Now that the first round of the 2025-26 Champions Cup concluded, we delve into the key revelations emerging from the weekend's action.
Top 14 superiority has defined the competition in the past few campaigns, with the last five champions all representing France's Top 14. But, the initial stage featured a number of impressive wins from emerging contenders.
Bordeaux Seem Ready to Retain Their Crown
Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in the competition the previous campaign, dominating Toulouse in the semi-final and then Northampton in the final.
Positioned sixth in the French league, some have suggested about their ability to repeat the feat this year. Yet, in round one, Bordeaux issued a reminder that they are fully equipped of winning consecutive championships with a points-laden away victory in South Africa.
Faced with a difficult tie at the Bulls' fortress against a formidable Bulls side featuring stars like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at the interval.
However, demonstrating their pedigree, they displayed their class in the second period, roaring back to seal a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls to zero after the interval.
Les Bleus stars aces Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any team with those two on the wings is a threat against any competition.
Formidable Bath Seem Poised of Going the Distance
Bath's lone victory in Europe came almost three decades ago. In the years since, they have perhaps not been better equipped to add a second star.
The reigning domestic title-holders are setting the pace at home after six games and will be hoping to translate that form into the Champions Cup – on the back of a unexpected elimination the previous season.
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 Celtic league.
They combine attacking verve – sealing the try-scoring point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, keeping their visitors at arm's length when they threatened a fightback.
With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer directing play and strength in depth across the team, they must be viewed as genuine challengers for a continental title since 1998.
Bath's pivotal moment in the pools a year ago occurred in the second round, an narrow 22-21 setback at Benetton with a rotated team.
After winning a league trophy in their history and top domestically again, Van Graan might decide to place greater emphasis on the Champions Cup this season.
Glasgow Hand Sale a Tough Start
You will find powerful sides throughout the draw, but the first group seems destined to be one of the tightest.
In the existing pool system, a lot is emphasized regarding winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on Friday evening might just prove crucial.
The Scottish side were two scores behind after 20 minutes but fought back impressively, and two tries at the start of the second half gave them a precious five points.
In doing so, they handed their prospects of qualification a major lift and, in turn, dealt a hefty blow to the Sharks.
With Toulouse – commanding 56-19 winners against the Sharks – and Saracens, who brushed aside Clermont, also in the pool, we are likely to see many thrilling contests.
And as for Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They produced one of their best European performances in recent memory to shock three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for the Scottish game.
Is Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Jigsaw?
Should you pick one side you would expect to be in the mix at the later stages of the season in Europe, it would be multiple champions Leinster.
But in recent seasons it has ended in disappointment, as they have promised much but delivered little. Finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked heavy favourites the previous campaign after following up a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 win over Glasgow in the last eight.
It was thought that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the key player to secure the title, but they were surprised and endured a surprise defeat to Northampton Saints in the semi-final.
This season they are bringing in another Kiwi, this time with Rieko Ioane, who registered a scoring pass on his bow in Saturday's 45-28 victory against Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to secure European glory to Ireland for the first occasion since 2018?
Stormers Seem Equipped to Compete
Since the South African sides joined the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the best performance by any of them is the last eight, and in the last campaign not a single one was able to progress out of the group stage, with plenty of rotated sides selected.
Could this be the season that is different? The Stormers are first in the URC and began their Champions Cup adventure with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on the opening night.
The words from players and coaches were promising too, with the squad and staff expressing their goals, and the likes of Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse not involved for the round-one win.
The Stormers appear the most likely contender for a SA franchise to have a long run in the competition, but write off the Sharks and Bulls, who each suffered defeat this weekend but did face the French powerhouses respectively.
The English and French Sides Serve Up a Memorable Match
There were several candidates for best fixture, and the Northampton vs. Pau game was right up there.
Pau have been enjoying a outstanding campaign, spearheaded by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are right now in second place in the French league and the atmosphere was electric at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
