

They scored four tries in west Wales to put them in with a shout of qualification should other results go their way.

That they did was a boost for Jim Mallinder's men, who have had a poor domestic campaign so far.

7. Stade Francais (12)

Stade's win over Leicester saw them sneak into the quarter-finals at Ulster's expense.

The Parisians' poor season in the Top 14 will be soothed a little by their progress in Europe, but the Tigers stand in their way once again if they are to go any further.

With such a poor position in the league, Stade know their hopes of retaining their domestic title are slim, so the clash in the east Midlands will define this season for the men in pink.

6. Leicester (4)

Leicester lost their 100 percent record with defeat to Stade Francais, but the Tigers still go through as pool winners.

And their reward is a repeat fixture at Welford Road with the Parisians. By that time, Manu Tuilagi should be further along in a return to full fitness that has been impressive so far.

The England man scored in this clash, with a try that required him to test his troublesome groin with a sprint away from two Stade chasers.

5. Wasps (11)

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Wasps went on the rampage against Leinster to win a pool containing champions Toulon.

Their 51-10 win over the Irish side earned them a home clash with Exeter in the next round, and another eye-catching performance from centre Elliot Daly forwarded his case for England selection, per the Guardian.

Individual performances aside, Wasps should rightfully take a moment to pat themselves on the back for winning a pool containing three clubs with no less than seven European Cups cluttering up their sideboards.

The Wasps sides that won two of their own in 2004 and 2007 feels like a lifetime ago, but this one is showing signs it can beat any of the remaining contenders when really on their game.

4. Exeter (9)

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Exeter take a giant leap up the ranking for pulling off their half miracle on the final day that propelled them into the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

The Chiefs began the day five points behind the Welsh side and three behind Clermont Auvergne.

But Rob Baxter's men ended up top of the pile after a four-try win over the Welshmen, while Clermont lost at home to Bordeaux.

It left three teams in the pool with 16 points, with tournament rules stating the final standings would be decided on the points gained in matches between the sides.

That saw Exeter and Bordeaux still equal on 11 points, but, per EPCRugby.com:

"

As the match points totals of the Exeter Chiefs and Bordeaux-Begles were equal, the order in which they were deemed to have finished in the pool was decided by the aggregate points difference from matches played between the three clubs.

Exeter Chiefs' points difference from the matches was +12 and Bordeaux-Begles' points difference from the matches was – 5.

"

3. Racing 92 (2)

Racing slide a place after an away defeat to Glasgow. They rested their stars for this one with first place in their pool already assured, so there was no Dan Carter, Juan Imhoff, Dimitri Szarzewski, Mike Phillips and Yannick Nyanga, per the Belfast Telegraph.

It may have shorn the romance from the match and was shame for the home fans to not to see that collection of talent on display, but the Parisians will have a well-rested lineup to resume Top 14 duties next weekend.

2. Toulon (3)

Toulon replace Racing 92 in second place in the ranking after a 19-14 win at Bath put them through to the quarter-finals.

The champions finished level on points with Wasps but behind on bonus points in Pool 5, meaning they will have to travel to meet French rivals Racing in April.

1. Saracens (1)

Saracens completed a 28-17 win on the road at Toulouse, although a laughable fumble over the line by Owen Farrell could have been more damaging had the French side made him pay for the error.

Instead, Farrell's two late penalties preserved Sarries' perfect record in the pool stages and set them on course for a quarter-final clash with Northampton.