It finally feels like the new rugby season is now well underway with two weeks of the new European Champions Cup logged in the history books. But what has that done to the landscape of European Rugby. Teams have had two weeks to put a marker down and announce themselves as challengers to Toulon's thrown. Here are our power rankings after the opening rounds before the club scene takes a break for the international window.
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1. Toulon (Last Week's Ranking: 1 - No Change)
Result: Won away to Ulster, 23-13.
1st in Pool 3 with 8 points.
Toulon overcame significant first half injuries to Matt Giteau and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe to eke out a crucial away win in what is deemed to be the hardest pool in this year's competition. This may be the win that gives Toulon the edge in the pool. Toulon looked comfortable throughout, and despite the injuries, had enough to overcome a hard working Ulster side who will be disappointed.
2. Clermont (4- Up 2)
Result: Won at home to Sale, 35-3.
2nd in Pool 1 with 6 points.
Clermont Auvergne looked fantastic in dispatching the Lancashire side securing the try bonus point in the process. Abendanon, Rougerie and Nalaga (twice) all crossed for tries as Clermont took the lead in another difficult pool.
3. Glasgow (7 - Up 4)
Result: Won away at Montpeiller, 15-13.
1st in Pool 4 with 9 points.
Glasgow have been fantastic in Europe this season, which is no surprise to followers of the Pro 12. After scything through the Bath defense repeatedly, Glasgow had the unenviable task of trying to get a result in France. No such trouble for the Glaswegians, as a narrow victory in Montpeiller gives them a huge boost in their hopes of qualifying. Mark Bennett has been fantastic for the Scots who will be looking ahead to the crucial back to back games against also unbeaten Toulouse.
4. Leinster (2 - Down 2)
Result: Won away at Castres, 21-16.
2nd in Pool 2 with 8 points.
A win away in France is a big deal, no matter how it comes about. Leinster were not impressive, yet they managed to win again. It was a hard fought, forward orientated game, and while their attack was not firing on all cylinders, there are tougher tasks ahead, and these 8 points will be crucial going forward.
5. Munster (11 - Up 6)
Result: Won at home to Saracens, 14-3.
1st in Pool 1 with 8 points.
After controversially being dropped in our rankings to 11th last week, Munster earned their jump up with list with a very impressive win. The Thomond faithful were at their loudest, and spurred on a passionate victory denying their visitors a losing bonus point.
6. Saracens (3 - Down 3)
Result: Lost away to Munster, 3-14.
A loss away in Thomond Park is nothing to be embarrassed by, and Saracens are by no means dead in this pool. It was a very close and tense affair before Rhys Gill's sinbinning, and they will take heart from their period of dominance before Gill's brainfart.
7. Leicester (5 - Down 2)
Result: Lost away to Scarlets, 3-15.
3rd in Pool 3 with 4 points.
In the most surprising result of the weekend, Leicester Tigers were shocked in West Wales. Harry Robinson and Aled Davies scored the tries to put pressure on Leicester and their hopes of qualifying.
8. Ulster (6 - Down 2)
Result: Lost at home to Toulon, 13-23.
4th in Pool 3 with 1 point.
Ulster have been desparately unlucky with their draw. They fronted up to the strongest team in Europe, and held them out for 39 minutes of the first half. Steffon Armitage was a constant thorn in their side, and stopped any momentum the Northern province generated. They will be looking to get their campaign back on track in the back to back games against the Scarlets in December.
9. Harlequins (9 - No Change)
Result: Won away at Wasps, 23-16.
1st in Pool 2 with 8 points.
Harlequins have quietly gone about their business this season, ensuring a victory over Castres in Round 1, and stealing the points from their (for now) London rivals Wasps in Round 2. Conor O'Shea's side have only conceded one try so far, and their back to back games against Leinster will decide the pool.
10. Toulouse (10 - No Change)
Result: Won away at Bath, 21-19.
2nd in Pool 4 with 8 points.
Away wins are vital in European rugby, and Toulouse have gone against the French stereotype and their dreadful Top 14 form to record a vital win away from the South of France.
11. Northampton (12 - Up 1)
Result: Won at home to Ospreys, 34-6.
2nd in Pool 5 with 5 points.
Northampton bounced back from a tough defeat last week to trounce the Ospreys. Jim Mallinder will be pleased with George North, who scored a bonus point by himself with 4 tries. They face Treviso back to back in December and will be looking to put themselves in the strongest possible position for Round5 in January.
12. Racing Metro (8 - Down 4)
Result: Win away at Treviso, 26-10.
1st in Pool 5 with 8 points.
Racing Metro have a 100% record in Europe. That's the positive. What's not good is their lack of a try bonus point against the consensus worst team in Europe, Treviso. Despite being away from home, this is a point lost for Jonny Sexton and co. who will expect Ospreys and Northampton to record a full 10 points against the Italians.
13. Scarlets (16 - Up 3)
Result: Win at home to Leicester, 15-3.
2nd in Pool 2 with 4 points.
What a remarkable win. Scrumhalf Rhodri Williams was outstanding, and tries from Robinson and Aled Davies set the Llanelli side up for a brilliant unexpected win. Their tasks doesn't get any easier in this pool with Ulster in the back to back December showdowns, but they showed this weekend that they are capable.
14. Montpeiller (13 - Down 1)
Result: Loss at home to Glasgow, 13-15.
3rd in Pool 4 with 2 points.
A loss at home for a French side is always bad. When that team is now two losses from two in a competition where their record is bad it could spell the end of their interest in the tournament. This would be a shame if we were to be denied the pleasure of stars such as Rene Ranger and Nalaga from our screens.
15. Ospreys (14 - Down 1)
Result: Lost away to Northampton, 34-6.
3rd in Pool 5 with 5 points.
The Pro 12 leaders were demolished by a rampant Welshman in George North. Two tries in the first half an hour killed the game as a contest, and after the Welsh region's impressive display against Treviso, they came back down to earth after this display.
16. Wasps (15 - Down 1)
Result: Lost at home to Harlequins, 16-23.
3th in Pool 2 with 2 points.
Wasps concluded their last ever European game in their London home with a loss. A penalty try with 20 minutes to go was enough for Harlequins to sneak it, and Nick Evans missed two penalties in the final minutes that ensured Wasps came away with something. They need something from their games against Castres in December's back to back meetings.
17. Bath (17 -No Change)
Result: Lost at home to Toulouse, 19-21.
4th in Pool 4 with 1 point.
Bath followed up last week's horror show with their first point of the campaign. That's the positive spin on things, because as we know, home defeats in this competition can spell the end for a side's chances of qualifying. Their only hope is that Montpeiller's interest is already extinguished and they can sneak away from December with a maximum haul of 10 points.
18. Castres (19 - Up 1)
Result: Lost at home to Leinster, 16-21.
4th in Pool 2 with 1 point.
castres fell victim to indiscipline which gifted Ian Madigan his seven converted penalties that won the game for the Irish province. Like Montpeiller, two losses in could spell the end for Castres in their European interest, which was waning already with the exclusion of Rory Kockott and Ibrahim Diarra in the original matchday 23.
19. Sale (18 - Down 1)
Result: Lost away at Clermont, 3-35.
4th in Pool 1 with 1 point.
Losing away in the Stade Marcel Michelin to Clermont Auvergne is no shame, but Sale look ill-equiped to survive at this level. Their collapse to Munster last week just worsened here, and Clermont steamrolled them to attain a try bonus point.
20. Treviso (20 - No Change)
Result: Lost at home to Racing Metro, 10-26.
The positive aspect of Sunday's game was that they denied Racing Metro a try bonus point. The negative is that they are the only team in the competition without a matchday point in their first two games. The departure of so many key players in the summer has really hurt them, and they don't look competitive anymore.
