For the first time this season, Europe's top rugby clubs got to test themselves against competition from outside their domestic leagues. And after the opening rounds of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, the FloRugby Club Power Rankings have undergone some serious changes.
The URC, Gallagher PREM and Top 14 went head-to-head across the two European competitions, giving us a clearer picture of how the continent's best clubs stack up. Glasgow dominated Sale, the DHL Stormers overwhelmed Bristol and Montpellier handed Bath Rugby another difficult defeat.
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Those results have reshaped this week's Top 15. Glasgow and the Stormers are closing in on Toulouse, Leinster and the Vodacom Bulls are climbing rapidly, and Bath has dropped out entirely after consecutive heavy defeats.
The rankings weigh current form, opponent strength, away results, previous performances and European pedigree, with no guaranteed spots for any league. Movement is measured against last week's rankings.
FloRugby Club Power Rankings Top 15
Stade Toulousain (Top 14) ↔
Glasgow Warriors (URC) ↑ 1
DHL Stormers (URC) ↑ 1
Union Bordeaux Begles (Top 14) ↓ 2
Section Paloise (Top 14) ↔
Leinster Rugby (URC) ↑ 5
Vodacom Bulls (URC) ↑ 6
Gloucester Rugby (PREM) ↔
Hollywoodbets Sharks (URC) ↓ 3
Stade Rochelais (Top 14) ↔
Northampton Saints (PREM) ↑ 1
Montpellier Herault Rugby (Top 14) NEW
Munster Rugby (URC) NEW
RC Toulonnais (Top 14) NEW
Edinburgh Rugby (URC) ↓ 6
Previous FloRugby Club Power Rankings
No. 1 Stade Toulousain
Previous Ranking: No. 1
Toulouse will always be Toulouse. But Exeter certainly made the French giants work for it.
The reigning Top 14 champion survived a 43-40 thriller against Exeter Chiefs in its Champions Cup opener, overcoming an early red card to escape with a three-point victory. Exeter even had an opportunity to level the match late, but a missed penalty preserved Toulouse's unbeaten European start.
It wasn't the dominant performance expected from Europe's top-ranked club, particularly at home. Toulouse conceded 40 points and needed to dig deep against an Exeter side that entered the weekend with a difficult domestic record.
Still, the six-time Champions Cup winner is 5-1 in the Top 14 and has started its European campaign with a victory. Toulouse retains No. 1, but the gap is shrinking.
No. 2 Glasgow Warriors
Previous Ranking: No. 3
Glasgow isn't asking for a place among Europe's elite anymore. The Warriors are making everyone else explain why they shouldn't be there.
A 47-27 victory at Sale Sharks gave Glasgow one of the Champions Cup's most impressive opening-round results. Winning by 20 points away from home against PREM opposition is exactly the kind of cross-league evidence these rankings are built around.
The Warriors already had beaten Munster away, drawn with Ulster and defeated Connacht during their opening three URC matches.
Now they've added a convincing European road victory to that résumé.
Glasgow moves to No. 2.
No. 3 DHL Stormers
Previous Ranking: No. 4
The Stormers scored 39 against the Sharks. Apparently, that wasn't enough.
One week after beating their South African rivals 39-22, the Stormers demolished Bristol Bears 49-12 in the Champions Cup.
That's 88 points scored across two matches against clubs that entered those contests with legitimate European ambitions.
The Bristol victory was particularly emphatic, with the Stormers winning by 37 points and earning five pool points. Even head coach John Dobson acknowledged afterward that his team had room to improve.
That should be a fairly uncomfortable thought for everyone else.
The Stormers climb to No. 3, giving the URC two of the top three clubs in Europe.
No. 4 Union Bordeaux Begles
Previous Ranking: No. 2
Bordeaux came to Kingsholm as the defending Champions Cup winner. Gloucester made sure it didn't leave with a victory.
UBB played the Cherry and Whites to a 36-36 draw in the opening match of the European campaign, surrendering 36 points against a Gloucester side that has made a habit of producing explosive attacking performances.
The result wasn't a disaster. Drawing away from home against one of the PREM's early leaders is respectable, and Bordeaux remains 4-2 in the Top 14.
But when Glasgow wins by 20 away from home and the Stormers win by 37, a draw doesn't exactly strengthen the argument for staying at No. 2.
Bordeaux drops two places. The European champion remains a major contender, but the chasing pack is getting closer.
No. 5 Section Paloise
Previous Ranking: No. 5
Pau just keeps giving us reasons to believe.
Section Paloise defeated Leicester Tigers 41-17 in its Champions Cup opener, delivering a 24-point victory over a PREM club that had beaten Gloucester the previous weekend.
The result adds another layer to an already impressive start. Pau is 5-1 in the Top 14 and has established itself among France's leading clubs.
Last season's fourth-place domestic finish suggested that Pau was building something substantial. This season's results are making that increasingly difficult to dispute.
Pau stays at No. 5, although another dominant performance could have the French club knocking on the door of the top three.
No. 6 Leinster Rugby
Previous Ranking: No. 11
Remember when Leinster couldn't win a match? That was two weeks ago. Things have changed.
The defending URC champion went to Clermont and won 48-23 in its Champions Cup opener, producing one of the weekend's most impressive away performances.
The victory followed a 29-5 win over Cardiff in Round 3 of the URC, giving Leinster consecutive victories after opening its domestic season with defeats to the Lions and Sharks.
Those losses still matter. But so does beating Clermont by 25 points in France.
Leinster has reminded everyone why it entered the season among Europe's elite. A five-place climb puts the Irish powerhouse back within striking distance of the top five.
No. 7 Vodacom Bulls
Previous Ranking: No. 13
The Bulls have scored 113 points in their last two matches. That'll get our attention.
A 57-15 victory over the Lions in URC Round 3 was impressive enough. The Bulls followed it with a 56-20 demolition of Stade Français in their Champions Cup opener.
That's consecutive victories by 42 and 36 points against opponents from two different competitions.
The Bulls entered the season with questions following roster changes and an early defeat to Munster. Their latest performances suggest those concerns might have been premature.
Last season's URC finalist climbs six places to No. 7. Another week like this, and the top five might not be far away.
No. 8 Gloucester Rugby
Previous Ranking: No. 8
Gloucester wanted to know whether it belonged among Europe's best. The defending Champions Cup winner provided a pretty useful measuring stick.
The Cherry and Whites drew 36-36 with Bordeaux-Bègles at Kingsholm, matching the reigning European champion in a thrilling opening-round contest.
It was a valuable response after Leicester handed Gloucester its first PREM defeat the previous weekend.
Gloucester's early domestic performances already had established the club as one of England's most dangerous attacking sides. Going toe-to-toe with Bordeaux adds credibility to that argument.
The Cherry and Whites hold at No. 8, although they might feel they deserved more than a draw.
No. 9 Hollywoodbets Sharks
Previous Ranking: No. 6
The Sharks needed a response after losing to the Stormers. They found one in France.
A 40-33 victory away at Lyon in the Challenge Cup gave the South African club an important result following its 39-22 URC defeat the previous weekend.
The Sharks now have victories over Ospreys, Leinster and Lyon across their opening four competitive matches, with the Stormers defeat standing as their only loss.
That's still a strong résumé, particularly with two wins against opponents from different competitions.
But Glasgow, the Stormers, Leinster and the Bulls have all strengthened their cases considerably.
The Sharks fall three places despite winning. Sometimes that's simply how power rankings work.
No. 10 Stade Rochelais
Previous Ranking: No. 10
La Rochelle is beginning to look like La Rochelle again.
The French club defeated the Lions 31-14 in its Champions Cup opener, extending its winning streak to three matches across domestic and European competition.
The victory followed Top 14 wins over Clermont and Lyon, with La Rochelle scoring 97 points across those three contests.
After an uneven opening to the domestic season, the two-time European champion is finding its rhythm.
La Rochelle remains at No. 10, but another strong performance could push it considerably higher.
No. 11 Northampton Saints
Previous Ranking: No. 12
Northampton scored 71 against Bath. This week, the Saints settled for 28.
Fortunately, 28 was more than enough.
The defending PREM champion beat Cardiff 28-12 in its Champions Cup opener, following its remarkable 71-48 domestic victory over Bath with another important win.
The Cardiff result wasn't nearly as explosive, but holding the Welsh club to 12 points offered some encouragement after Northampton conceded 48 against Bath.
The Saints have now won consecutive matches across two competitions and appear to be finding a more balanced approach.
Northampton climbs one place to No. 11, just outside Europe's top 10.
No. 12 Montpellier Herault Rugby
Previous Ranking: Unranked
Bath might want to forget the last two weekends. Montpellier certainly won't.
The French club went to The Rec and defeated Bath 32-14 in the Champions Cup, handing one of England's leading contenders a second consecutive defeat.
It was a particularly impressive result considering Bath had scored 48 points against Northampton the previous weekend. Montpellier held that same attack to just 14.
The victory also came after Montpellier suffered a domestic defeat to Stade Français, making the response even more significant.
Montpellier returns to the Top 15 at No. 12. And after beating our previously seventh-ranked club by 18 points away from home, it has every reason to believe it belongs.
No. 13 Munster Rugby
Previous Ranking: Unranked
Munster hasn't had the smoothest start to the URC season, but its European opener provided a welcome reminder of the club's quality.
A 33-25 victory over Racing 92 gave Munster a winning start to the Champions Cup, with the Irish side holding off a late French challenge.
The result followed a domestic campaign that had produced a defeat to Glasgow, a victory over the Bulls and a draw with Ulster.
That isn't the résumé of an unstoppable team. But beating Racing 92 while already owning a victory over the Bulls provides enough evidence to move Munster into the Top 15.
Munster enters at No. 13, with plenty of room to climb.
No. 14 RC Toulonnais
Previous Ranking: Unranked
Edinburgh entered the weekend undefeated. Toulon left Scotland having changed that.
The French club defeated Edinburgh 27-17 in the Challenge Cup, handing the URC leader its first loss of the season.
That victory carries considerable weight considering Edinburgh had opened its domestic campaign 3-0, including a win over the Stormers.
Toulon hasn't been the most consistent club in the Top 14, but a 10-point road victory over an undefeated URC opponent is exactly the kind of result that deserves recognition.
Toulon enters the rankings at No. 14, while Edinburgh pays the price for its first defeat.
No. 15 Edinburgh Rugby
Previous Ranking: No. 9
Well, the unbeaten streak was fun while it lasted.
Edinburgh opened the URC season with three consecutive victories, including a statement win over the Stormers. But Toulon brought that momentum to a halt with a 27-17 Challenge Cup victory in Scotland.
The result exposed the gap between Edinburgh's impressive domestic start and its first European test.
Still, three URC victories don't disappear because of one defeat, particularly when one came against a club now ranked third in Europe.
Edinburgh drops six places but holds onto the final spot in the Top 15. Its next performances will determine whether that early-season surge was the beginning of something bigger.
Just Outside The FloRugby Club Power Rankings
Bath Rugby, Aviron Bayonnais, Connacht Rugby, Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers are among the clubs pushing for a return or first appearance in the Top 15. Connacht strengthened its case by beating Saracens 45-36, while Exeter came within three points of Toulouse in France. Bath's consecutive defeats have sent it tumbling out, and Bayonne's narrow 29-27 Challenge Cup victory over the Cheetahs wasn't enough to keep pace with the clubs moving above it. With domestic league action returning, the chasing pack won't have to wait long for another opportunity.
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