Now that the opening salvo of the new season's Champions Cup wrapped up, we explore the primary lessons highlighted by the games.
French dominance has been the narrative in the past few campaigns, with the previous five victors all calling home France's elite division. However, the initial stage included several convincing performances from potential rivals.
Bordeaux Look Set to Defend Their Title
Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in this tournament the previous campaign, 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 capacity to retain the title now. However, in their opener, Bordeaux issued a reminder that they are fully equipped of achieving another trophy with a points-laden win on the road in South Africa.
Faced with a challenging fixture at a hostile venue against a powerful Bulls side including internationals like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they found themselves trailing 33-22 at half-time.
Yet, demonstrating their pedigree, they displayed their class in the final 40 minutes, roaring back to secure a 46-33 victory – keeping the Bulls to zero after the halftime.
France international phenoms Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any outfit with that pair on the wings has a chance against whoever they face.
Powerful Bath Seem Poised of A Deep Run
Bath's only triumph in Europe was almost a generation ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have perhaps not been better equipped to secure another title.
The current English champions are top of the pile in the league after six games and will be aiming to transfer that success into continental competition – particularly following a unexpected elimination the previous season.
Johann van Graan's team looked a extremely well-rounded and polished team in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are third in the Celtic league.
They combine attacking verve – securing the bonus point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with resolute defending, keeping their opponents at arm's length when they threatened a fightback.
With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and a deep squad all over the roster, they have to be considered credible threats for a first European trophy since 1998.
Bath's defining match in the initial phase last season came in the next fixture, an agonising 22-21 setback at Benetton with a rotated team.
Having secured a league trophy in their history and setting the pace the home league, Van Graan could be inclined to put a heightened focus on the Champions Cup this season.
Glasgow Hand Sale a Major Blow
There are strong teams everywhere you look, but their section appears poised to be one of the most fiercely contested.
In the competition's present structure, a lot is said about securing home wins, which is why Glasgow's win on the road at Sale on the first day might just be pivotal.
The Glasgow Warriors were trailing by 14 points after 20 minutes but came back strongly, and two tries during the beginning of the second period gave them a all-important maximum haul.
With this result, they handed their prospects of qualification a major lift and, conversely, inflicted a damaging defeat to their opponents.
With the French giants – dominant 56-19 winners against the Sharks – and Saracens, who brushed aside Clermont, sharing the group, we are likely to see high-stakes drama.
And as for Glasgow's old rivals Edinburgh? They delivered one of their best European performances in a long time to shock three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a fine weekend for the Scottish game.
Could Ioane the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Jigsaw?
If there's one team you would fancy to be challenging at the sharp end of the Champions Cup, it would be four-time winners Leinster.
However in recent seasons it has not worked out, as they have shown great potential but fallen short. Beaten finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat the previous campaign after backing up a 62-0 thrashing of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 win over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was thought that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the final piece to secure the title, but they were caught out and experienced a stunning upset to Northampton Saints in the last four.
This year they are bringing in another Kiwi, this time with Rieko Ioane, who registered a scoring pass on his bow in Saturday's 45-28 victory against Harlequins.
Is Ioane the man to bring the trophy back 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 deepest run achieved is the last eight, and last year no South African side succeeded in getting out of the group stage, with plenty of rotated sides fielded.
Is this the year that is different? The Stormers are top of the URC and kicked off their continental journey with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on the opening night.
The post-match comments were promising too, with the squad and staff expressing their ambition, and the caliber of Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse not involved for the first match.
The Stormers seem the most likely contender for a SA franchise to go deep into the event, although do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost this weekend but did face the French powerhouses respectively.
Saints and Pau Produce a Memorable Match
There were a few contenders for game of the weekend, and this one was a leading candidate.
Pau have been having a brilliant campaign, led by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and ex-England half-back Dan Robson.
They are currently runner-up in the French league and the stadium was buzzing at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
