With the opening salvo of the latest Champions Cup wrapped up, we delve into the key revelations highlighted by the weekend's action.
Gallic supremacy has defined the competition in the past few campaigns, with the past five winners all calling home France's elite division. However, the opening round showcased multiple impressive wins from emerging rivals.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Defend Their Title
Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in this tournament the previous campaign, dismantling Toulouse in the last four and afterwards Northampton in the grand finale.
Currently sitting sixth in the Top 14, questions have been asked about their chances of defending the feat this season. Yet, in round one, Bordeaux issued a reminder that they are fully equipped of achieving consecutive championships with a high-scoring win on the road in South Africa.
Handed a tough assignment at a hostile venue against a strong Bulls side featuring talents like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they found themselves trailing 33-22 at half-time.
However, demonstrating their pedigree, they showed their quality in the second half, fighting back to secure a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls without a point after the halftime.
French try-scoring machines Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey were among the try-scorers. Any outfit with that pair on the edges has a chance against any opponent.
Impressive Bath Appear Equipped of Going the Distance
Bath's sole success in the Champions Cup came almost 30 years ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have perhaps not been better equipped to win it again.
The defending English Premiership champions are setting the pace domestically after six games and will be hoping to transfer that success into Europe – on the back of a unexpected elimination last year.
Johann van Graan's side looked a highly composed and composed outfit in their 40-14 defeat of Munster, who are among the leaders in the United Rugby Championship.
They marry offensive flair – sealing the try-scoring point within 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, keeping their guests at arm's length when they threatened a late rally.
With players including Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and strength in depth all over the roster, they are surely serious contenders for a maiden Champions Cup since 1998.
Bath's defining match in the pools last season came in the following week, an narrow 22-21 loss at Benetton with a squad players.
After winning a domestic championship to their name and leading domestically again, Van Graan might decide to place greater emphasis on the Champions Cup now.
Glasgow Deal Sale a Significant Setback
There are powerful sides everywhere you look, but the first group looks set to be one of the tightest.
In the competition's present structure, a lot is made about securing home wins, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on the opening night might just turn out to be vital.
The Glasgow Warriors were two scores behind after 20 minutes but fought back impressively, and two tries early in the second period gave them a precious maximum haul.
In doing so, they handed their prospects of qualification a major lift and, by contrast, inflicted a significant setback to the Sharks.
With the red and blacks – commanding 56-19 winners against the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, sharing the group, we are likely to see 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 former champions Toulon 33-20, on a fine weekend for Scottish rugby.
Is Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Puzzle?
Should you pick one side you would fancy to be in the mix at the business end of the season in Europe, it would be European giants Leinster.
But in recent seasons it has not worked out, as they have promised much but delivered little. Finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked heavy favourites the previous campaign after backing up a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 destruction over Glasgow in the last eight.
It was believed that All Black star Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to secure the title, but they were caught out and experienced a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the last four.
This season 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 win over Harlequins.
Is Ioane the man to bring the trophy back 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 best performance by any of them is the last eight, and last year not a single one managed to make it out of the pool phase, with plenty of rotated sides selected.
Could this be the season that is different? The Stormers are leading the URC and began their continental journey with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on Friday.
The words from players and coaches were positive too, with the squad and staff expressing their goals, and the players such as Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse unavailable for the opening victory.
The Stormers look the best bet for a South African side to have a long run in the event, but do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost in their first games but did meet Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.
Saints and Pau Deliver a Memorable Match
There were several candidates for match of the round, and that clash was among the best.
Pau have been enjoying a superb campaign, spearheaded by stars Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are currently second in the French league and the atmosphere was electric at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
