Premiership Rugby

The 25 Best Rugby Clubs In The World On May 28 | FloRugby Rankings

The 25 Best Rugby Clubs In The World On May 28 | FloRugby Rankings

Discover the top 25 rugby clubs in the world as of May 28, with rankings, highlights and key insights from the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

May 28, 2025 by Philip Bendon
The 25 Best Rugby Clubs In The World On May 28 | FloRugby Rankings

Filtering through our soul like a fresh sea breeze, the Investec Champions Cup crowned a new champion for the first time in five seasons. 

Bossing the second half at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Union Bordeaux Begles left no doubt in dispatching a game Northampton Saints side. 

In truth, while Bordeaux was the deserved winner, nothing should be taken away from the Saints, who were a superb side from Round 1 right through to the final.

The night before the big prize was on the line, Bath Rugby stamped its authority on the Challenge Cup with a comprehensive dismantling of Lyon 37-12 to claim a second trophy for this season.

Diving south, the Chiefs put on a true show of force as they ground Moana Pasifika into nothing more than a cloud of dust with a season-high 85-7 victory. This domination reinforced the Hamilton-based side’s credentials as the clear favorite for the title this season.

Cracking out our power rankings spreadsheet, we dove into the numbers to generate this week’s top 25 list, which includes further knockout bonus points.

1. Union Bordeaux Begles | 24-8-0

Undisputed kingpin of European Rugby, Bordeaux’s first Champions Cup title rubber-stamped the team's place among the greatest club teams in the world. 

Navigating the tougher side of the draw, despite being the top seed, UBB took out European royalty in all four rounds, downing Ulster, Munster, Stade Toulousain and finally Northampton. 

Could this win be the start of the latest French dynasty? To be considered, a Top 14 title is non-negotiable.

2. Leinster Rugby | 22-3-0

Venting its frustrations by putting 76 points past Zebre in Round 17, before closing out the league account with a tight 13-5 win over the Glasgow Warriors, will do little to dispel Leinster’s disappointment of letting another Champions Cup title slip.

To take any positivity out of this season, a run to the URC title is a must.

3. Stade Toulousain | 23-7-1

Slipping up at home to Racing 92 last time out is about as strange a result as we have seen in the Top 14 this season. 

There is no doubt that Toulouse has the quality to defend its Top 14 title, but for us, there is a sense that without Antoine Dupont, the squad's form could continue to dip.

4. Bath Rugby | 19-6-0

Breezing by Lyon in the Challenge Cup final was simply a box-checking exercise for the supremely talented Bath squad. 

Having already locked up the top spot in the Premiership regular season, a historic season triple (Prem Rugby Cup, Challenge Cup, Premiership) will set Johann van Graan’s side up for a step toward a big run in the Champions Cup next season.

5. Northampton Saints | 14-11-0

Two injuries inside five minutes stunted the Saints' momentum and ultimately cost them in the late exchanges as their team tired out. 

Heading into the halftime break tied with UBB was a great achievement, but the injuries, combined with their immense performance against Leinster, meant the final was a step too far for Saints.

6. Chiefs | 10-3-0

All but assured of top spot with a win of any kind in Week 16, Clayton McMillan’s side is going to take some stopping in the knockout rounds.

7. Crusaders | 10-3-0

Getting back on track to sit just a point behind the Chiefs, the 'Saders have a stiff challenge ahead of them when they travel to Canberra to take on the Brumbies. 

Win, and they are locked into the top 2. Lose, and they’ll be third and staring down a clash with an in-form Hurricanes side.

8. Vodacom Bulls | 16-8-0

Getting back to the business end of the season, this playoff stretch feels like a line-in-the-sand moment for Jake White’s side. 

Should they once again come up short in their pursuit of the URC, it is tough to see them getting over the line any time soon. 

Assured of home advantage until at least the final, the Bulls must capitalize against an Edinburgh side that has been trending upward of late but still is a major underdog.

9. Bayonne | 17-11-1

Securing a narrow win over Vannes last time out meant that Bayonne is so close to a top-4 finish that they can nearly taste it! 

Similar to Stade Rochelais and Bordeaux over the past few years, Bayonne is brewing something special and has the feeling of a club that will challenge for Top 14 and Continental knockout spots over the coming seasons.

10. Glasgow Warriors | 14-9-0

Another loss for the reigning champions, albeit it was against Leinster, and it was close. 

While the possibility of getting on another heater and running through the knockout stages is possible, this Warriors side feels to be a tick below last season’s crop.

11. Hollywoodbets Sharks | 14-8-0

Hosting Munster in what is, without a shadow of a doubt, the match of the quarterfinals, the Sharks are in a position where they have to front up. 

Far too often, this Springbok-laden squad has come up short when it matters most. 

Securing a win will likely set up a semifinal against the Bulls, and in those sorts of derbies, anything can happen.

12. Munster Rugby | 12-12-0

Backs to the wall, few sides come out swinging like Munster. 

Munster will need to be near-perfect this weekend in Durban, and the players know this. 

Downing a lethal Benetton side last time out has lifted spirits around the camp. 

Throw into the mix the imminent departure of club legends Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Stephen Archer, plus the tragic passing of Munster family members Michelle Payne and Sheelagh Foley, and you have the perfect Munster formula for a big performance.

13. DHL Stormers | 11-11-0

For us, the Stormers are the in-form South African presence in the knockout stages. 

Certainly, the Bulls have looked good, but the Stormers have proven they can win titles, and with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu both available, they have arguably the best playmaking duo in the competition. 

Damian Willemse’s suspension is a major blow, but the Stormers have backline depth to compensate.

14. Stade Rochelais | 13-14-1

Could Stade Rochelais be the hottest team in the Top 14 right now? 

That could be a major statement given UBB’s success, but Ronan O’Gara’s side has rediscovered its magic of late. 

Picking up four wins on the bounce, with two very winnable matches against Pau and Perpignan to close out their regular season, Stade Rochelais is the behemoth nobody wants to see in the knockout rounds.

15. Brumbies | 9-4-0

Second place is on the line this weekend for Stephen Larkham’s side when the Brumbies host the Crusaders. 

Coming into the match feeling fresh after a bye, which came on the back of a three-match win streak, the Brumbies know how crucial it is to finish high up the ladder to secure as much home advantage as possible.

16. RC Toulon | 18-13-0

Slowly beginning to fade away, Toulon is in serious danger of dropping out of the top 3 with a match against UBB this weekend. 

Should Toulon lose and Bayonne beat Castres, then the final round will be a straight shootout between the two for third. 

Losing three on the bounce, including one against last-placed Vannes, and shipping 50 points to Toulouse are worrying signs for RCT.

17. Leicester Tigers | 12-8-1

Getting mauled by Bath in a major way might have just shown that the Tigers lack the star power to truly take out the Premiership title this season. 

Still, the Tigers do remain in second spot, so a place in the final is firmly within reach, and from there, who knows. Their big-match experience could see them pull off the upset.

18. Hurricanes | 7-5-1

Similar to Stade Rochelais, the Hurricanes are the team nobody wants to play right now. 

Ruben Love might be the most in-form player not named Ardie Savea in the competition. The utility back’s calm and composed approach has seen the Canes playing much more to a clear structure before allowing their individual talents to do the rest. 

Already assured of a top-6 spot, the Canes face a Moana Pasifika side that needs to win to get in this weekend.

19. Castres Olympique | 14-12-2

Currently in what we like to call the hot seat, Castres is clinging to fifth spot in the Top 14. 

Just behind are two of club rugby’s big dogs in Stade Rochelle and ASM, both of whom Castres already has conquered this season. 

Taking out Clermont last time out is a major boost, but it doesn’t mean Castres is home and dry yet. 

Facing off with Bayonne next time out is a big test before a final round clash with a desperate Stade Français.

20. Queensland Reds | 7-6-0

Firmly the masters of their own destiny, the Reds host the Fijian Drua in the final round of league action, knowing that a win secures a knockout spot. 

From here, it will either be a clash with the Brumbies or Crusaders in the first round of the playoffs, which will be challenging, but not impossible.

21. ASM Clermont | 13-15-0

Kicking themselves for letting slip a golden opportunity to overturn Castres on the road and with it secure a move into the top 6. 

ASM now is banking on winning both of its final round clashes and hoping that Castres or Stade Rochelais slip up. 

Crucially, ASM remains in the top 8, which secures Champions Cup rugby, but next season, the team will want and expect much more.

22. Edinburgh Rugby | 13-11-1

Taking to the highveld hoping to mirror the success of the team's countrymen last season, Edinburgh has that rare opportunity to simply have a free hit at the Bulls. 

Nobody outside of the Edinburgh camp expects a win, but given the quality in the squad, Edinburgh is more than capable of causing their physical hosts a few headaches.

23. Scarlets | 11-11-1

Sliding into eighth spot, what we just wrote for Edinburgh is true too for the Scarlets, who, despite beating a heavily rotated Leinster earlier this season, are heavy underdogs. 

Possessing several key Welsh internationals, the Scarlets will challenge Leinster, but irrespective of the result, getting into the top 8 was a major step forward.

24. Sale Sharks | 13-8-0

Fizzing along nicely in third spot, the Sharks will fancy their chances against the Tigers if the standings remain after the final round of regular season action. 

Splitting with Leicester across their two meetings so far this season proved there is nothing between the two sides. 

Before that, a clash with the Bristol Bears awaits. Win, and they are in. Lose, and they could finish as low as sixth.

25. Lyon | 16-14-2

It was 11th place in the Top 14 vs first place in the Premiership, so Lyon’s heavy loss to Bath hardly was a major surprise. 

Currently just 0.2 points ahead of our 26th-ranked team (Gloucester Rugby), Lyon’s bonus points from its Challenge Cup run are carrying the team, but the squad now will face two big tests against Toulouse and Racing 92 and will need to win both to have any chance (highly unlikely) of getting into the top 6 of the Top 14.

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