Now that the initial matches of the new season's Champions Cup in the books, we explore the primary lessons emerging from the fixtures.
French dominance has defined the competition in the past few campaigns, with the previous five victors all calling home France's Top 14. But, the first weekend showcased multiple convincing performances from potential contenders.
Bordeaux Appear Primed to Defend Their Title
Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in the competition a year ago, overpowering Toulouse in the semi-final and then Northampton in the grand finale.
Currently sitting sixth in the Top 14, doubts have been raised about their ability to repeat the feat this season. But, in their opener, Bordeaux served notice that they are more than capable of winning another trophy with a free-flowing win on the road in South Africa.
Handed a challenging fixture at a hostile venue against a formidable Bulls side featuring internationals like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at the interval.
But, true to their champion status, they showed their quality in the second half, storming back to secure a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls scoreless after the halftime.
French try-scoring machines Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any outfit with that pair on the flanks is a threat against any opponent.
Impressive Bath Look Capable of A Deep Run
Bath's only triumph 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 defending English Premiership champions are leading the way in the league after six games and will be hoping to translate that form into Europe – especially after a surprise group-stage exit in the last campaign.
Johann van Graan's men looked a highly composed and composed outfit in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are highly placed in the United Rugby Championship.
They marry offensive flair – securing the bonus point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, holding their guests at arm's length when they attempted a dramatic comeback.
With players including Finn Russell and Ben Spencer directing play and a deep squad all over the squad, they have to be considered genuine challengers for a continental title since 1998.
Bath's pivotal moment in the initial phase the previous year occurred in the second round, an heartbreaking 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 put a heightened focus on the Champions Cup now.
Glasgow Hand Sale a Tough Start
The tournament contains powerful sides in every pool, but their section appears poised 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 first day might just prove crucial.
The Glasgow Warriors were trailing by 14 points after 20 minutes but fought back impressively, and two tries early in the second half gave them a precious maximum haul.
With this result, they gave their prospects of qualification a major lift and, conversely, dealt a hefty blow to their opponents.
With the French giants – dominant 56-19 conquerors of the Sharks – and Saracens, who brushed aside Clermont, in the same section, we can expect high-stakes drama.
And what of Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They turned in one of their finest displays in Europe in recent memory to stun heavyweights Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for Scottish rugby.
Will Ioane Be the Key Addition of the Leinster Quest?
If there's one team you would expect to be challenging at the business end of the continental campaign, it would be multiple champions Leinster.
Yet in recent seasons 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 the team to beat last season after building on a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 demolition over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was thought that New Zealand full-back Jordie Barrett would be the key player to win the championship, but they were ambushed and experienced a stunning upset to Northampton Saints in the last four.
This season they are bringing in another Kiwi, this time with Rieko Ioane, who registered a scoring pass on his first appearance in Saturday's 45-28 victory against Harlequins.
Could Ioane be the player to return the cup to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Look Equipped to Compete
From the moment the SA franchises joined the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the deepest run achieved is the last eight, and the previous season none of them managed to make it out of the pool phase, with often weakened teams fielded.
Could this be the season that turns around? The Stormers are first in the URC and began their continental journey with a 26-17 triumph in France at Bayonne on the opening night.
The reactions after the game were promising too, with players and coaches expressing their ambition, and the likes of South African internationals Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse unavailable for the round-one win.
The Stormers seem the strongest candidate for a SA franchise to have a long run in the competition, although write off the Sharks and Bulls, who were defeated in the opening round but did face Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.
Saints and Pau Produce a Memorable Match
There were several candidates for game of the weekend, and this one was among the best.
Pau have been experiencing a superb campaign, led by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are currently in second place in the Top 14 and the atmosphere was electric at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
