Following the opening salvo of the new season's Champions Cup concluded, we explore the major talking points emerging from the games.
Top 14 superiority has been the narrative in the past few campaigns, with the last five champions all representing France's elite division. However, the first weekend featured multiple statement victories from new contenders.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Retain Their Crown
Current holders Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in the competition a year ago, dominating Toulouse in the last four and afterwards Northampton in the showpiece.
Lying sixth in the Top 14, questions have been asked about their chances of defending the feat this year. However, in their opener, Bordeaux served notice that they are well-positioned of securing back-to-back titles with a points-laden triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.
Handed a challenging fixture at a hostile venue against a powerful Bulls side including stars like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they went into the break down 33-22 at the interval.
However, as champions do, they showed their quality in the second period, roaring back to claim a 46-33 victory – shutting out the Bulls to zero after the interval.
Les Bleus stars machines Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey were among the try-scorers. Any team with such firepower on the flanks has a chance against any competition.
Formidable Bath Appear Equipped of Going the Distance
Bath's only triumph in the Champions Cup was almost three decades ago. In the years since, they have perhaps not been better equipped to secure another title.
The current English champions are setting the pace in the league after six games and will be hoping to transfer that success into Europe – especially after a unexpected elimination last year.
Johann van Graan's men looked a extremely well-rounded and polished team in their 40-14 defeat of Munster, who are third in the Celtic league.
They blend attacking verve – securing the extra point within 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, holding their opponents at a distance when they looked like mounting a fightback.
With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer in the half-backs and a deep squad across the roster, they are surely genuine challengers for a maiden Champions Cup since 1998.
Bath's key result in the group stage a year ago was in the following week, an agonising 22-21 loss at Benetton with a changed side.
Now with a league trophy to their name and top in England once more, Van Graan may feel able to put a heightened focus on the Champions Cup this season.
Glasgow Deal Sale a Tough Start
The tournament contains quality outfits throughout the draw, but the first group looks set to be one of the most competitive.
In the existing pool system, a lot is made about victories on your own turf, 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 trailing by 14 points after 20 minutes but responded with character, and two tries during the beginning of the second half gave them a all-important maximum haul.
In doing so, they gave their prospects of qualification a major lift and, by contrast, dealt a significant setback to the Sharks.
With the red and blacks – dominant 56-19 conquerors of the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, sharing the group, we should be in for many thrilling contests.
And as for Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They delivered one of their best European performances in a long time to stun three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a fine weekend for the Scottish game.
Is Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Quest?
If there's one team you would fancy to be there or thereabouts at the later stages of the Champions Cup, it would be multiple champions Leinster.
Yet in recent campaigns it has not worked out, as they have promised much but fallen short. Finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked overwhelming favourites the previous campaign after following up a 62-0 mauling of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 demolition over Glasgow in the last eight.
It was believed that All Black star Jordie Barrett would be the final piece to secure the title, but they were caught out and endured a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the semi.
This year they are trying the All Black experiment again, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a key pass on his first appearance in Saturday's 45-28 success against Harlequins.
Could Ioane be the player 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 became part of the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the deepest run achieved is the quarter-finals, and in the last campaign not a single one was able to progress out of the group stage, with often rotated sides selected.
Is this the year that turns around? The Stormers are leading the URC and started their Champions Cup adventure with a 26-17 away win at Bayonne on the opening night.
The reactions after the game were promising too, with the squad and staff speaking of their aspirations, and the likes of South African internationals Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the round-one win.
The Stormers seem the best bet for a SA franchise to progress far in the tournament, although do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost this weekend but did face formidable opponents respectively.
Northampton and Pau Serve Up a Memorable Match
There were a few contenders for game of the weekend, and this one was right up there.
Pau have been experiencing a outstanding season, spearheaded by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are presently second in the French championship and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
