Following the initial matches of the 2025-26 Champions Cup concluded, we explore the major talking points emerging from the games.
French dominance has ruled the roost in the past few campaigns, with the previous five victors all representing France's top flight. However, the opening round featured multiple impressive wins from new rivals.
Bordeaux Look Set to Defend Their Title
Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in the competition last season, overpowering Toulouse in the last four and subsequently Northampton in the final.
Lying sixth in the French league, questions have been asked about their ability to repeat the title this year. However, in their opener, Bordeaux issued a reminder that they are more than capable of achieving back-to-back titles with a free-flowing win on the road in South Africa.
Faced with a challenging fixture at the Bulls' fortress against a powerful Bulls side boasting stars like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they found themselves trailing 33-22 at the break.
However, demonstrating their pedigree, they displayed their class in the final 40 minutes, storming back to secure a 46-33 victory – shutting out the Bulls to zero after the halftime.
Les Bleus stars phenoms Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any side with that pair on the wings is a threat against any competition.
Impressive Bath Appear Equipped of Challenging for the Title
Bath's lone victory in this competition dates back almost a generation ago. In the years since, they have probably never been better equipped to add a second star.
The defending English Premiership champions are setting the pace at home after six games and will be hoping to carry that momentum into continental competition – on the back of a shocking early departure in the last campaign.
Johann van Graan's men looked a extremely well-rounded and balanced unit in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are highly placed in the Celtic league.
They combine offensive flair – sealing the extra point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, restraining their guests at bay when they attempted a fightback.
With players including Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and a deep squad throughout the roster, they have to be considered genuine challengers for a continental title since 1998.
Bath's defining match in the group stage the previous year came in the second round, an narrow 22-21 setback at Benetton with a changed side.
Now with a league trophy in their history and top in England once more, Van Graan could be inclined to place greater emphasis on the Champions Cup now.
Glasgow Hand Sale a Tough Start
There are quality outfits in every pool, but the first group seems destined to be one of the most fiercely contested.
In the existing pool system, a lot is made about winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on the first day might just turn out to be vital.
The team from Scotland 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.
By achieving this, they gave their hopes of advancing a major lift and, in turn, dealt a significant setback to Sale.
With the French giants – dominant 56-19 conquerors of the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, in the same section, we can expect high-stakes drama.
And regarding Glasgow's old rivals Edinburgh? They produced one of their finest displays in Europe in years to surprise heavyweights Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for Scottish rugby.
Is Ioane the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Jigsaw?
When considering a contender you would predict to be there or thereabouts at the later stages of the season in Europe, it would be European giants Leinster.
But in the last few years it has ended in disappointment, as they have promised much but fallen short. Runners-up three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked overwhelming favourites a year ago after following up a 62-0 thrashing of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 destruction over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was believed that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to secure the title, but they were caught out and endured a surprise defeat to Northampton Saints in the semi.
This year they are trying the All Black experiment again, this time with Rieko Ioane, who provided a try assist on his debut in Saturday's 45-28 win over Harlequins.
Could Ioane be the player to secure European glory to Ireland for the first occasion since 2018?
Stormers Look Prepared to Challenge
Ever since the teams from South Africa entered the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the furthest any of their teams have got is the quarter-finals, and in the last campaign no South African side managed to make it out of the pool phase, with plenty of squads not at full strength selected.
Will this be the campaign that turns around? The Stormers are leading the URC and kicked off their Champions Cup adventure with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on Friday.
The post-match comments were promising too, with the squad and staff expressing their ambition, and the players such as Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the opening victory.
The Stormers appear the strongest candidate for a SA franchise to progress far in the event, although do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost in their first games but did meet formidable opponents respectively.
The English and French Sides Serve Up a Thrilling Contest
There were a few contenders for best fixture, and this one was right up there.
Pau have been experiencing a brilliant season, spearheaded by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are presently in second place in the French league and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
