It was a scintillating weekend of rugby, with Bordeaux crowned European champions for the second successive season.
There were no Welsh clubs in action, but Wales was still represented.
Here are the winners and losers.
Winners
Adam Beard
The experienced Wales second-row was a second-half replacement in Montpellier’s 59-26 thrashing of Ulster in the EPCR Challenge Cup final in Bilbao.
Montpellier was superb throughout and ruthlessly put the Irish province to the sword with Beard making a decent impact off the bench.
It has been a frustrating season in a Wales shirt, but Beard has flourished since joining Montpellier.
The French club are currently second in the Top 14 and are a serious contender to lift the Bouclier de Brennus this season.
Friday night’s Challenge Cup triumph was the first domestic trophy Beard has won in his career and Steve Tandy will be hoping he takes his Top 14 form into Wales camp this summer. Win free tickets to watch Fiji v Wales in Cardiff this summer.
Lloyd Williams
Former Wales scrum-half Lloyd Williams played a key role in Worcester Warriors’ English Championship play-off semi-final victory over Ealing Trailfinders.
The 32-times capped Wales international has been plying his trade for Worcester who caused a major upset to beat table toppers Ealing 34-29 away from home courtesy of a last-gasp try from Jake Garside.
They become the first side to beat Ealing since April 2025 and they will face Bedford in the final next weekend.
A Championship title would be a fitting way for Williams to end his career after announcing his retirement from the game this week.
The 36-year-old former Cardiff scrum-half has enjoyed a fine career, but will perhaps be best remembered for his unexpected cameo on the wing, when a well-judged kick through set up a Gareth Davies try that helped Wales secure a famous World Cup victory over England at Twickenham.
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Cardiff Rugby
Wales’ four professional clubs were not in action this weekend but Cardiff have a United Rugby Championship quarter-final against the Stormers in Cape Town to look forward to this Saturday.
The season is over for the other three sides but Cardiff have punched above their weight to finish sixth in the URC.
This is testament to the work done by head coach Corniel van Zyl and his coaching team.
Cardiff beat the Stormers at the Arms Park in the final fixture of the regular season but it will be much tougher against the same opposition in Cape Town.
But they have earned their place and should embrace the build-up to this quarter-final.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux were a joy to behold as they successfully defended the Investec Champions Cup.
The likes of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Maxime Lucu, Damian Penaud, Matthieu Jalibert and Yoram Moefana were sensational.
Bordeaux effectively dismantled the Irish side with ease, underlining the dominance of French clubs in the competition who have won the past seven competitions.
Losers
Leinster
The Irish province operates with one of the highest playing budgets in European rugby, while its academy system fuelled by Dublin’s private school structure, is the envy of the rugby world.
They are also far more heavily funded than the other three Irish provinces.
It is therefore only right that Leinster are judged by a higher standard.
They were taken apart by Bordeaux in the Investec Champions Cup final, losing 41–19 in Bilbao.
Leinster got bullied up-front while their back-line lacked creativity and quickly ran out of ideas.
It has been seven years since Leinster were last crowned European champions and they have lost five finals since.
Leo Cullen’s job must surely be under threat.
Ulster
Leinster were not the only Irish province to suffer a humiliating defeat in Bilbao thrashed Ulster 59-26.
Despite a positive start it was men against boys as the Montpellier pack made mincemeat of Richie Murphy’s side.
This defeat has also consigned Ulster to a second consecutive season in the Challenge Cup and they have not won any silverware since lifting the old Celtic League title in 2006.