The 25 Best Rugby Clubs In The World On Feb. 12 | FloRugby Rankings
The 25 Best Rugby Clubs In The World On Feb. 12 | FloRugby Rankings
Discover FloRugby's Top 25 Professional Rugby Clubs Power Rankings, driven by our expert-backed in-house formula analyzing performance, depth and success.
Rugby is a sport of power, precision, and passion, and at FloRugby, we are committed to bringing fans the most accurate and insightful rankings of the world’s top professional clubs.
Welcome to our first edition of the FloRugby Top 25 Professional Rugby Clubs Power Rankings, where we evaluate the best club teams across the northern and southern hemispheres.
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Unlike subjective rankings that rely solely on reputation or recent form, we have utilized an in-house formula designed to produce consistent, data-driven results. Our model takes into account a variety of factors, including domestic league performance, continental success, home and away form and other key factors.
As the season progresses, the race for domestic and international silverware intensifies, with clubs battling for supremacy in competitions like the Investec Champions Cup, the United Rugby Championship, Super Rugby, and the Gallagher Premiership. Some teams maintain their dominance, while others emerge as rising forces, pushing the traditional powerhouses to their limits.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into our latest rankings and see which teams have proven themselves worthy of a spot among the elite in professional rugby.
1. Stade Toulousain | Top 14
Top 14 Record: 10-4-1
The kings of European Rugby completed a sensational double last season and have enjoyed a strong first half of their title defences. A minor slip-up away to the Hollywoodbets Sharks cost them a home Investec Champions Cup knockout run, but we suspect it won’t matter. Until the final at least…
2. Leinster Rugby | URC
URC Record: 10-0-0
One of only a handful (or less) of teams who could realistically dethrone the European champs, the Irish powerhouse is out for blood this season. To date, they are a perfect 14 from 14 and are odds-on favourites to claim both the first URC title and the Champions Cup title.
3. Union Bordeaux-Begles | Top 14
Top 14 Record: 11-4-0
Number one seeds in the Investec Champions Cup for as long as they remain in the tournament. Last year’s defeated Top 14 finalists have all of the firepower in the world to pick up a title this season. One point lingers; however, to date, they have not proven they can win in the biggest moments.
4. RC Toulon | Top 14
Top 14 Record: 10-5-0
Edging ever closer to the glorious heights that saw them crowned European and French champions. The Cote D’Azur behemoths are building a squad of note capable of beating any team on their day. Currently sitting a tick behind Toulouse and UBB on the Top 14 table, this team feels primed for a deep post-season run.
5. Blues | Super Rugby
Super Rugby Record: N/A
Super Rugby’s reigning champs rightly kick off this season as the team to beat down South. Exactly how they compare to the powers of the North is difficult to gauge. We suspect they would do just fine but lack the depth to sustain the sheer ferocity of the northern season. For now, they sit outside our top four, but they could blow us away through the opening month.
6. Chiefs | Super Rugby
Super Rugby Record: N/A
Coming up short in last season’s final on the back of a big win over the table-topping Hurricanes will have stung the former champions. Blessed with an uber-exciting squad again this season, expect the Hamilton boys to make some noise.
7. Glasgow Warriors | URC
URC Record: 7-3-0
The reigning URC champions are the real deal, a consistently good to great outfit, the Scottish side are genuine title contenders if things fall their way again this season. A home run through the knockouts is key as they feel similar to the title winning team of Munster that went before them in that they can hit an undeniable purple patch to down anyone in the league. Outside of Leinster and Toulouse, they will back themselves against any team this season.
8. Bath Rugby | Gallagher Premiership
Gallagher Premiership Record: 9-2-0
The Premiership table toppers flattered to deceive in the Champions Cup to bow out on a whimper in the pool stages. Nevertheless they are a serious outfit who simply mishandled their European campaign but feel destined for another Premiership final appearance this season.
9. ASM Clermont | Top 14
Top 14 Record: 8-7-0
Another former European power who are threatening to become a true force once again. The men from the Massif Central play at one of the most intimidating grounds in European Rugby and reflect their hard-nosed coach, Christophe Urios, on the pitch.
10. Vodacom Bulls | URC
URC Record: 7-2-0
Rounding out our top 10 are the current pace setters from a South African perspective in the URC this season. Mirroring the Sharks and Stormers in putting on a downright disappointing display in the Champions Cup, it feels as though it is now or never for the Pretoria side. Losing two of the first three URC finals, one at home nonetheless, is a pretty disappointing return for the Springbok-laden side.
11.Brumbies | Super Rugby
Super Rugby Record: N/A
More often than not, the Australian flag bearers in the Super Rugby finals series, the capital side, are trending towards another strong season. Playing quite possibly the most well-rounded rugby in the competition, the Stephen Larkham-coached side is easy on the eye. Boasting a squad full of Wallabies, they are a true player for the top spot on the regular season table.
12.Hollywoodbets Sharks | URC
URC Record: 6-3-0
Please see above for the Bulls but with less consistency, albeit one trophy (last season’s EPCR Challenge Cup). The Sharks are what many believe to be South African Rugby’s answer to Toulouse, with bundles of World Cup-winning Springboks in their ranks. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, they are yet to put it all together for a full season. Sure, they’ve already been dumped out of the Champions Cup, but that only makes them more dangerous in the URC, or at least what their fans will be hoping.
13.Northampton Saints | Gallagher Premiership
Gallagher Premiership Record: 5-6-0
Going with our model here (5th in Prem) and not where they sit on the Premiership table (8th). The reigning Premiership champions are once again a high seed in the Champions Cup knockouts and just have the feeling of a side who are timing their run. Sitting with a positive points difference of 30 despite having 6 losses and just 5 wins shows how close they are to being on the right-side results. Working against them is a condensed Premiership season.
14. Munster Rugby | URC
URC Record: 5-5-0
Coming up a point short on the road against the Saints, Munster are a side who, like their English rivals, are rounding into shape. Luckily for the former URC champs, they still have plenty of runways left in the season to make a push. Claiming a top-four spot in the URC must be the priority, but taking a crack off one of their favourite sons in Ronan O’Gara when they take on his La Rochelle side in the last-16 of the Champions Cup is a pretty sweet carrot.
15. La Rochelle | Top14
Top 14 Record: 8-7-0
The former back-to-back European champs are in a rebuild which is arguably not being helped by their coaching openly applying for international jobs. Alas, whilst they are not the side of a few seasons ago they are still a monstrously physical outfit. This year, they feel more like berserkers than contenders, but it would be a foolish move to count them out.
16. Leicester Tigers | Gallagher Premiership
Gallagher Premiership Record: 6-4-1
Devastated by the frustrating news that their much loved Aussie coach, Michael Cheika, will not be remaining past this season. The multiple Premiership and Champions Cup winners will be spurned on by wanting to send him off on a good note. Built to win play-off matches, the Tigers are a Darkhorse for a Premiership and Champions Cup run.
17. Saracens | Gallagher Premiership
Gallagher Premiership Record: 6-5-0
Another former European power clawing its way back to relevance, Sarries is making a good fist of life post-Owen Farrell. Guided by England captain Maro Itoje with explosive athletes all over the park, the rest of the Premiership will be hoping they don’t make the top four. Adding to this is that they are everyone’s panto villains following their former salary cap debacle.
18. Reds | Super Rugby
Super Rugby Record: N/A
Joining the Brumbies as serious Australian outfits last season, the Queenslanders are back and looking even better this season. Under the tutelage of an experienced coach and one of the betting favourites to be the next Wallabies coach, Les Kiss. The Reds are a side who have the potential to make the top four in this season’s Super Rugby season, and from there, the world is their oyster.
19. Harlequins | Gallagher Premiership
Gallagher Premiership Record: 5-5-1
Not intentionally placed behind a side they in some ways resemble, South London’s hot steppers take the form of their flyhalf Marcus Smith. Flamboyant and classy with the tendency to overplay their hand, when Quins click, it is a sight to behold and very tough to stop. This season, they just lack that little bit of grunt with Andre Esterhuizen gone, which ultimately feels like it will be their undoing.
20. Hurricanes | Super Rugby
Super Rugby Record: N/A
Last season’s table toppers endured the offseason from hell with Jordie Barrett (temporarily) and Ardie Savea both leaving. As much as anything, this leaves a huge leadership void in addition to their top-quality abilities as players. For us, they still have a good squad, but it is wait-and-see for the first month.
21. Bayonne | Top 14
Top 14 Record: 9-6-0
A shock selection for anyone who doesn’t actively follow the Top 14, the side from the Basque Country are a coming force. Currently riding high in 4th position on the table, they have benefitted from not having to compete in the Champions Cup this season. Next season, they feel destined for a return, and whilst ultimately they might not be the finished article, they continue to improve.
22. Sale Sharks | Gallagher Premiership
Gallagher Premiership Record: 6-5-0
Getting our final Premiership spot for this weekend, the Sharks overcame a sluggish pool stage to set up a date with Toulouse in the last-16 of the Champions Cup. Lucky them… Our model suggested going with Gloucester here, who are enjoying a renaissance in the Premiership and currently sitting in 3rd position. Whilst there is no doubt the Cherry and Whites are flying high, the Sharks have a bit more about them for us. Throw into the mix the run to the end of the season both sides face, and the Sharks again look likely for a better finish.
23. Waratahs | Super Rugby
Super Rugby Record: N/A
Just edging past a few other contenders on potential alone, with star signing Joseph Suaali set to make his debut. The Sydney side are long overdue a return to the top table and have the playing squad to be a real play-off threat this season.
24. Ospreys | URC
URC Record: 4-5-1
On a hot run of five unbeaten matches in all competitions with an average score of 29 – 15 shows how much they have progressed since the beginning of the season. Facing their biggest test of the season in round 11 of the URC when Leinster come to town will tell a lot about exactly where they are. At the present moment, Cardiff and Scarlets are ahead of them in terms of Welsh sides, but the Ospreys feel as though they have the highest ceiling.
25. Castres Olympique
Top 14 Record: 8-7-0
Rounding out our power rankings are the shock performers of the Investec Champions Cup pool stages. So often criticized for not showing up in Europe, the original club of Antoine Dupont took second spot in pool 3 win three wins from four. On their journey, they downed both Munster and the Bulls at home before derailing Saracens on the road. In the Top 14 they are one of the toughest nuts to crack at home. Hosting URC Benetton in the last-16 gives them a huge chance to make a quarterfinal in the Champions Cup.
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