With the first round of the new season's Champions Cup wrapped up, we examine the primary lessons emerging from the games.
Top 14 superiority has been the narrative in recent seasons, with the previous five victors all representing France's top flight. However, the first weekend featured multiple convincing performances from new rivals.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Go Back-to-Back
Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in the competition the previous campaign, dominating Toulouse in the semi-final and then Northampton in the showpiece.
Currently sitting sixth in the French league, questions have been asked about their ability to repeat the feat this year. However, in their opener, Bordeaux served notice that they are more than capable of securing back-to-back titles with a high-scoring triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.
Handed a challenging fixture at Loftus Versfeld 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 half-time.
Yet, demonstrating their pedigree, they unleashed their power in the final 40 minutes, fighting back to claim a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls without a point after the interval.
French try-scoring aces Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any outfit with that pair on the flanks has a chance against any competition.
Impressive Bath Appear Equipped of Challenging for the Title
Bath's sole success in the Champions Cup was almost 30 years ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have arguably not been more strongly positioned to secure another title.
The current English champions are setting the pace domestically after six games and will be looking to transfer that success into continental competition – on the back of a unexpected elimination last year.
Johann van Graan's men looked a very complete and balanced unit in their 40-14 win over Munster, who are among the leaders in the United Rugby Championship.
They combine attacking verve – earning the try-scoring point within 20 minutes at the Rec – with resolute defending, restraining their opponents at arm's length when they attempted a fightback.
With stars such as Finn Russell and Ben Spencer directing play and a deep squad all over the roster, they have to be considered serious contenders for a first European trophy since 1998.
Bath's defining match in the pools the previous year occurred in the second round, an heartbreaking 22-21 defeat at Benetton with a rotated team.
Having secured a domestic championship in their history and setting the pace in England once more, Van Graan could be inclined to put a heightened focus on the Champions Cup now.
Glasgow Deal Sale a Major Blow
You will find strong teams everywhere you look, but the first group seems destined to be one of the tightest.
In the existing pool system, a lot is emphasized regarding winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's win on the road at Sale on the first day might just turn out to be vital.
The Glasgow Warriors were 14-0 down after 20 minutes but came back strongly, and two tries early in the second period gave them a precious maximum haul.
With this result, they handed their prospects of qualification a positive start and, by contrast, dealt a damaging defeat to Sale.
With the red and blacks – commanding 56-19 winners against the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, in the same section, we are likely to see plenty of fireworks.
And what of Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They delivered one of their best European performances in recent memory to surprise former champions Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for rugby in Scotland.
Could Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Jigsaw?
Should you pick one side you would predict to be in the mix at the business end of the season in Europe, it would be multiple champions Leinster.
But in recent campaigns it hasn't gone to plan, as they have promised much but not won the trophy. Runners-up three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat a year ago after backing up a 62-0 mauling of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 win over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was thought that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the key player to secure the title, but they were surprised and experienced a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the last four.
This year they are trying the All Black experiment again, this time with Rieko Ioane, who provided a key pass on his first appearance in Saturday's 45-28 win over Harlequins.
Could Ioane be the player to return the cup to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Appear Prepared to Challenge
Since the South African sides became part of the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the furthest any of their teams have got is the last eight, and the previous season none of them succeeded in getting out of the group stage, with several rotated sides fielded.
Is this the year that is different? The Stormers are first in the URC and kicked off their Champions Cup adventure with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on Friday.
The reactions after the game were promising too, with the squad and staff speaking of their goals, and the likes of South African internationals Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the round-one win.
The Stormers look the most likely contender for a team from South Africa to have a long run in the tournament, yet write off the Sharks and Bulls, who were defeated this weekend but did play Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.
Saints and Pau Produce a Classic Encounter
There were several candidates for best fixture, and that clash was among the best.
Pau have been experiencing a brilliant season, spearheaded by stars Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and ex-England half-back Dan Robson.
They are right now second in the French league and the stadium was buzzing at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
