Now that the opening salvo of the 2025-26 Champions Cup concluded, we examine the primary lessons stemming from the fixtures.
Gallic supremacy has ruled the roost in recent years, with the last five champions all calling home France's top flight. Yet, the initial stage included multiple convincing performances from new challengers.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Retain Their Crown
Current holders Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in the competition the previous campaign, overpowering Toulouse in the semi-final and afterwards Northampton in the showpiece.
Positioned sixth in the French league, doubts have been raised about their ability to repeat the feat this season. Yet, in their opener, Bordeaux issued a reminder that they are fully equipped of winning consecutive championships with a free-flowing away victory in South Africa.
Faced with a difficult tie at Loftus Versfeld against a strong Bulls side featuring talents like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at the break.
However, demonstrating their pedigree, they displayed their class in the second period, storming back to seal a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls to zero after the break.
Les Bleus stars phenoms Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any side with those two on the flanks has a chance against any opponent.
Formidable Bath Seem Poised of Challenging for the Title
Bath's lone victory in this competition dates back almost three decades ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have perhaps not been more prepared to add a second star.
The defending English Premiership champions are top of the pile in the league after six games and will be hoping to carry that momentum into the Champions Cup – particularly following a unexpected elimination the previous season.
Johann van Graan's men looked a extremely well-rounded and balanced unit in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are among the leaders in the Celtic league.
They blend attacking verve – securing the extra point in under 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, keeping their opponents at bay when they looked like mounting a fightback.
With players including Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and a deep squad all over the squad, they must be viewed as genuine challengers for a first European trophy since 1998.
Bath's pivotal moment in the pools a year ago occurred in the following week, an agonising 22-21 loss at Benetton with a changed side.
Having secured a Premiership title in their history and top the home league, Van Graan could be inclined to concentrate more effort on the Champions Cup now.
Glasgow Deal Sale a Tough Start
The tournament contains quality outfits in every pool, but Pool One appears poised to be one of the tightest.
In the tournament's current format, a lot is made about winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on Friday evening might just turn out to be vital.
The Scottish side were trailing by 14 points after 20 minutes but fought back impressively, and two tries early in the second half gave them a all-important bonus-point win.
In doing so, they handed their chances of progressing a positive start and, by contrast, inflicted a hefty blow to Sale.
With the French giants – imperious 56-19 conquerors of the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, sharing the group, we should be in for many thrilling contests.
And regarding Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They turned in one of their best European performances in recent memory to shock heavyweights Toulon 33-20, on a fine weekend for the Scottish game.
Will Ioane Be the Key Addition of the Leinster Puzzle?
If there's one team you would expect to be challenging at the business end of the season in Europe, it would be four-time winners Leinster.
But in recent seasons it hasn't gone to plan, as they have shown great potential but fallen short. Runners-up three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat the previous campaign after building on a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 destruction over Glasgow in the last eight.
It was hoped that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the final piece to take them over the line, but they were ambushed and endured a stunning upset to Northampton Saints in the last four.
This year they are testing another New Zealand import, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a scoring pass on his debut in Saturday's 45-28 victory against Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to secure European glory to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Appear Equipped to Compete
Ever since the teams from South Africa became part of the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the best performance by any of them is the last eight, and last year no South African side was able to progress out of the pool phase, with several rotated sides used.
Could this be the season that is different? The Stormers are first in the URC and kicked off their European campaign with a 26-17 triumph in France at Bayonne on Friday.
The post-match comments were promising too, with the squad and staff speaking of their ambition, and the likes of South African internationals Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse not involved for the first match.
The Stormers look the strongest candidate for a SA franchise to go deep into the tournament, but don't count out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost in their first games but did meet Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.
The English and French Sides Deliver a Classic Encounter
There were a few contenders for match of the round, and that clash was a leading candidate.
Pau have been enjoying a brilliant campaign, guided by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and ex-England half-back Dan Robson.
They are presently second in the Top 14 and the atmosphere was electric at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
