With the initial matches of the new season's Champions Cup wrapped up, we explore the major talking points emerging from the weekend's action.
Top 14 superiority has defined the competition in recent seasons, with the last five champions all hailing from France's top flight. However, the opening round featured several impressive wins from new rivals.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Go Back-to-Back
Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were imperious in the competition 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 capacity to retain the feat this season. But, in their opener, Bordeaux issued a reminder that they are more than capable of winning another trophy with a high-scoring triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.
Faced with a challenging fixture at the Bulls' fortress against a strong Bulls side featuring talents like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they went into the break down 33-22 at the break.
However, as champions do, they unleashed their power in the second half, roaring back to seal a 46-33 victory – shutting out the Bulls without a point after the interval.
France international machines Damian Penaud and star wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any team with such firepower on the edges has a chance against any competition.
Impressive Bath Look Capable of Challenging for the Title
Bath's sole success in this competition dates back almost 30 years ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have arguably not been more prepared to secure another title.
The defending English Premiership champions are top of the pile domestically after six games and will be looking to translate that form into the Champions Cup – especially after a surprise group-stage exit the previous season.
Johann van Graan's men looked a highly composed and polished team in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are third in the United Rugby Championship.
They blend creative spark – earning the bonus point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, keeping their opponents at bay when they attempted a late rally.
With stars such as Finn Russell and Ben Spencer in the half-backs and strength in depth across the roster, they have to be considered credible threats for a maiden Champions Cup since 1998.
Bath's pivotal moment in the pools last season came in the next fixture, an narrow 22-21 defeat at Benetton with a changed side.
After winning a Premiership title to their name and leading in England once more, Van Graan may feel able to concentrate more effort on the Champions Cup now.
Glasgow Deal Sale a Tough Start
There are powerful sides throughout the draw, but the first group looks set to be one of the tightest.
In the tournament's current format, a lot is emphasized regarding winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on Friday evening 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 half gave them a precious bonus-point win.
In doing so, they provided their chances of progressing a positive start and, by contrast, dealt a damaging defeat to the Sharks.
With the red and blacks – commanding 56-19 victors over the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, in the same section, we are likely to see high-stakes drama.
And regarding Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They delivered one of their top continental showings in a long time to surprise three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for the Scottish game.
Is Ioane the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Jigsaw?
When considering a contender you would predict to be challenging at the sharp end of the Champions Cup, it would be multiple champions Leinster.
However in recent campaigns it has not worked out, as they have shown great potential but delivered little. Beaten finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked overwhelming favourites a year ago after building on a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 win over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was believed that New Zealand full-back Jordie Barrett would be the key player to secure the title, but they were surprised and suffered a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the last four.
This year they are testing another New Zealand import, this time with Rieko Ioane, who registered a scoring pass on his bow in Saturday's 45-28 victory against Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to bring the trophy back to Ireland for the first occasion since 2018?
Stormers Appear Ready to Step Up
From the moment the SA franchises joined the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the deepest run achieved is the quarter-finals, and last year not a single one succeeded in getting out of the group stage, with plenty of weakened teams fielded.
Will this be the campaign that turns around? The Stormers are leading the URC and kicked off their continental journey with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on the opening night.
The post-match comments were promising too, with individuals involved talking about their ambition, and the players such as Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the first match.
The Stormers seem the best bet for a SA franchise to progress far in the competition, yet do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost this weekend but did play formidable opponents respectively.
Saints and Pau Deliver a Classic Encounter
There were multiple possibilities for best fixture, and that clash was right up there.
Pau have been enjoying a superb season, spearheaded by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and ex-England half-back Dan Robson.
They are currently runner-up in the French league and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
