With the opening salvo of the new season's Champions Cup in the books, we explore the primary lessons stemming from the fixtures.
Gallic supremacy has defined the competition in recent years, with the previous five victors all representing France's top flight. Yet, the first weekend featured several convincing performances from potential contenders.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Defend Their Title
Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in this tournament last season, overpowering Toulouse in the last four and afterwards Northampton in the grand finale.
Currently sitting sixth in the Top 14, some have suggested about their capacity to retain the title this season. Yet, in their opener, Bordeaux served notice that they are fully equipped of achieving consecutive championships with a points-laden away victory in South Africa.
Given a difficult tie at a hostile venue against a powerful Bulls side featuring talents like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at the interval.
However, true to their champion status, they unleashed their power in the second half, fighting back to claim a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls to zero after the halftime.
Les Bleus stars aces Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any outfit with those two on the flanks stands a good chance against any competition.
Impressive Bath Seem Poised of Going the Distance
Bath's lone victory in this competition was almost three decades ago. In the years since, they have arguably not been better equipped to win it again.
The defending English Premiership champions are leading the way in the league after six games and will be looking to transfer that success into Europe – on the back of a surprise group-stage exit in the last campaign.
Johann van Graan's side looked a very complete and balanced unit in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are highly placed in the URC.
They blend attacking verve – earning the try-scoring point in under 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, restraining their guests at bay 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 throughout the squad, they must be viewed as serious contenders for a first European trophy since 1998.
Bath's pivotal moment in the pools last season occurred in the next fixture, an narrow 22-21 setback at Benetton with a changed side.
After winning a domestic championship in their history and leading the home league, Van Graan might decide to concentrate more effort on the Champions Cup this season.
Glasgow Give Sale a Significant Setback
You will find 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 made about winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's triumph at an opponent's ground at Sale on Friday evening might just turn out to be vital.
The Scottish side were two scores behind after 20 minutes but fought back impressively, and two tries at the start of the second period gave them a precious maximum haul.
With this result, they provided their hopes of advancing a significant early boost and, conversely, inflicted a damaging defeat to the Sharks.
With Toulouse – commanding 56-19 winners against the Sharks – and Saracens, who brushed aside Clermont, sharing the group, we are likely to see many thrilling contests.
And regarding Glasgow's traditional foes Edinburgh? They produced one of their top continental showings in years to stun three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for the Scottish game.
Is Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Quest?
If there's one team you would predict to be in the mix at the later stages of the Champions Cup, it would be four-time winners Leinster.
But in recent campaigns it has not worked out, as they have promised much but not won the trophy. Finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked overwhelming favourites a year ago after backing up a 62-0 rout 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 win the championship, but they were surprised and endured a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the last four.
This season they are trying the All Black experiment again, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a try assist on his debut in Saturday's 45-28 success against Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to bring the trophy back to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Seem Prepared to Challenge
Since the South African sides entered the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the furthest any of their teams have got is the quarter-finals, and the previous season none of them succeeded in getting out of the pool phase, with plenty of rotated sides selected.
Will this be the campaign that changes? The Stormers are leading the URC and kicked off their European campaign with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on the opening night.
The post-match comments were encouraging too, with the squad and staff speaking of their goals, and the likes of stars Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the round-one win.
The Stormers look the best bet for a SA franchise to have a long run in the event, although write off the Sharks and Bulls, who were defeated in the opening round but did play Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.
Northampton and Pau Deliver a Thrilling Contest
There were several candidates for game of the weekend, and that clash was a leading candidate.
Pau have been having a superb season, guided by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and veteran playmaker Dan Robson.
They are presently second in the Top 14 and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
