Now that the initial matches of the 2025-26 Champions Cup wrapped up, we explore the major talking points stemming from the fixtures.
French dominance has ruled the roost in recent seasons, with the past five winners all hailing from France's Top 14. But, the initial stage included multiple impressive wins from new challengers.
Bordeaux Look Set to Defend Their Title
Current holders Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in this tournament last season, overpowering Toulouse in the last four and afterwards Northampton in the showpiece.
Currently sitting sixth in the French league, some have suggested about their ability to repeat the title this season. Yet, in round one, Bordeaux issued a reminder that they are fully equipped of winning another trophy with a points-laden win on the road in South Africa.
Faced with a difficult tie at the Bulls' fortress against a formidable Bulls side boasting stars like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they went into the break down 33-22 at the break.
Yet, true to their champion status, they displayed their class in the second half, storming back to secure a 46-33 victory – keeping the Bulls without a point after the interval.
France international aces Damian Penaud and star wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any team with that pair on the wings has a chance against whoever they face.
Formidable Bath Seem Poised of Challenging for the Title
Bath's lone victory in the Champions Cup came almost a generation ago. Since that time, they have arguably not been better equipped to add a second star.
The current English champions are top of the pile domestically after six games and will be hoping to translate that form into continental competition – on the back of a unexpected elimination in the last campaign.
Johann van Graan's side looked a highly composed and composed outfit in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are third in the URC.
They blend offensive flair – securing the bonus point within 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, restraining their guests at arm's length when they attempted a late rally.
With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer in the half-backs and strength in depth across the team, they must be viewed as serious contenders for a continental title since 1998.
Bath's defining match in the initial phase the previous year occurred in the second round, an agonising 22-21 defeat at Benetton with a rotated team.
After winning a league trophy to their name and leading domestically again, Van Graan might decide to place greater emphasis on the Champions Cup now.
Glasgow Give Sale a Tough Start
There are powerful sides everywhere you look, but the first group appears poised to be one of the most fiercely contested.
In the tournament's current format, a lot is made about victories on your own turf, 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 fought back impressively, and two tries during the beginning of the second period gave them a precious bonus-point win.
With this result, they gave their prospects of qualification a significant early boost and, by contrast, dealt a hefty blow to their opponents.
With the French giants – commanding 56-19 victors over the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, in the same section, we should be in for many thrilling contests.
And what of Glasgow's old rivals Edinburgh? They turned in one of their best European performances in recent memory to surprise heavyweights Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for rugby in Scotland.
Could Ioane the Key Addition of the Leinster Jigsaw?
If there's one team you would fancy to be in the mix at the later stages of the Champions Cup, it would be multiple champions Leinster.
But in recent seasons it hasn't gone to plan, as they have promised much but delivered little. Runners-up three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat the previous campaign after following up a 62-0 mauling 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 key player to win the championship, but they were ambushed and suffered a surprise defeat to Northampton Saints in the last four.
This year they are testing another New Zealand import, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a key pass on his debut in Saturday's 45-28 victory against Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to secure European glory to Ireland for the first occasion since 2018?
Stormers Seem Prepared to Challenge
Since the South African sides became part of the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the deepest run achieved is the quarter-finals, and last year not a single one was able to progress out of the group stage, with plenty of weakened teams selected.
Could this be the season that changes? The Stormers are first in the URC and started their Champions Cup adventure with a 26-17 triumph in France at Bayonne on the opening night.
The reactions after the game were encouraging too, with individuals involved talking about their goals, and the players such as Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse unavailable for the first match.
The Stormers appear the best bet for a SA franchise to go deep into the competition, but write off the Sharks and Bulls, who each suffered defeat in the opening round but did meet Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.
Northampton and Pau Serve Up a Classic Encounter
There were multiple possibilities for game of the weekend, and that clash was among the best.
Pau have been having a brilliant campaign, spearheaded by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and ex-England half-back Dan Robson.
They are presently second in the French league and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's