With the first round of the 2025-26 Champions Cup wrapped up, we explore the key revelations highlighted by the fixtures.
Top 14 superiority has defined the competition in recent years, with the last five champions all representing France's Top 14. Yet, the opening round featured multiple statement victories from potential contenders.
Bordeaux Seem Ready to Defend Their Title
Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in this tournament a year ago, dominating Toulouse in the last four and subsequently Northampton in the final.
Lying sixth in the domestic standings, questions have been asked about their chances of defending the accomplishment now. But, in their opener, Bordeaux served notice that they are more than capable of winning another trophy with a high-scoring win on the road in South Africa.
Given a challenging fixture at a hostile venue against a powerful Bulls side boasting talents like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at half-time.
However, true to their champion status, they displayed their class in the second half, fighting back to seal a 46-33 victory – shutting out the Bulls without a point after the break.
French try-scoring aces Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any outfit with that pair on the wings has a chance against any competition.
Formidable Bath Look Capable of A Deep Run
Bath's lone victory in Europe dates back almost a generation ago. Since that time, they have perhaps not been better equipped to win it again.
The current English champions are top of the pile domestically after six games and will be looking to carry that momentum into continental competition – on the back of a shocking early departure in the last campaign.
Johann van Graan's team looked a extremely well-rounded and balanced unit in their 40-14 win over Munster, who are third in the URC.
They marry offensive flair – securing the try-scoring point within 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, keeping their guests at arm's length when they looked like mounting a fightback.
With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and strength in depth all over the roster, they must be viewed as serious contenders for a maiden Champions Cup since 1998.
Bath's key result in the initial phase a year ago was in the second round, an heartbreaking 22-21 loss at Benetton with a rotated team.
Now with a Premiership title under their belt and top in England once more, Van Graan might decide to concentrate more effort on the Champions Cup this year.
Glasgow Hand Sale a Significant Setback
There are quality outfits in every pool, but their section looks set to be one of the most competitive.
In the competition's present structure, a lot is emphasized regarding securing home wins, which is why Glasgow's win on the road at Sale on the opening night might just turn out to be vital.
The Scottish side were trailing by 14 points after 20 minutes but came back strongly, and two tries early in the second period gave them a precious maximum haul.
With this result, they handed their chances of progressing a positive start and, by contrast, dealt a significant setback to the Sharks.
With the red and blacks – commanding 56-19 victors over the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, also in the pool, we can expect high-stakes drama.
And as for Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They turned in one of their finest displays in Europe in years to shock heavyweights Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for the Scottish game.
Could Ioane the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Puzzle?
If there's one team you would expect to be challenging at the sharp end of the Champions Cup, it would be multiple champions Leinster.
But in recent campaigns it has not worked out, as they have been favourites but not won the trophy. Finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat a year ago after following up a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 destruction over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was hoped that All Black star Jordie Barrett would be the key player to win the championship, but they were ambushed and endured a surprise defeat to Northampton Saints in the semi-final.
This year they are trying the All Black experiment again, this time with Rieko Ioane, who provided a try assist on his first appearance 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 Seem 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 succeeded in getting out of the pool phase, with several rotated sides selected.
Is this the year that changes? The Stormers are top of the URC and kicked off their European campaign with a 26-17 away win at Bayonne on the opening night.
The words from players and coaches were encouraging too, with players and coaches talking about their ambition, and the likes of South African internationals Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse unavailable for the first match.
The Stormers look the most likely contender for a team from South Africa to have a long run in the event, yet write off the Sharks and Bulls, who each suffered defeat in the opening round but did meet Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.
Saints and Pau Deliver a Classic Encounter
There were multiple possibilities for match of the round, and that clash was a leading candidate.
Pau have been enjoying a outstanding campaign, led by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and ex-England half-back Dan Robson.
They are currently in second place in the French championship and the atmosphere was electric at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
