Weekend Results
Northampton 94 – 33 Bristol
Premiership R16. All-time record score. Hendy four tries. 61-14 at half-time.
Hurricanes 47 – 24 Blues
Super Rugby Pacific R14. Hurricanes extend their lead at the top. Eden Park.
Chiefs 42 – 12 Highlanders
Super Rugby Pacific R14. Chiefs' 250th Super Rugby win. Highlanders eliminated from playoff contention.
Waratahs 50 – 35 Drua
Super Rugby Pacific R14. Waratahs keep playoff hopes alive. High-scoring affair in Suva.
Western Force 19 – 14 Queensland Reds
Super Rugby Pacific R14. Season-saving result for the Perth-based team.
Bath 69 – 12 Newcastle
Premiership R16. Arundell four tries. Bath close to within four points of leaders.
Harlequins 41 – 24 Exeter
Premiership R16. Quins came from 24-7 down to win. Exeter's playoff spot now under pressure.
Bordeaux 37 – 32 Perpignan
Top 14 R24. Champions Cup finalists grind out a comeback win with Bielle-Biarrey decisive.
Glasgow 26 – 22 Ulster
URC R18. Glasgow confirm top seed in the final round. Playoff draw set.
Leinster 68 – 14 Ospreys
URC R18. Leinster confirm second seed with eight-try statement performance.
Scarlets 35 – 35 Dragons
URC R18. An 84-minute contest ends all square. Well worth going back and watching.
La Rochelle 38 – 10 Toulouse
Top 14 R24. Bonus-point win for La Rochelle over a rotated Toulouse. O'Gara's side four points off a playoff spot with two rounds left.
Kobe Steelers 33 – 28 Kubota Spears
Japan League One R18. Kobe top the final table. Snapped Spears' 26-game home winning streak.
Northampton 94 – Bristol 33: Premiership History
There have been big Premiership wins before. There have been impressive half-time leads. But nothing in 39 seasons of top-flight English rugby has come close to what Northampton delivered at Franklin's Gardens on Friday night. 94 points. 14 tries. 61 points scored before half-time: both the final score and the first-half tally are new all-time Premiership records, surpassing Gloucester's previous record of 90 points set in 2024.
George Hendy crossed four times. Rory Hutchinson scored twice. George Furbank, Callum Chick, Alex Coles, Archie McParland, Josh Kemeny and Henry Pollock all got on the scoresheet in an extraordinary evening. Fin Smith, the Gallagher Player of the Month for April, was virtually flawless from the tee, directing traffic with precision throughout.
For Bristol, the result is a genuine crisis. They sit fifth on the table with two rounds to play and face an increasingly difficult fight to make the top four. For Northampton, it confirms their playoff spot and signals they are entering the business end of the season in frightening form.
LIPPY'S VIEW
That Northampton score on Bristol was extraordinary. Records like that don't happen by accident. Northampton have been building all season and this was a performance that said everything about their structure, their depth, and their cohesion going into the finals. Bristol will need to do a lot of soul-searching after that.
Worth going back and watching the Harlequins vs Exeter match from the same round. Quins came from a long way behind to win and it puts real pressure on Exeter's playoff spot.
Premiership: Standings After Round 16
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PD | B | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northampton Saints | 16 | 13 | 1 | 2 | +160 | 13 | 67 |
| 2 | Bath | 16 | 12 | 0 | 4 | +222 | 15 | 63 |
| 3 | Leicester Tigers | 16 | 12 | 0 | 4 | +189 | 13 | 61 |
| 4 | Exeter Chiefs | 16 | 9 | 1 | 6 | +125 | 17 | 55 |
| 5 | Saracens | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | +185 | 16 | 52 |
| 6 | Bristol Bears | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | +35 | 10 | 50 |
| 7 | Sale Sharks | 16 | 4 | 0 | 12 | -96 | 12 | 28 |
| 8 | Harlequins | 16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | -134 | 6 | 26 |
| 9 | Gloucester | 16 | 4 | 0 | 12 | -181 | 9 | 25 |
| 10 | Newcastle Falcons | 16 | 1 | 0 | 15 | -505 | 3 | 7 |
Top 4 qualify for playoffs. Two rounds remain. Exeter in 4th, Saracens 3 points behind in 5th, Bristol 6th.
Super Rugby Pacific: Hurricanes Lead the Table With Two Rounds to Go
The Hurricanes extended their lead at the top of Super Rugby Pacific with a commanding 47-24 win over the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday. Their backline was devastating throughout, and the result means the Hurricanes now hold a significant advantage over the Chiefs with two rounds remaining. The Blues, who had won their previous five home matches against the Hurricanes at Eden Park, were overrun in a display that underlined why the Hurricanes have been the competition's most consistent team all season.
In Hamilton on Friday, the Chiefs claimed their 250th Super Rugby victory with a bonus-point 42-12 demolition of the Highlanders. Wallace Sititi crossed early and a yellow card to Tomas Lavanini proved decisive, with Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi dotting down twice before half-time. The result ends the Highlanders' playoff hopes and extends the Chiefs' winning streak to seven matches.
In Suva, the Waratahs ran up 50 points against the Drua to keep their own playoff hopes alive. Western Force edged the Reds 19-14 in Perth in a match that had significant playoff seeding implications for both sides.
LIPPY'S VIEW
The Blues vs Hurricanes match was everything you want from a Super Rugby derby. The Ruben Love vs Beauden Barrett battle at first five-eighth, and the Barrett vs Barrett brother contest, gave the game an edge beyond just the standings. The Blues' lineout was broken apart consistently and they had a hard time once that platform was gone. Hurricanes' defense was suffocating in the middle thirds.
A special mention for Fehi Fineanganofo, who scored to tie the all-time leading try-scoring record in Super Rugby history, which is an extraordinary achievement. The Blues made a big push late but it was too late. Interestingly, Kurt Eklund coming on settled their lineout for a period, but the deficit was already too large.
For the Waratahs, beating the Drua in Suva breaks what has been a real away curse for visiting teams in Fiji. Good result for them and it keeps their playoff hopes alive. The Force beating the Reds was also significant. That was a season-saving result for the Perth-based team.
Super Rugby Pacific: Standings After Round 14
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hurricanes | 12 | 10 | 2 | +280 | 50 |
| 2 | Chiefs | 12 | 10 | 2 | +169 | 45 |
| 3 | Blues | 13 | 8 | 5 | +69 | 38 |
| 4 | Crusaders | 12 | 6 | 6 | +63 | 32 |
| 5 | Brumbies | 12 | 6 | 6 | +24 | 29 |
| 6 | Queensland Reds | 12 | 6 | 6 | -45 | 28 |
| 7 | NSW Waratahs | 12 | 5 | 7 | -36 | 26 |
| 8 | Highlanders | 13 | 5 | 8 | -80 | 24 |
| 9 | Western Force | 12 | 5 | 7 | -35 | 22 |
| 10 | Fijian Drua | 12 | 5 | 7 | -118 | 20 |
| 11 | Moana Pasifika | 12 | 1 | 11 | -291 | 4 |
Top 6 qualify for Qualifying Finals. Two rounds remain. Reds (6th, 28pts), Waratahs (7th, 26pts) and Force (9th, 22pts) still in playoff contention. Highlanders eliminated.
Bordeaux vs Perpignan: Champions Cup Finalists Grind It Out
For Bordeaux-Begles, this was always a match to manage rather than win convincingly. With the Champions Cup final against Leinster on the horizon, coach Yannick Bru effectively split his resources and the Catalans made them pay for it. Perpignan stunned the hosts by scoring after just one minute through Jefferson-Lee Joseph, then extended their lead to 24-12 at half-time through Ignacio Ruiz and Jake McIntyre.
The second half told a different story. Bru sent on his key men at the break, including Maxime Lucu and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, and the change was immediate. Bielle-Biarrey crossed twice to swing momentum before Bordeaux pulled away to win 37-32. As Bordeaux's assistant coach Christophe Laussucq acknowledged afterwards, the team's focus was always on the Champions Cup final.
LIPPY'S VIEW
Another clear example of the other-worldliness of Louis Bielle-Biarrey. I really have not seen a player who is as impactful as him in world rugby, and he is 22 years old. We have come to expect his remarkable strike rate, but his try and game saving play in extended time shows what a complete player he is, on offense and defense. I love watching him play.
Top 14: Standings After Round 24
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | PD | B | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stade Toulousain | 24 | 17 | 0 | 7 | +367 | 14 | 82 |
| 2 | Montpellier | 24 | 15 | 1 | 8 | +226 | 12 | 74 |
| 3 | Pau | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | +124 | 9 | 73 |
| 4 | Stade Francais Paris | 24 | 14 | 1 | 9 | +193 | 15 | 73 |
| 5 | Bordeaux-Begles | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | +111 | 12 | 68 |
| 6 | Clermont Auvergne | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | +129 | 11 | 67 |
| 7 | Racing 92 | 24 | 14 | 1 | 9 | +66 | 7 | 65 |
| 8 | La Rochelle | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | +129 | 11 | 63 |
Top 6 qualify for playoffs. La Rochelle beat a heavily rotated Toulouse 38-10 with a bonus point in Round 24. Toulouse remain 1st but did not clinch top-two finish. La Rochelle (8th, 63pts) now four points off sixth-placed Clermont (67pts) with two rounds left. Round 25 (May 30-31): Toulon vs Bordeaux is the standout ahead of the Champions Cup final. La Rochelle visit Montauban.
URC Season Complete: Playoff Draw Confirmed
The United Rugby Championship regular season is over. Glasgow Warriors confirmed their status as the No.1 seed with a 26-22 win over Ulster in Belfast, while Leinster put 68 points on the Ospreys to confirm second place. The Stormers were the biggest surprise of the weekend, losing 22-16 to Cardiff at home, which handed Glasgow the top seed.
The confirmed quarter-finals (May 29-30): Glasgow (1) vs Connacht (8) at Scotstoun; Leinster (2) vs Lions (7) at Aviva Stadium; Stormers (3) vs Cardiff (6) at DHL Stadium; Bulls (4) vs Munster (5) at Loftus Versfeld.
LIPPY'S VIEW
The Ulster vs Glasgow game is well worth going back to watch. Both teams with everything to play for in the final round, tight contest all the way. The playoff draw is fascinating. Glasgow hosting Connacht is far from the foregone conclusion people assume. I will be watching the Stormers vs Cardiff matchup closely after what happened in the regular season between those two sides.
URC: Final Standings After Round 18
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PD | B | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glasgow Warriors | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 | +141 | 13 | 65 |
| 2 | Leinster | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | +145 | 15 | 63 |
| 3 | Stormers | 18 | 12 | 1 | 5 | +160 | 10 | 60 |
| 4 | Bulls | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | +160 | 11 | 59 |
| 5 | Munster | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | +82 | 10 | 56 |
| 6 | Cardiff Rugby | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | +28 | 11 | 51 |
| 7 | Lions | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | +89 | 10 | 50 |
| 8 | Connacht | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | +59 | 9 | 49 |
Top 8 qualify for quarter-finals. Seeds 1-4 host. QFs: Glasgow vs Connacht, Leinster vs Lions, Stormers vs Cardiff, Bulls vs Munster.
Japan League One: Kobe Steelers Top the Table, Playoffs Await
Kobelco Kobe Steelers finished the Japan Rugby League One regular season on top of the table with 16 wins from 18 matches and 75 competition points. In the final round they beat Kubota Spears 33-28 at Edoriku Field to secure top spot, snapping Spears' remarkable 26-game home winning streak. Kobe and Wild Knights now receive byes directly to the semi-finals; the four other playoff teams contest the quarter-finals first.
Elsewhere in the final round, the Saitama Wild Knights produced arguably the most dominant performance of the season, destroying Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo 45-0. Tokyo Sungoliath booked their playoff place with a 39-22 win over BlackRams Tokyo, inspired by Cheslin Kolbe.
The Division 1 playoff quarter-finals take place May 23-24 at Chichibu Rugby Stadium: Kubota Spears (3rd) vs Toshiba Brave Lupus (6th), and Tokyo Sungoliath (4th) vs BlackRams Tokyo (5th). The winners advance to play Kobe Steelers and Wild Knights in the semi-finals. The winner of the Grand Final is the champion, not the regular season leader.
LIPPY'S VIEW
The Japan League is the hidden gem in world rugby. World-class players, open running style, and very close competition at the top of the table. See my analysis below on salaries paid to the top international players and you can see what the attraction is for many of the best players in the world.
Japan League One: Top 6 Final Standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | PD | B | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kobelco Kobe Steelers | 18 | 16 | 2 | +294 | 11 | 75 |
| 2 | Saitama Wild Knights | 18 | 16 | 2 | +328 | 10 | 74 |
| 3 | Kubota Spears | 18 | 14 | 4 | +352 | 14 | 70 |
| 4 | Tokyo Sungoliath | 18 | 9 | 9 | +87 | 12 | 48 |
| 5 | BlackRams Tokyo | 18 | 9 | 9 | -49 | 5 | 41 |
| 6 | Toshiba Brave Lupus | 18 | 8 | 10 | -150 | 7 | 39 |
Top 6 qualify for playoffs. QFs (May 23-24 at Chichibu): Spears (3) vs Toshiba (6) and Sungoliath (4) vs BlackRams (5). Winners advance to semi-finals to face Kobe (1) and Wild Knights (2).
The Best-Paid Players in Japan Rugby League One
Japan Rugby League One has become one of the most lucrative destinations in global rugby, with Japanese clubs offering top-of-market salaries to marquee international names. Here are the best-paid players in the competition:
| Rank | Player | Club | Est. Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richie Mo'unga | Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo | ~£1,040,000 (~$1.3M USD) |
| 2 | Cheslin Kolbe | Tokyo Sungoliath | ~£930,000 (~$1.15M USD) |
| 3 | Faf de Klerk | Yokohama Canon Eagles | ~£900,000 (~$1.1M USD) |
| 4 | Ardie Savea | Kobelco Kobe Steelers | ~£650,000-£700,000 (~$800-900K USD) |
| 5 | Brodie Retallick | Kobelco Kobe Steelers | ~£600,000-£650,000 (est.) |
Salaries are estimates based on reported figures. Exact figures are not publicly confirmed. Retallick's figure is estimated; no official number is available.
LIPPY'S VIEW
The picture is striking: five of the highest earners in Japan come from New Zealand (Mo'unga, Retallick) and South Africa (Kolbe, De Klerk, Savea). Japan's corporate club model, backed by major industrial companies rather than private investors, has allowed clubs to absorb these costs without the financial pressure that afflicts European franchises. It also explains why player retention is such a persistent problem for New Zealand Rugby: the salary gap between what NZR can offer domestically and what a top Japanese club pays is simply enormous.
New Zealand: Rennie's Revolution Takes Shape
Sir Graham Henry named as selector. Dave Rennie announced that Sir Graham Henry, the man who coached the All Blacks to their 2011 Rugby World Cup triumph and compiled an 85% test win record across 103 tests, will join Rennie and senior assistant Neil Barnes on a three-man selection panel. Henry, now 79, had reportedly already compiled a list of 60 players he wanted to discuss when Rennie first called. "He's very passionate, he loves the jersey. He watches a lot of rugby and has some pretty strong opinions on players," Rennie said. Henry's appointment also reunites him with mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka.
Richie Mo'unga will miss the South Africa tour. NZ Rugby CEO Steve Lancaster confirmed that Mo'unga will not be available for the All Blacks' initial squads for either the July home series or the tour to South Africa. Mo'unga, returning from Japan's Toshiba Brave Lupus, must first play for Canterbury in the NPC before being eligible again. Rennie was candid: "He would have been on the plane to Africa. But we've accepted the situation and we'll get on with it."
Leicester Faingaʻanuku at openside flanker. Rennie went on record that he has been genuinely impressed by the Crusaders' decision to play Faingaʻanuku at openside. "His ability to play out on the edge as a winger or a seven gives you genuine versatility in your squad," Rennie said. Faingaʻanuku has been one of the Crusaders' best performers this season in his hybrid role.
Brodie Retallick: not in 2026. Rennie confirmed Retallick will not be available for the All Blacks this year. As Rennie noted, "the biggest travel Brodie does nowadays is on the Shinkansen to Tokyo, so we're away one night." A six-week tour of South Africa does not fit the picture. Rennie described Retallick as "the best lock in the world" and left the door open for a return in 2027.
Steve Hansen exits Toyota Verblitz. Hansen resigned after two seasons, leaving with a pointed critique of Japan League One refereeing standards. "The quality of the refereeing was poor and I felt sorry for the players," Hansen said. "I'm saying this because I care about Japanese rugby and the players." Ian Foster takes over as Toyota head coach from next season.
LIPPY'S VIEW
I was always surprised that Scott Robertson let Gilbert Enoka go when he took over the helm of the All Blacks, and his absence showed. I think Dave Rennie bringing back the most admired and respected leadership and culture guru in the world speaks volumes about where his priorities lie, and I truly believe that makes the All Blacks very dangerous going into the World Cup. Brilliant and mature move by the coach.
Around the Grounds: What the Pundits Are Saying
On Northampton's record win (The Rugby Pod): Pundits were broadly agreed that Northampton's 94-point night was not just a statistical anomaly but a statement of intent. The view was that Fin Smith is currently England's best available flyhalf by some distance, and that his orchestration of the attack showed a maturity that belies his age.
On the All Blacks rebuild (Squidge Rugby / RugbyPass Talking Rugby): Commentary has focused heavily on Dave Rennie's appointments, with most observers viewing the return of Sir Graham Henry as a shrewd move. The prevailing take from Squidge Rugby is that Rennie's willingness to bring in voices that will challenge him directly is the biggest difference from the Robertson era. The Mo'unga eligibility debate generated significant commentary, with Justin Marshall calling NZR's stance "counterproductive" given that Rennie was specifically recruited to win a World Cup.
On Steve Hansen's exit (Good Bad and Rugby / Stuart Barnes): Hansen's parting blast at Japanese refereeing standards drew widespread attention. Barnes noted the irony that Japan has attracted some of the world's highest-paid players, yet the officiating infrastructure has not kept pace with the quality of the playing talent in the competition.
On the URC playoff draw (Brent Pope / Bernard Jackman): Both Pope and Jackman flagged that the Stormers' loss to Cardiff in the final round is a concern heading into the playoffs. Pope noted that John Dobson publicly called out a "behaviour change" issue after the Cardiff defeat. Jackman's view: Leinster, with all their big guns returning, are now the form team and the most dangerous side heading into the knockout rounds.
How the Playoffs Work: A Guide to the World's Top Five Leagues
With the finals season now underway or approaching across multiple competitions, here is a quick guide to how the playoff structures work in each of the major leagues we follow.
Super Rugby Pacific (11 teams)
Top 6 qualify for the Qualifying Finals. Seeds 1 and 2 host seeds 6 and 5 respectively; seeds 3 and 4 host cross-over matches. The team that finishes top of the regular season table is the ladder leader. The team that wins the Grand Final is the champion. These are two different things. Grand Final: June 14.
English Premiership (10 teams)
Top 4 qualify. Semi-finals hosted by the 1st and 2nd placed teams. Winners meet in the Grand Final at Twickenham in June. Two rounds of the regular season remain.
United Rugby Championship (16 teams)
Top 8 qualify. Single-elimination quarter-finals, with seeds 1-4 hosting seeds 5-8. Semi-finals hosted by the highest remaining seed. The Grand Final is hosted by the highest-seeded remaining team. 2025-26 Grand Final: June 20.
Top 14 France (14 teams)
Top 6 qualify. Seeds 3-6 play quarter-finals hosted by 3rd and 4th. Winners advance to semi-finals to face 1st and 2nd, who receive a direct bye. Final at Stade de France. Winning the Brennus Shield is one of French rugby's most treasured prizes.
Japan Rugby League One Division 1 (12 teams)
Top 6 qualify. Quarter-finals: 3rd vs 6th and 4th vs 5th, hosted at the home grounds of the 3rd and 4th seeds. Winners play the 1st and 2nd placed teams in the semi-finals. The Grand Final determines the annual champion.
Bonus Point Rules: How the Competitions Differ
The bonus point systems are not identical across competitions, and the differences matter when tracking table positions.
Super Rugby Pacific / English Premiership / United Rugby Championship / Japan League One
All four competitions use the same system. 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 0 for a loss. 1 bonus point for scoring 4 or more tries. 1 bonus point for losing by 7 or fewer points. Maximum 5 points from a single game.
Top 14 (France): Different System
4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 0 for a loss. 1 bonus point for winning while scoring at least 3 more tries than the opponent. 1 bonus point for losing by 5 or fewer points. A team cannot earn both bonus points in the same match, and no bonus points are awarded in a draw. The French system makes each result more consequential.
In French rugby, a losing bonus point requires losing by 5 or fewer (not 7), the try bonus requires outscoring the opponent by 3 tries rather than simply scoring 4, and a team can never collect two bonus points from one game.
Looking Ahead
Super Rugby Pacific Round 15 (May 22-23): Crusaders vs Chiefs is the headline fixture, with the Crusaders needing a win to stay in touch with the top two. Also: Waratahs vs Brumbies, Reds vs Moana Pasifika, Hurricanes vs Highlanders, Western Force vs Drua.
URC Quarter-Finals (May 29-30): Glasgow vs Connacht, Leinster vs Lions, Stormers vs Cardiff, Bulls vs Munster.
Top 14 Round 25 (May 30-31): Two rounds remain before the playoffs. The standout fixture is Toulon vs Bordeaux on Sunday, a difficult assignment for Bordeaux one week out from their Champions Cup final.
Japan League One Quarter-Finals (May 23-24): Kubota Spears vs Toshiba Brave Lupus, Tokyo Sungoliath vs BlackRams Tokyo, both at Chichibu Rugby Stadium. Winners advance to the semi-finals to face Kobe Steelers and Wild Knights.
Premiership Round 17: The race for the fourth and final playoff spot remains very tight. Exeter, Saracens and Bristol are separated by five points.