With the opening salvo of the 2025-26 Champions Cup in the books, we explore the major talking points stemming from the games.
Top 14 superiority has ruled the roost in the past few campaigns, with the past five winners all representing France's Top 14. Yet, the first weekend featured multiple impressive wins from new contenders.
Bordeaux Look Set to Retain Their Crown
Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in Europe the previous campaign, dominating Toulouse in the last four and subsequently Northampton in the grand finale.
Positioned sixth in the domestic standings, questions have been asked about their chances of defending the feat now. However, in their opener, Bordeaux served notice that they are well-positioned of achieving consecutive championships with a points-laden triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.
Handed a challenging fixture at a hostile venue against a formidable Bulls side including internationals like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at half-time.
But, demonstrating their pedigree, they displayed their class in the final 40 minutes, storming back to seal a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls scoreless after the halftime.
Les Bleus stars phenoms Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any team with such firepower on the flanks has a chance against any competition.
Impressive Bath Look Capable of A Deep Run
Bath's sole success in Europe came almost three decades ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have arguably not been more strongly positioned to win it again.
The reigning domestic title-holders are setting the pace domestically after six games and will be looking to translate that form into the Champions Cup – particularly following a unexpected elimination last year.
Johann van Graan's team looked a highly composed and composed outfit in their 40-14 defeat of Munster, who are among the leaders in the United Rugby Championship.
They combine attacking verve – earning the try-scoring point within 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, holding their opponents at arm's length when they looked like mounting a dramatic comeback.
With stars such as Finn Russell and Ben Spencer in the half-backs and a deep squad across the roster, they are surely credible threats for a maiden Champions Cup since 1998.
Bath's pivotal moment in the pools last season came in the following week, an heartbreaking 22-21 loss at Benetton with a squad players.
Now with a domestic championship under their belt and top domestically again, Van Graan might decide to put a heightened focus on the Champions Cup this season.
Glasgow Deal Sale a Significant Setback
You will find quality outfits throughout the draw, but their section looks set to be one of the most competitive.
In the tournament's current format, a lot is said about victories on your own turf, which is why Glasgow's win on the road at Sale on the first day might just be pivotal.
The Scottish side were two scores behind after 20 minutes but came back strongly, and two tries at the start of the second half gave them a precious five points.
By achieving this, they handed their prospects of qualification a major lift and, conversely, dealt a damaging defeat to Sale.
With the red and blacks – commanding 56-19 conquerors of the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, sharing the group, we should be in for many thrilling contests.
And as for Glasgow's traditional foes Edinburgh? They delivered one of their best European performances in years to shock three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a excellent weekend for rugby in Scotland.
Could Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Puzzle?
When considering a contender you would predict to be challenging at the sharp end of the continental campaign, it would be four-time winners Leinster.
Yet in recent campaigns it has ended in disappointment, as they have shown great potential but not won the trophy. Runners-up three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked heavy favourites the previous campaign after backing up a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 destruction over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was thought that New Zealand full-back Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to win the championship, but they were ambushed and endured a stunning upset to Northampton Saints in the semi-final.
This year they are trying the All Black experiment again, this time with Rieko Ioane, who registered a try assist on his debut in Saturday's 45-28 victory against Harlequins.
Could Ioane be the player to return the cup to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Seem Equipped to Compete
Ever since the teams from South Africa entered the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the best performance by any of them is the last eight, and the previous season not a single one managed to make it out of the pool phase, with often weakened teams fielded.
Is this the year that is different? The Stormers are leading the URC and kicked off their European campaign with a 26-17 away win at Bayonne on Friday.
The reactions after the game were positive too, with players and coaches expressing their goals, and the likes of Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the first match.
The Stormers appear the most likely contender for a South African side to go deep into the competition, although don't count out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost in the opening round but did face the French powerhouses respectively.
Northampton and Pau Produce a Classic Encounter
There were multiple possibilities for best fixture, and that clash was a leading candidate.
Pau have been enjoying a brilliant season, led by stars Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are presently second in the French league and the stadium was buzzing at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
