🔗 Share this article

With the opening salvo of the new season's Champions Cup concluded, we examine the key revelations stemming from the games.

Top 14 superiority has ruled the roost in recent seasons, with the past five winners all representing France's elite division. But, the opening round included multiple convincing performances from potential challengers.

Bordeaux Seem Ready to Go Back-to-Back

Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in the competition last season, overpowering Toulouse in the semi-final and subsequently Northampton in the grand finale.

Positioned sixth in the French league, questions have been asked about their chances of defending the accomplishment this season. Yet, in round one, Bordeaux sent a message that they are fully equipped of winning consecutive championships with a high-scoring win on the road in South Africa.

Faced with a challenging fixture at Loftus Versfeld against a powerful 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, as champions do, they unleashed their power in the second half, fighting back to secure a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls without a point after the interval.

France international phenoms Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any team with such firepower on the edges stands a good chance against any competition.

Impressive Bath Look Capable of A Deep Run

Bath's lone victory in this competition dates back almost 30 years ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have arguably not been more strongly positioned to add a second star.

The defending English Premiership champions are top of the pile in the league after six games and will be hoping to translate that form into continental competition – on the back of a unexpected elimination in the last campaign.

Johann van Graan's men looked a extremely well-rounded and polished team in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are third in the Celtic league.

They combine creative spark – earning the bonus point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with resolute defending, holding their guests at a distance when they threatened a dramatic comeback.

With stars such as Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and strength in depth all over the team, they have to be considered credible threats for a first European trophy since 1998.

Bath's pivotal moment in the group stage last season occurred in the next fixture, an agonising 22-21 loss at Benetton with a rotated team.

Now with a league trophy to their name and leading in England once more, Van Graan could be inclined to put a heightened focus on the Champions Cup now.

Glasgow Give Sale a Tough Start

You will find quality outfits everywhere you look, but the first group appears poised to be one of the most competitive.

In the existing pool system, 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 Scottish side were two scores behind after 20 minutes but responded with character, and two tries early in the second period gave them a valuable maximum haul.

In doing so, they gave their hopes of advancing a significant early boost and, conversely, dealt a damaging defeat to the Sharks.

With the French giants – imperious 56-19 victors over the Sharks – and Saracens, who brushed aside Clermont, in the same section, we are likely to see plenty of fireworks.

And as for Glasgow's traditional foes Edinburgh? They delivered one of their finest displays in Europe in a long time to surprise former champions Toulon 33-20, on a excellent weekend for rugby in Scotland.

Will Ioane Be the Final Piece of the Leinster Jigsaw?

Should you pick one side you would expect to be there or thereabouts at the sharp end of the continental campaign, it would be European giants Leinster.

Yet in the last few years 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 heavy favourites a year ago after building on a 62-0 thrashing of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 destruction over Glasgow in the quarter-final.

It was hoped that New Zealand full-back Jordie Barrett would be the key player to secure the title, but they were caught out and endured a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the semi.

This season 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 victory against Harlequins.

Will Ioane prove to bring the trophy back to Ireland for the first time since 2018?

Stormers Seem Equipped to Compete

Since the South African sides became part of the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the deepest run achieved is the quarter-finals, and in the last campaign none of them was able to progress out of the pool phase, with often weakened teams fielded.

Will this be the campaign that changes? The Stormers are first in the URC and kicked off their European campaign with a 26-17 triumph in France at Bayonne on the opening night.

The reactions after the game were positive too, with players and coaches talking about their goals, and the caliber of Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse not involved for the opening victory.

The Stormers seem the strongest candidate for a SA franchise to have a long run in the event, although don't count out the Sharks and Bulls, who were defeated this weekend but did meet the French powerhouses respectively.

Northampton and Pau Serve Up a Classic Encounter

There were several candidates for game of the weekend, and that clash was right up there.

Pau have been experiencing a superb season, spearheaded by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.

They are right now runner-up in the French league and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's