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Now that the opening salvo of the 2025-26 Champions Cup concluded, we explore the primary lessons highlighted by the weekend's action.

Gallic supremacy has ruled the roost in the past few campaigns, with the previous five victors all calling home France's top flight. But, the initial stage included a number of impressive wins from emerging challengers.

Bordeaux Look Set to Go Back-to-Back

Reigning title-holders Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in this tournament last season, dominating Toulouse in the semi-final and afterwards Northampton in the grand finale.

Positioned sixth in the domestic standings, questions have been asked about their ability to repeat the accomplishment this season. But, in the first round, Bordeaux served notice that they are well-positioned of securing back-to-back titles with a free-flowing away victory in South Africa.

Handed a difficult tie at the Bulls' fortress against a powerful Bulls side featuring talents like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they went into the break down 33-22 at the break.

Yet, true to their champion status, they displayed their class in the final 40 minutes, roaring back to secure a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls to zero after the break.

French try-scoring aces Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any team with that pair on the flanks has a chance against any competition.

Powerful Bath Look Capable of Going the Distance

Bath's only triumph in the Champions Cup was almost a generation ago. In the years since, they have probably never been more strongly positioned to win it again.

The reigning domestic title-holders are setting the pace at home after six games and will be aiming to carry that momentum into the Champions Cup – especially after a unexpected elimination last year.

Johann van Graan's side looked a very complete and polished team in their 40-14 win over Munster, who are among the leaders in the Celtic league.

They combine attacking verve – earning the try-scoring point in under 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, restraining their guests at bay when they threatened a dramatic comeback.

With players including Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and a deep squad across the team, they are surely serious contenders for a first European trophy since 1998.

Bath's key result in the pools a year ago was in the next fixture, an agonising 22-21 setback at Benetton with a squad players.

Now with a league trophy under their belt and top domestically again, Van Graan might decide to concentrate more effort on the Champions Cup this season.

Glasgow Give Sale a Significant Setback

You will find strong teams everywhere you look, but the first group seems destined to be one of the most fiercely contested.

In the existing pool system, a lot is made about winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's win on the road at Sale on Friday evening might just be pivotal.

The Scottish side were trailing by 14 points after 20 minutes but responded with character, and two tries during the beginning of the second period gave them a all-important bonus-point win.

In doing so, they provided their prospects of qualification a significant early boost and, conversely, dealt a hefty blow to the Sharks.

With the French giants – dominant 56-19 winners against the Sharks – and Saracens, who brushed aside Clermont, in the same section, we are likely to see many thrilling contests.

And what of Glasgow's old rivals Edinburgh? They produced one of their finest displays in Europe in a long time to shock former champions Toulon 33-20, on a excellent weekend for the Scottish game.

Is Ioane the Key Addition of the Leinster Puzzle?

If there's one team you would fancy to be in the mix at the sharp end of the continental campaign, it would be four-time winners Leinster.

However in recent campaigns it has not worked out, as they have promised much but fallen short. Beaten finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked heavy favourites the previous campaign after backing up a 62-0 rout of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 demolition over Glasgow in the last eight.

It was believed that New Zealand full-back Jordie Barrett would be the key player to win the championship, but they were ambushed and experienced a surprise defeat to Northampton Saints in the semi.

This season they are trying the All Black experiment again, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a scoring pass on his first appearance in Saturday's 45-28 success against Harlequins.

Could Ioane be the player to return the cup to Ireland for the first time since 2018?

Stormers Seem Prepared to Challenge

Ever since the teams from South Africa joined the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the best performance by any of them is the quarter-finals, and the previous season none of them was able to progress out of the group stage, with several rotated sides fielded.

Is this the year that changes? The Stormers are leading the URC and started their continental journey with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on Friday.

The post-match comments were promising too, with the squad and staff expressing their aspirations, and the caliber of Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the first match.

The Stormers appear the best bet for a SA franchise to have a long run in the competition, yet do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who each suffered defeat in their first games but did play Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.

Northampton and Pau Deliver a Memorable Match

There were a few contenders for best fixture, and that clash was right up there.

Pau have been experiencing a brilliant campaign, guided by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and veteran playmaker Dan Robson.

They are presently in second place in the French championship and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's