With the initial matches of the 2025-26 Champions Cup concluded, we explore the primary lessons stemming from the fixtures.
Gallic supremacy has defined the competition in recent years, with the past five winners all calling home France's elite division. Yet, the first weekend included a number of statement victories from emerging rivals.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Retain Their Crown
Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in Europe last season, dismantling Toulouse in the last four and subsequently Northampton in the final.
Positioned sixth in the French league, some have suggested about their chances of defending the feat this year. However, in the first round, Bordeaux served notice that they are fully equipped of achieving back-to-back titles with a free-flowing win on the road in South Africa.
Faced with a tough assignment at the Bulls' fortress against a powerful Bulls side featuring internationals like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they went into the break down 33-22 at the interval.
However, true to their champion status, they unleashed their power in the second half, storming back to secure a 46-33 victory – shutting out the Bulls without a point after the interval.
French try-scoring phenoms Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey were among the try-scorers. Any team with that pair on the flanks has a chance against whoever they face.
Impressive Bath Seem Poised of Challenging for the Title
Bath's sole success in Europe was almost a generation ago. In the years since, they have probably never been more prepared to add a second star.
The current English champions are leading the way domestically after six games and will be looking to carry that momentum into Europe – on the back of a unexpected elimination in the last campaign.
Johann van Graan's team looked a highly composed and balanced unit in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are among the leaders in the United Rugby Championship.
They marry attacking verve – sealing the extra point in under 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, keeping their opponents at arm's length when they threatened a late rally.
With players including Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and quality reserves throughout the squad, they must be viewed as serious contenders for a first European trophy since 1998.
Bath's pivotal moment in the pools last season occurred in the next fixture, an narrow 22-21 setback at Benetton with a changed side.
Now with a league trophy in their history and leading in England once more, Van Graan may feel able to concentrate more effort on the Champions Cup now.
Glasgow Give Sale a Significant Setback
There are quality outfits everywhere you look, but Pool One seems destined to be one of the most fiercely contested.
In the tournament's current format, a lot is emphasized regarding securing home wins, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on the first day might just be pivotal.
The Scottish side were 14-0 down after 20 minutes but fought back impressively, and two tries at the start of the second half gave them a valuable maximum haul.
In doing so, they handed their prospects of qualification a major lift and, by contrast, inflicted a significant setback to the Sharks.
With the French giants – imperious 56-19 victors over the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, also in the pool, we are likely to see many thrilling contests.
And regarding Glasgow's old rivals Edinburgh? They produced one of their top continental showings in years to surprise three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for rugby in Scotland.
Is Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Quest?
Should you pick one side you would fancy to be there or thereabouts at the business end of the continental campaign, it would be four-time winners Leinster.
However in recent campaigns it has ended in disappointment, as they have shown great potential but not won the trophy. Beaten finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked overwhelming favourites last season after backing up a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 demolition over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was hoped that New Zealand full-back Jordie Barrett would be the key player to take them over the line, but they were caught out and suffered a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the last four.
This year they are testing another New Zealand import, this time with Rieko Ioane, who provided a key pass on his debut in Saturday's 45-28 success against Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to secure European glory to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Look Prepared to Challenge
From the moment the SA franchises entered the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the deepest run achieved is the quarter-finals, and in the last campaign none of them succeeded in getting out of the group stage, with often rotated sides selected.
Could this be the season that turns around? The Stormers are leading the URC and kicked off their European campaign with a 26-17 away win at Bayonne on Friday.
The post-match comments were encouraging too, with the squad and staff expressing their ambition, and the caliber of stars Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse not involved for the round-one win.
The Stormers appear the most likely contender for a team from South Africa to go deep into the competition, although don't count out the Sharks and Bulls, who each suffered defeat this weekend but did meet the French powerhouses respectively.
Saints and Pau Produce a Thrilling Contest
There were multiple possibilities for game of the weekend, and that clash was among the best.
Pau have been having a brilliant season, led by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and ex-England half-back Dan Robson.
They are right now in second place in the Top 14 and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
