The business end of the European season is here. Finals weekends are locked in, domestic leagues are entering their final rounds, and across England, France and the URC, the race for silverware is reaching fever pitch. As the official ball supplier here at a Gilbert to all six of the competitions featured below, we've got a front row seat for every moment — and so can you.
Here's our breakdown of the biggest club rugby finals in the Northern Hemisphere right now — where things stand, who's in the mix, and what's at stake.
1. Investec Champions Cup — Europe's Biggest Prize
The semi-finals are done and the finalists are confirmed. It's Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Leinster at San Mamés, Bilbao on 23 May — and what a final it promises to be.
Bordeaux-Bègles are the reigning champions, having beaten Northampton Saints 28–20 in last season's final in Cardiff. They've built on that success brilliantly this season and look every bit as dangerous. Their semi-final performance against Bath showed exactly why they are so difficult to stop — clinical in attack, aggressive in defence, and ruthless when it matters most.
Leinster, meanwhile, are hunting a record fifth Champions Cup title and their ninth final appearance is a testament to the consistency this club has shown over more than a decade of elite European rugby. They made hard work of their semi-final against Toulon but showed the resolve and character of a squad that simply refuses to be beaten on the big occasions.
This is a final that has everything — the defending champions against a side desperate to write their name into European rugby history. Whoever lifts the trophy in Bilbao, it is going to be some occasion.
Gilbert has been the official ball supplier of the Investec Champions Cup since the very first season in 2014, and every match across this campaign has been played with one of our balls.
Shop the full Investec Champions Cup ball range and get yours before the final.
2. EPCR Challenge Cup — Ulster Chase a 20-Year Drought
It's Ulster vs. Montpellier in Bilbao on 22 May — and this has the makings of a brilliant final.
Ulster were outstanding in their semi-final, producing one of their finest European performances in years to beat Exeter Chiefs 29–12 in Belfast — a side that plays with pace, physicality and a real collective belief that this is their moment. They haven't lifted a major trophy since 2006, and the hunger that comes with a 20-year wait is written all over how this team plays. One more win and the wait is over.
Montpellier arrive as favourites. Top seeds throughout this season's competition, two-time Challenge Cup winners, and battle-hardened through one of the most demanding domestic leagues in the world. They weren't always at their fluent best in the semi-final against the Dragons, but experienced sides find ways to win — and Montpellier have done exactly that all season.
It sets up a fascinating contrast of styles. Ulster's youth and energy against Montpellier's nous and pedigree. Bilbao on 22 May cannot come soon enough.
Shop the full EPCR Challenge Cup ball range and show your support ahead of finals weekend.
3. Gallagher Premiership — Allianz Awaits
The Gallagher Premiership still has rounds to play, but the picture is becoming clear — and the race for a top-four finish is as competitive as ever.
Northampton Saints sit top of the table and are doing what reigning champions do — staying consistent, grinding out results, and refusing to let up. Bath Rugby, the 2024–25 Premiership and Challenge Cup double winners, are firmly in the chasing pack and remain one of the most exciting teams to watch in English rugby. With Finn Russell pulling the strings at fly-half, Bath have the ability to take any side apart on their day. Leicester Tigers have been strong throughout and will fancy their chances of a deep play-off run, while Saracens as ever are never far away when the stakes are highest.
The top four go into the semi-finals, and table position is everything. Home advantage in the last four is a genuine edge in English rugby, and every point between now and the end of the regular season could prove decisive. Whoever earns their place at Allianz on final day will have truly earned it through one of the most demanding domestic leagues in the world.
Shop the full Gallagher Premiership ball range — including supporter balls for all 10 clubs.
4. Premiership Women's Rugby — The Race to the Top
The Premiership Women's Rugby season is building towards its climax, and the quality on show this year has been outstanding. The competition continues to produce elite rugby that deserves every bit of attention it gets, with physicality, skill and intensity that matches anything in the men's game.
The title race remains wide open, and the clubs pushing for honours this season have shown throughout the campaign just how far the women's game has come. With international stars across every squad and a level of competition that continues to rise year on year, the PWR final is a genuine showpiece occasion — a fitting way to cap what has been another landmark season for women's rugby in England.
Gilbert is proud to be the official ball supplier of Premiership Women's Rugby. Shop the full PWR ball range and get behind your club.
5. Top 14 — Toulouse Lead, But in France It’s Never Easy
In France, it's never straightforward — and this season is no different. Toulouse top the Top 14 table, but this is a league where leading the standings means very little come the knockout rounds. The top six teams enter the quarter-finals, and with Pau, Montpellier, La Rochelle and Racing 92 all firmly in the mix, the bracket is as open as it has been in years.
Toulouse are the most decorated club in European rugby history — six Champions Cup titles, multiple Top 14 crowns, and a playing style built on attacking brilliance and forward dominance. Antoine Dupont remains one of the most influential players the game has ever seen, and with Romain Ntamack alongside him, Toulouse have a spine that most sides could only dream of. They will be there or thereabouts when it matters.
But this is the Top 14. Bordeaux-Bègles knocked Toulouse out of the Champions Cup for the second consecutive season. La Rochelle have made a habit of peaking at the right time. Racing 92 are always dangerous. Any one of several sides is capable of producing a run to the Stade de France — and when they get there, the final will be unmissable.
Shop the full Top 14 ball range.
6. United Rugby Championship — Stormers Lead the Way
The URC is one of the most genuinely competitive leagues in world rugby, and this season has been no exception. The DHL Stormers top the table and have been the standout side throughout the campaign — powerful up front, dangerous in the backs, and with an ability to win ugly when the conditions demand it.
Leinster, the reigning URC champions, have confirmed a fifth URC Irish Shield title and remain the benchmark for consistency in this competition. Leo Cullen's side know what it takes to win a Grand Final and will be pushing hard to do so again. But they are far from the only contenders. Munster, Glasgow Warriors and the South African franchises have all shown they have the quality to go deep into the play-offs, and in a competition that spans five nations and two hemispheres, form going into the knockout rounds counts for everything.
The URC play-offs get underway after the regular season closes in mid-May, with the Grand Final to follow in June. Whoever lifts the trophy will have beaten the best club rugby has to offer across two continents — and that is worth celebrating.
Gilbert renewed its long-standing partnership with the URC in 2025, continuing as the official ball supplier across all 16 clubs. Shop the full URC ball range.
Six competitions. Six trophies up for grabs. The biggest club rugby season in the Northern Hemisphere is reaching its climax — and whatever your allegiance, the next few weeks are going to be unmissable.
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