With the first round of the new season's Champions Cup in the books, we examine the primary lessons stemming from the games.
Top 14 superiority has defined the competition in recent years, with the previous five victors all calling home France's top flight. However, the opening round included a number of impressive wins from new rivals.
Bordeaux Look Set to Defend Their Title
Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in this tournament a year ago, dominating Toulouse in the semi-final and afterwards Northampton in the final.
Lying sixth in the domestic standings, questions have been asked about their capacity to retain the accomplishment now. But, in the first round, Bordeaux served notice that they are fully equipped of securing another trophy with a free-flowing triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.
Faced with a challenging fixture at Loftus Versfeld against a strong Bulls side featuring internationals 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, roaring back to seal a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls scoreless after the interval.
Les Bleus stars phenoms Damian Penaud and star wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any side with such firepower on the flanks is a threat against any competition.
Impressive Bath Seem Poised of Going the Distance
Bath's lone victory in this competition was almost three decades ago. In the years since, they have arguably not been better equipped to add a second star.
The current English champions are setting the pace in the league after six games and will be aiming to transfer that success into the Champions Cup – on the back of a surprise group-stage exit last year.
Johann van Graan's side looked a very complete and balanced unit in their 40-14 win over Munster, who are highly placed in the United Rugby Championship.
They marry creative spark – sealing the extra point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, keeping their guests at bay when they looked like mounting a late rally.
With stars such as Finn Russell and Ben Spencer directing play and quality reserves across the team, they have to be considered serious contenders for a maiden Champions Cup since 1998.
Bath's key result in the pools a year ago was in the next fixture, an heartbreaking 22-21 setback at Benetton with a squad players.
Now with a domestic championship to their name and leading in England once more, Van Graan may feel able to place greater emphasis on the Champions Cup this year.
Glasgow Give Sale a Major Blow
There are powerful sides in every pool, but the first group appears poised to be one of the most fiercely contested.
In the existing pool system, a lot is made about victories on your own turf, which is why Glasgow's triumph at an opponent's ground at Sale on the first day might just prove crucial.
The Scottish side 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 precious maximum haul.
In doing so, they provided their prospects of qualification a major lift and, by contrast, inflicted a hefty blow to their opponents.
With the French giants – commanding 56-19 conquerors of the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, also in the pool, we can expect high-stakes drama.
And as for Glasgow's traditional foes Edinburgh? They turned in one of their finest displays in Europe in years to shock former champions Toulon 33-20, on a excellent weekend for the Scottish game.
Will Ioane Be the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Puzzle?
Should you pick one side you would predict to be there or thereabouts at the sharp end of the season in Europe, it would be four-time winners Leinster.
But in recent campaigns it has ended in disappointment, as they have been favourites but not won the trophy. Finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat a year ago after backing up a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the round of 16 with a 52-0 win over Glasgow in the quarter-final.
It was thought that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to secure the title, but they were caught out and endured a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the semi-final.
This year they are trying the All Black experiment again, this time with Rieko Ioane, who registered a scoring pass on his first appearance in Saturday's 45-28 win over Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to secure European glory to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Look Ready to Step Up
From the moment the SA franchises entered the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the furthest any of their teams have got is the last eight, and in the last campaign none of them managed to make it out of the group stage, with plenty of rotated sides used.
Will this be the campaign that is different? The Stormers are first in the URC and started their European campaign with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on the opening night.
The post-match comments were promising too, with individuals involved expressing their goals, and the caliber of stars Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the round-one win.
The Stormers look the best bet for a team from South Africa to have a long run in the competition, but don't count out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost this weekend but did face Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.
Saints and Pau Serve Up a Thrilling Contest
There were multiple possibilities for match of the round, and that clash was among the best.
Pau have been having a outstanding season, guided by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and veteran playmaker Dan Robson.
They are right now second in the Top 14 and the atmosphere was electric at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
