Now that the initial matches of the 2025-26 Champions Cup concluded, we explore the primary lessons stemming from the weekend's action.
Gallic supremacy has defined the competition in the past few campaigns, with the previous five victors all calling home France's Top 14. However, the initial stage included multiple impressive wins from potential challengers.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Go Back-to-Back
Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in Europe last season, overpowering Toulouse in the semi-final and then Northampton in the grand finale.
Positioned sixth in the Top 14, questions have been asked about their ability to repeat the title this season. But, in their opener, Bordeaux issued a reminder that they are fully equipped of achieving another trophy with a free-flowing triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.
Handed a tough assignment at Loftus Versfeld against a formidable Bulls side featuring talents like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they found themselves trailing 33-22 at half-time.
Yet, as champions do, they showed their quality in the second half, roaring back to claim a 46-33 victory – keeping the Bulls without a point after the break.
Les Bleus stars aces Damian Penaud and star wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any side with those two on the wings is a threat against whoever they face.
Powerful Bath Seem Poised of Going the Distance
Bath's sole success in this competition came almost three decades ago. Since that time, they have arguably not been better equipped to secure another title.
The current English champions are top of the pile at home after six games and will be aiming to translate that form into Europe – especially after a unexpected elimination last year.
Johann van Graan's men looked a highly composed and composed outfit in their 40-14 win over Munster, who are highly placed in the Celtic league.
They marry creative spark – sealing the try-scoring point in under 20 minutes at the Rec – with resolute defending, keeping their guests at bay when they looked like mounting a dramatic comeback.
With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer directing play and a deep squad throughout the roster, they must be viewed as genuine challengers for a first European trophy since 1998.
Bath's pivotal moment in the initial phase a year ago came in the following week, an narrow 22-21 defeat at Benetton with a changed side.
Now with a league trophy in their history and leading the home league, Van Graan may feel able to place greater emphasis on the Champions Cup now.
Glasgow Deal Sale a Major Blow
The tournament contains powerful sides throughout the draw, but the first group seems destined to be one of the most fiercely contested.
In the existing pool system, a lot is emphasized regarding winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's triumph at an opponent's ground at Sale on the opening night might just turn out to be vital.
The Glasgow Warriors were two scores behind after 20 minutes but came back strongly, and two tries during the beginning of the second half gave them a all-important maximum haul.
By achieving this, they provided their hopes of advancing a major lift and, by contrast, handed a damaging defeat to their opponents.
With the French giants – commanding 56-19 winners against the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, in the same section, we can expect many thrilling contests.
And what of Glasgow's old rivals Edinburgh? They produced one of their best European performances in recent memory to surprise former champions Toulon 33-20, on a excellent weekend for rugby in Scotland.
Is Ioane the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Quest?
Should you pick one side you would fancy to be in the mix at the later stages of the Champions Cup, it would be European giants Leinster.
Yet in the last few years it has not worked out, as they have promised much but delivered little. Beaten finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked heavy favourites a year ago after backing up a 62-0 thrashing of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 destruction over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was hoped that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to win the championship, but they were surprised and endured a surprise defeat to Northampton Saints in the semi.
This season they are bringing in another Kiwi, this time with Rieko Ioane, who registered a key pass on his bow in Saturday's 45-28 win over Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to bring the trophy back to Ireland for the first occasion since 2018?
Stormers Look Ready to Step Up
Since the South African sides became part of the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the furthest any of their teams have got is the quarter-finals, and the previous season not a single one was able to progress out of the group stage, with several rotated sides used.
Could this be the season that changes? The Stormers are first in the URC and started their Champions Cup adventure with a 26-17 away win at Bayonne on Friday.
The reactions after the game were positive too, with individuals involved talking about their aspirations, and the players such as stars Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse not involved for the round-one win.
The Stormers appear the strongest candidate for a South African side to go deep into the event, yet write off the Sharks and Bulls, who were defeated in their first games but did play formidable opponents respectively.
The English and French Sides Deliver a Memorable Match
There were several candidates for game of the weekend, and this one was among the best.
Pau have been experiencing a brilliant season, guided by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and ex-England half-back Dan Robson.
They are currently second in the French championship and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
