Now that the opening salvo of the new season's Champions Cup wrapped up, we delve into the primary lessons emerging from the weekend's action.
Gallic supremacy has ruled the roost in recent years, with the past five winners all calling home France's elite division. Yet, the initial stage included a number of impressive wins from emerging challengers.
Bordeaux Seem Ready to Retain Their Crown
Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in the competition last season, overpowering Toulouse in the semi-final and afterwards Northampton in the grand finale.
Positioned sixth in the domestic standings, doubts have been raised about their chances of defending the title now. However, in their opener, Bordeaux served notice that they are well-positioned of winning back-to-back titles with a high-scoring triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.
Given a challenging fixture at the Bulls' fortress against a strong Bulls side featuring talents like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at the interval.
However, as champions do, they showed their quality in the second period, roaring back to secure a 46-33 victory – keeping the Bulls without a point after the halftime.
French try-scoring machines Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any outfit with such firepower on the flanks is a threat against whoever they face.
Powerful Bath Appear Equipped of Going the Distance
Bath's sole success in Europe was almost a generation ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have probably never been more prepared to secure another title.
The defending English Premiership champions are setting the pace in the league after six games and will be hoping to translate that form into Europe – on the back of a surprise group-stage exit last year.
Johann van Graan's men looked a highly composed and composed outfit in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are among the leaders in the Celtic league.
They marry offensive flair – earning the try-scoring point in under 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, keeping their opponents at bay when they looked like mounting a fightback.
With stars such as Finn Russell and Ben Spencer directing play and a deep squad all over the roster, they must be viewed as credible threats for a continental title since 1998.
Bath's defining match in the initial phase last season occurred in the following week, an agonising 22-21 defeat at Benetton with a rotated team.
Now with a domestic championship under their belt and leading in England once more, Van Graan could be inclined to place greater emphasis on the Champions Cup this season.
Glasgow Hand Sale a Significant Setback
You will find powerful sides throughout the draw, but their section looks set to be one of the most competitive.
In the tournament's current format, a lot is emphasized regarding victories on your own turf, which is why Glasgow's win on the road at Sale on the opening night might just turn out to be vital.
The Glasgow Warriors were 14-0 down after 20 minutes but fought back impressively, and two tries at the start of the second half gave them a all-important five points.
In doing so, they gave their prospects of qualification a significant early boost and, conversely, dealt a significant setback to Sale.
With Toulouse – commanding 56-19 conquerors of the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, also in the pool, we can expect many thrilling contests.
And what of Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They turned in one of their top continental showings in a long time to shock heavyweights Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for the Scottish game.
Is Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Puzzle?
If there's one team you would fancy to be in the mix at the business end of the Champions Cup, it would be multiple champions Leinster.
However in the last few years it has ended in disappointment, as they have promised much but fallen short. Beaten finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked heavy favourites a year ago after building on a 62-0 mauling of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 win over Glasgow in the last eight.
It was thought that All Black star Jordie Barrett would be the key player to secure the title, but they were ambushed and experienced a surprise defeat to Northampton Saints in the semi.
This season they are bringing in another Kiwi, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a scoring pass on his first appearance in Saturday's 45-28 victory against Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to secure European glory to Ireland for the first time 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 last eight, and in the last campaign none of them was able to progress out of the group stage, with several squads not at full strength fielded.
Could this be the season that changes? The Stormers are first in the URC and started their European campaign with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on Friday.
The reactions after the game were encouraging too, with the squad and staff talking about their goals, and the caliber of stars Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the opening victory.
The Stormers appear the best bet for a team from South Africa to go deep into the competition, although do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost in their first games but did face the French powerhouses respectively.
The English and French Sides Serve Up a Thrilling Contest
There were a few contenders for game of the weekend, and the Northampton vs. Pau game was right up there.
Pau have been experiencing a outstanding season, guided by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are currently second in the French championship and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
