Now that the first round of the 2025-26 Champions Cup wrapped up, we delve into the primary lessons highlighted by the fixtures.
French dominance has ruled the roost in the past few campaigns, with the last five champions all calling home France's top flight. But, the first weekend featured multiple convincing performances from emerging contenders.
Bordeaux Seem Ready to Go Back-to-Back
Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in this tournament last season, dominating Toulouse in the semi-final and afterwards Northampton in the final.
Lying sixth in the Top 14, some have suggested about their capacity to retain the accomplishment now. However, in their opener, Bordeaux sent a message that they are fully equipped of securing back-to-back titles with a high-scoring triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.
Handed a challenging fixture at Loftus Versfeld against a formidable Bulls side boasting internationals like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they went into the break down 33-22 at the break.
However, demonstrating their pedigree, they displayed their class in the final 40 minutes, roaring back to secure a 46-33 victory – shutting out the Bulls without a point after the break.
France international machines Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any team with that pair on the edges is a threat against any opponent.
Powerful Bath Look Capable of Challenging for the Title
Bath's only triumph in the Champions Cup dates back almost a generation ago. In the years since, they have arguably not been more prepared to secure another title.
The defending English Premiership champions are top of the pile domestically after six games and will be aiming to translate that form into Europe – on the back of a surprise group-stage exit in the last campaign.
Johann van Graan's men looked a highly composed and polished team in their 40-14 win over Munster, who are third in the United Rugby Championship.
They combine offensive flair – sealing the extra point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, restraining their visitors at bay when they attempted a late rally.
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 defining match in the group stage a year ago was in the next fixture, an heartbreaking 22-21 loss at Benetton with a rotated team.
Having secured a league trophy in their history and top in England once more, Van Graan may feel able to place greater emphasis on the Champions Cup this year.
Glasgow Hand Sale a Tough Start
You will find quality outfits in every pool, but the first group seems destined to be one of the tightest.
In the tournament's current format, a lot is said about victories on your own turf, 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 responded with character, and two tries during the beginning of the second half gave them a all-important bonus-point win.
With this result, they handed their hopes of advancing a positive start and, conversely, dealt a significant setback to the Sharks.
With the French giants – dominant 56-19 victors over the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, in the same section, we are likely to see high-stakes drama.
And what of Glasgow's traditional foes Edinburgh? They delivered one of their best European performances in a long time to stun three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a fine weekend for Scottish rugby.
Could Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Jigsaw?
Should you pick one side you would predict to be in the mix at the business end of the season in Europe, it would be multiple champions Leinster.
Yet in recent campaigns it has ended in disappointment, as they have been favourites but delivered little. Beaten finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat last season after backing up a 62-0 mauling of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 destruction over Glasgow in the last eight.
It was thought that All Black star Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to win the championship, but they were ambushed and experienced a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the semi.
This season they are testing another New Zealand import, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a key pass on his bow in Saturday's 45-28 success against Harlequins.
Is Ioane the man to return the cup to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Look Equipped to Compete
Ever since the teams from South Africa became part of the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the furthest any of their teams have got is the last eight, and last year none of them was able to progress out of the group stage, with plenty of weakened teams used.
Is this the year that changes? The Stormers are first in the URC and kicked off their Champions Cup adventure with a 26-17 triumph in France at Bayonne on the opening night.
The post-match comments were promising too, with the squad and staff expressing their aspirations, and the likes of stars Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the round-one win.
The Stormers seem the strongest candidate for a South African side to progress far in the tournament, although do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who each suffered defeat in their first games but did face Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.
Saints and Pau Serve Up a Classic Encounter
There were multiple possibilities for game of the weekend, and that clash was right up there.
Pau have been enjoying a superb season, led by stars Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are presently runner-up in the French league and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
