With the first round of the 2025-26 Champions Cup wrapped up, we explore the key revelations highlighted by the fixtures.
French dominance has been the narrative in the past few campaigns, with the last five champions all hailing from France's elite division. However, the first weekend showcased several statement victories from emerging challengers.
Bordeaux Look Set to Retain Their Crown
Current holders Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in Europe a year ago, dominating Toulouse in the last four and then Northampton in the final.
Positioned sixth in the domestic standings, some have suggested about their capacity to retain the feat this year. Yet, in their opener, Bordeaux issued a reminder that they are more than capable of winning consecutive championships with a high-scoring away victory in South Africa.
Given a tough assignment at a hostile venue against a formidable Bulls side including internationals like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they found themselves trailing 33-22 at half-time.
However, as champions do, they showed their quality in the second half, fighting back to seal a 46-33 victory – keeping the Bulls to zero after the break.
French try-scoring aces Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any side with that pair on the edges is a threat against whoever they face.
Impressive Bath Seem Poised of Going the Distance
Bath's only triumph in this competition came almost 30 years ago. In the years since, they have probably never been more prepared to secure another title.
The current English champions are setting the pace domestically after six games and will be hoping to translate that form into the Champions Cup – on the back of a surprise group-stage exit last year.
Johann van Graan's team looked a very complete and polished team in their 40-14 defeat of Munster, who are among the leaders in the Celtic league.
They blend creative spark – sealing the bonus point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, keeping their visitors at bay when they looked like mounting a fightback.
With players including Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and a deep squad across the squad, they are surely serious contenders for a first European trophy since 1998.
Bath's defining match in the group stage a year ago was in the next fixture, an heartbreaking 22-21 setback at Benetton with a squad players.
After winning a Premiership title to their name and top the home league, Van Graan might decide to concentrate more effort on the Champions Cup this season.
Glasgow Give Sale a Significant Setback
There are strong teams everywhere you look, but the first group seems destined to be one of the tightest.
In the existing pool system, a lot is said about winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on the opening night might just be pivotal.
The Glasgow Warriors were trailing by 14 points after 20 minutes but fought back impressively, and two tries early in the second period gave them a valuable bonus-point win.
With this result, they handed their prospects of qualification a major lift and, conversely, dealt a significant setback to their opponents.
With Toulouse – imperious 56-19 victors over the Sharks – and Saracens, who brushed aside Clermont, sharing the group, we can expect many thrilling contests.
And what of Glasgow's old rivals Edinburgh? They delivered one of their finest displays in Europe in years to surprise three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a excellent weekend for rugby in Scotland.
Is Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Puzzle?
If there's one team you would fancy to be challenging at the business end of the continental campaign, it would be four-time winners Leinster.
But in the last few years it has ended in disappointment, as they have shown great potential but delivered little. Beaten finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat a year ago 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 hoped that All Black star Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to take them over the line, but they were caught out and suffered a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the semi.
Now they are testing another New Zealand import, this time with Rieko Ioane, who provided a scoring pass on his first appearance in Saturday's 45-28 win over Harlequins.
Is Ioane the man to return the cup to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Appear Equipped to Compete
From the moment the SA franchises entered the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the best performance by any of them is the last eight, and the previous season no South African side succeeded in getting out of the pool phase, with several weakened teams selected.
Could this be the season that changes? The Stormers are top of the URC and kicked off their European campaign with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on Friday.
The reactions after the game were promising too, with players and coaches expressing their aspirations, and the caliber of stars Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse not involved for the opening victory.
The Stormers seem the strongest candidate for a SA franchise to go deep into the event, although write off the Sharks and Bulls, who were defeated in the opening round but did meet formidable opponents respectively.
The English and French Sides Produce a Thrilling Contest
There were multiple possibilities for game of the weekend, and the Northampton vs. Pau game was right up there.
Pau have been having a outstanding campaign, guided by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and veteran playmaker Dan Robson.
They are currently runner-up in the Top 14 and the atmosphere was electric at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
