Following the opening salvo of the 2025-26 Champions Cup concluded, we examine the major talking points highlighted by the fixtures.
Top 14 superiority has defined the competition in recent seasons, with the previous five victors all representing France's top flight. However, the first weekend featured multiple convincing performances from potential challengers.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Go Back-to-Back
Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were imperious in the competition the previous campaign, dominating Toulouse in the semi-final and afterwards Northampton in the grand finale.
Currently sitting sixth in the French league, some have suggested about their chances of defending the title now. However, in their opener, Bordeaux sent a message that they are well-positioned of winning consecutive championships with a points-laden away victory in South Africa.
Given a challenging fixture at Loftus Versfeld against a strong Bulls side including stars like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at the interval.
Yet, true to their champion status, they showed their quality in the second period, storming back to seal a 46-33 victory – keeping the Bulls scoreless after the halftime.
France international aces Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any outfit with that pair on the wings is a threat against any competition.
Impressive Bath Seem Poised of A Deep Run
Bath's sole success in the Champions Cup came almost three decades ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have probably never been more strongly positioned to win it again.
The reigning domestic title-holders are leading the way domestically after six games and will be aiming to transfer that success into the Champions Cup – especially after a shocking early departure the previous season.
Johann van Graan's men looked a highly composed and composed outfit in their 40-14 defeat of Munster, who are third in the Celtic league.
They marry offensive flair – securing the bonus point within 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, holding their visitors at a distance when they threatened a fightback.
With stars such as Finn Russell and Ben Spencer directing play and a deep squad all over the squad, they must be viewed as genuine challengers for a maiden Champions Cup since 1998.
Bath's defining match in the pools a year ago was in the following week, an narrow 22-21 setback at Benetton with a squad players.
Now with a Premiership title under their belt and leading in England once more, Van Graan could be inclined to put a heightened focus on the Champions Cup this year.
Glasgow Hand Sale a Tough Start
There are strong teams throughout the draw, but their section looks set to be one of the most fiercely contested.
In the tournament's current format, a lot is said about winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's triumph at an opponent's ground at Sale on the opening night might just prove crucial.
The team from Scotland were trailing by 14 points after 20 minutes but came back strongly, and two tries during the beginning of the second half gave them a precious bonus-point win.
With this result, they handed their hopes of advancing a positive start and, conversely, handed a damaging defeat to the Sharks.
With Toulouse – imperious 56-19 winners against the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, in the same section, we can expect many thrilling contests.
And as for Glasgow's traditional foes Edinburgh? They delivered one of their best European performances in a long time to stun heavyweights Toulon 33-20, on a fine weekend for the Scottish game.
Is Ioane the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Quest?
If there's one team you would expect to be in the mix at the sharp end of the continental campaign, it would be European giants Leinster.
But in recent seasons it has ended in disappointment, as they have shown great potential but fallen short. Finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat last season after building on a 62-0 mauling of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 destruction over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was believed that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to win the championship, but they were ambushed and suffered a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the semi-final.
This season they are testing another New Zealand import, this time with Rieko Ioane, who registered a key pass on his debut in Saturday's 45-28 success against Harlequins.
Could Ioane be the player to secure European glory to Ireland for the first occasion since 2018?
Stormers Appear Ready to Step Up
Ever since the teams from South Africa entered the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the furthest any of their teams have got is the quarter-finals, and in the last campaign none of them succeeded in getting out of the pool phase, with plenty of rotated sides used.
Will this be the campaign that turns around? The Stormers are top of the URC and began their Champions Cup adventure with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on Friday.
The words from players and coaches were promising too, with individuals involved speaking of their goals, and the caliber of Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the first match.
The Stormers look the most likely contender for a South African side to go deep into the tournament, yet write off the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost this weekend but did face the French powerhouses respectively.
Northampton and Pau Deliver a Thrilling Contest
There were multiple possibilities for game of the weekend, and this one was among the best.
Pau have been enjoying a brilliant season, spearheaded by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and veteran playmaker Dan Robson.
They are currently second in the French league and the stadium was buzzing at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
