FloRugby Professional Club Power Rankings: Oct. 8, 2025
FloRugby Professional Club Power Rankings: Oct. 8, 2025
Bayonne surges to No. 1 in FloRugby’s Oct. 8 Combined Club Power Rankings after dominating Toulouse. Munster, Saracens and Bath battle.
The Oct. 8 Combined Club Power Rankings combine the leading teams from the URC, Gallagher Premiership and Top 14 into a unified system that measures form, consistency and the quality of opposition.
Our proprietary model is designed to track long-term performance trends while rewarding short-term momentum, recognizing teams that outperform strong opposition and penalizing those that falter against weaker sides.
The rankings balance results, context and the strength of schedule to offer a true picture of a team's current competitive standing.
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This week’s movement tells a fascinating story across Europe and South Africa.
Bayonne’s rise to the top continues to defy expectations, and the team has developed from early-season dark horse into genuine contender.
Munster and Saracens remain level on points, with Bath is close behind after another statement showing in the Premiership.
Toulon’s home form has it climbing rapidly, while the Stormers and Bulls look like the class of the URC’s South African contingent.
At the other end, traditional heavyweights such as Toulouse, Leinster and La Rochelle are struggling to find rhythm, their early-season stumbles highlighting the depth of competition across the major leagues.
As the club season gathers momentum, these rankings will continue to evolve in step with Europe’s domestic battles and the looming return of continental competition.
With several high-profile fixtures on the horizon, expect significant shifts in the coming weeks as teams rotate, adapt and attempt to maintain form through the grind of autumn.
The margins between the top four teams are razor-thin, meaning a single upset could rewrite the landscape entirely.
Here is how our FloRugby Power Rankings shake out on Oct. 8, 2025:
1. Bayonne - 1,578 ranking points
Stealing a march on the rest of the league, Bayonne’s rise as a French Rugby force has kicked up another gear to start this season.
Dominating Toulouse in Round 5 to secure a 40-26 win was as big a statement as a team can make in the Top 14.
This win, coupled with their last-minute victory over Toulon a week earlier, proves that Bayonne can win in a multitude of fashions and firmly installs the squad as a contender this season.
2. Munster - 1,572 ranking points
Two from two to start the Clayton McMillan era is a really promising sign for one of European Rugby’s giants.
Certainly, the performance will have left plenty of meat on the bone for McMillan to sink his teeth into as his side held of an impressive Cardiff side at Thomond Park.
This Friday, against Edinburgh in Cork, will be an interesting insight into who McMillan views as his first-choice side ahead of their clash with Leinster at Croke Park in Round 4.
3. Saracens - 1,570 ranking points
Another awakening giant, Owen Farrell’s Saracens, battered fellow title contender Bristol in Round 2.
Eventually racking up 50 points, Sarries' ability to play a wide attacking game is directly linked to how dominant the pack has been through two rounds.
In the back line, Fergus Burke and Farrell’s dual playmaking combination is a mismatch headache for defense coaches.
4. Bath - 1,569 ranking points
Joint on points with their biggest rivals for the title, the reigning champions battered the Sale Sharks into submission in Round 2.
Still yet to welcome back a host of international stars, namely Finn Russell and Santiago Carreras, Bath is only going to get stronger as the season rolls on.
5. Toulon - 1,569 ranking points
Bouncing back in style following a last-minute loss to Bayonne in Round 4, RCT comprehensively saw off Pau in Round 5.
Similar to Munster and Saracens, Toulon is a side that is working its way back to the upper echelons of European Rugby, following a downturn in standards over the past decade.
6. Zebre - 1,550 ranking points
Few would’ve predicted a 2-0 start for the URC’s perennial strugglers to start the season.
Yet, it should not come as a major surprise, given the team's significant improvement throughout last season.
Next up, is a tricky, but certainly winnable, trip to Swansea to face the Ospreys. Win there, and they already will be two wins shy of their total from last season.
7. DHL Stormers - 1,548 ranking points
Another URC side that has started red-hot this season, the Season 1 champions were made to work for their win against the Ospreys in Round 2.
Showing a maturity to grind down their Welsh visitors before hitting the accelerator, the Stormers look to be back as a force in the league.
Add into the mix the returning Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse, Cobus Reinach and Ntuthuko Mchunu, and the Stormers suddenly have a top-3 squad in the league.
8. Vodacom Bulls - 1,548 ranking points
Two bonus-point wins to start the season on paper is absolutely perfect. In truth, the Bulls will know that their defense will need to tighten up significantly to be contenders once again this season.
Handre Pollard, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Ruan Nortje, Wilco Louw, Marco van Staden, Cameron Hanekom, Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse all are on their way back for the Pretoria side, so there is little doubt that any areas that need tightening will be rectified.
9. Connacht - 1,532 ranking points
Starting the season with a dynamic performance against Benetton instantly showed the difference that having a world-class coach such as Stuart Lancaster can make on the side.
The team's Round 2 clash against the Scarlets was postponed due to Storm Amy, so we didn’t get to see them double down.
This weekend’s clash with Cardiff should be a humdinger between two sides that have an edge about them this season.
10. Northampton Saints - 1,531 ranking points
Sliding past Gloucester on the road by two points in what was a stereotypically entertaining Saints match ensures that Phil Dowson’s side stays in touch at the top of the table.
Playing a game that is fast, furious and accurate, the Saints are an interesting foil to the top two sides in Bath and Saracens.
Which style will win out when it is all said and done makes for an interesting subplot this season.
11. Stade Francais - 1,530 ranking points
Rebounding from losses in Round 2 and Round 3, Stade has looked good over the past fortnight.
Unsurprisingly, beating Perpignan on the road in Round 5 was a nice way to back up a monster win over UBB in Round 4.
12. Exeter Chiefs - 1,529 ranking points
Back on track, the Chiefs did the business against the Newcastle Red Bulls in Round 2 to back up their wild comeback against the Saints in Round 1.
Set to welcome Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper in the coming rounds means Rob Baxter’s side will be a threat to everyone in the Prem this season.
13. Pau - 1,527 ranking points
Sliding back a touch in Round 5 following a thumping win over Lyon a week prior is par for the course with Pau.
Adding Julian Montoya into the mix should give them a hard edge.
So far this season, Pau has won both home matches, one on the road and lost two on the road, which, in truth, is about normal for Top 14 sides not called Stade Toulousain or Union Bordeaux-Begles.
14. Montpellier - 1,524 ranking points
Stade Rochelais and Stade Toulousain slayed, but a draw with Montauban? Make it make sense!
One of the tougher teams to assess this season, but similar to last season, their ranking points are high because when they win, they win big against good teams.
15. Ulster - 1,523 ranking points
Another side affected by Storm Amy, Ulster might actually have benefitted from the week off, given its injury toll from Round 1.
Allowing extra time for the likes of Robert Baloucoune and Eric O’Sullivan to return to training, while Jacob Stockdale and Michael Lowry may be available.
16. Toulouse - 1,515 ranking points
Yoyoing their way through the opening five rounds, the defending champions were sucker punched by Bayonne last time out.
This loss was their second of the season and, worryingly, also the second time they conceded 40+ points.
While we don’t doubt they’ll be fine when it is all said and done, this inconsistency is distinctly un-Toulouse-esque.
17. Racing 92 - 1,517 ranking points
Completing a signature win over a strong UBB side in Round 2, Racing showed what it can do when fully firing.
Thus far, the squad's three wins have come with an average margin of victory of 12 points, while their two losses were massively different, with a heavy loss away to Lyon to start the season, and a tight four-point slip-up away to Castres in Round 5.
18. Bordeaux Bègles - 1,512 ranking points
Quite clearly still ramping up following a highly successful 2024-2025 season, UBB might not be at the top of the table yet, but the team will be a top contender once again this season.
19. Benetton - 1,512 ranking points
Rebounding from a rather frustrating opening-round loss away to Connacht, with a clutch win over the Glasgow Warriors in Round 2.
Benetton has the feeling of a squad that should be contending for a top-4 spot this season.
20. Castres - 1,503 ranking points
Currently 10th in the Top 14, Castres has had a challenging schedule to start the season.
The team, however, is the only side to beat Bayonne so far, absolutely pummeling the league leaders 48-17 in Round 3.
21. Bristol Bears - 1,501 ranking points
Absolutely blitzed in Round 2, adding pressure to a Bristol side that already is in trouble on the injury front.
Given how top-heavy the Bears squad is with stars, these key injuries make it tough to see them going the distance this season.
22. Cardiff Rugby - 1,501 ranking points
Laying down back-to-back strong performances to net seven points through the opening two rounds is a brilliant start for a side that has endured the chaos of the field.
Losing its head coach just as the season started was far from ideal, but this Cardiff side has something about it.
Away to Munster is one of the toughest fixtures in the URC, but Cardiff certainly held its own.
23. Sale Sharks - 1,501 ranking points
The last side that is above our base rating, the Sharks, were firmly second-best away to the champions last time out.
Unable to contain Bath’s power game, Sale knows it has a way to go to close the gap.
Round 3 is the perfect opportunity to get back on track with Newcastle coming to town.
24. Lyon - 1,499 ranking points
Lyon is smack bang in the middle of the table following back-to-back losses, having started the season 3-0.
Overall, this feels about right for Lyon at the moment, and if we were to guess, fighting for the top 6 will be the team's goal.
25. Leicester Tigers - 1,499 ranking points
Pulling off a top-quality comeback against Harlequins dispelled the mad feelings from their Round 1 thumping in Bristol.
Geoff Parling is a smart coach, and the Tigers have a squad good enough to improve throughout the season.
26. Glasgow Warriors - 1,488 ranking points
Bringing back their British and Irish Lions did not give the Warriors the bump they were hoping for in Round 2.
In challenging conditions, they let a strong lead slip.
Welcoming the Dragons to town is the perfect opportunity to get back on track in Round 3.
27. La Rochelle - 1,483 ranking points
With a 50% win rate, Stade Rochelais has been the most disappointing Top 14 side so far this season.
Ronan O’Gara is an elite coach, and the former European champions have enough firepower to be contenders, but something feels to be missing at the moment.
28. ASM Clermont Auvergne - 1,482 ranking points
Similar to the side above, Clermont has conceded on average 34 points per match this season, which will not lead to sustained success.
29. Hollywoodbets Sharks - 1,479 ranking points
Very fortunate to have a draw away to the worst team in the URC last time out.
The Sharks face the very real possibility of returning to Durban winless, with their next match being against Leinster in Dublin.
Sure, they have tons of Springboks to welcome back, but thus far, this Sharks side has not delivered on its potential.
30. Edinburgh - 1,477 ranking points
Another Storm Amy victim, Edinburgh, travels to Cork to face Munster, having lost its opening match to Zebre.
Another loss will put Edinburgh in chase mode for the rest of the season.
31. Dragons - 1,475 ranking points
They really should’ve beaten the Sharks in Round 2, but this squad understandably appears to lack belief when it matters.
On paper, the squad is good enough to be significantly better than last season, but a trip to Glasgow to face an angry Warriors side is not an ideal Round 3 destination.
32. Scarlets - 1,460 ranking points
Comprehensively beaten by Munster in Round 1, and then absent due to Storm Amy in Round 2, Scarlets has a good squad and has the potential to lay down a marker against the Stormers in Round 3.
33. Ospreys - 1,457 ranking points
Claiming one point in South Africa was not a great return, given how impressive the Ospreys' attack looked at times.
Defensively, there is work to do, with 79 points conceded in two matches, but there are green shoots to be optimistic about.
34. Leinster - 1,457 ranking points
Two losses to start the season has Leinster in an unfamiliar position of having to chase top spot on the table early in the season.
Next up, is a match Leinster should win against the Sharks, followed by a huge clash with Munster at Croke Park in Round 4.
This fortnight will tell us a lot about the gap between Leinster’s first-choice team and the rest of the squad.
35. Emirates Lions - 1,457 ranking points
Unlike last season, the Lions have not been able to capitalize on the top sides being short of their international stars.
Two losses on the road, with a tough match against Benetton to come, means the Johannesburg-based side faces the very real possibility of heading home winless.
36. Gloucester - 1,448 ranking points
Two losses to open the season is disappointing for a team that was supposed to take another step forward this season.
Sure, facing Sale and Northampton in the opening two rounds is a tricky start, but really, there are no easy fixtures in the Prem.
37. Newcastle Red Bulls - 1,440 ranking points
Firing director of rugby Steve Diamond after just two rounds felt more like a long-term strategic move, rather than one to win now.
Already getting in Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend as a consultant is a clear indicator of where the Red Bulls are looking to go.
38. Harlequins - 1,438 ranking points
Letting slip back-to-back leads has the Quins second from bottom on the table.
Next up, is the big London derby against Saracens. Win there, and the season is back on track. Lose, and it is a long way to the top.
39. Montauban - 1,409 ranking points
A long season lies ahead for the Top 14 newcomers. In truth, they are in a battle with Perpignan to stay up.
40. Perpignan - 1,378 ranking points
See above, Perpignan is in trouble once again this season.
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