Following the initial matches of the latest Champions Cup in the books, we examine the primary lessons emerging from the fixtures.
Top 14 superiority has defined the competition in recent seasons, with the previous five victors all calling home France's top flight. Yet, the first weekend featured a number of impressive wins from emerging challengers.
Bordeaux Look Set to Defend Their Title
Current holders Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in Europe last season, overpowering Toulouse in the last four and then Northampton in the final.
Positioned sixth in the Top 14, doubts have been raised about their capacity to retain the accomplishment this season. Yet, in the first round, Bordeaux sent a message that they are more than capable of winning back-to-back titles with a free-flowing win on the road in South Africa.
Faced with a difficult tie at Loftus Versfeld against a formidable Bulls side featuring stars like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at the interval.
However, as champions do, they displayed their class in the final 40 minutes, fighting back to seal a 46-33 victory – shutting out the Bulls to zero after the interval.
French try-scoring aces Damian Penaud and star wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any side with that pair on the wings stands a good chance against any opponent.
Formidable Bath Seem Poised of Challenging for the Title
Bath's only triumph in Europe was almost 30 years ago. In the years since, they have perhaps not been better equipped to secure another title.
The current English champions are leading the way at home after six games and will be looking to translate that form into continental competition – on the back of a surprise group-stage exit last year.
Johann van Graan's team looked a very complete and polished team in their 40-14 defeat of Munster, who are among the leaders in the Celtic league.
They marry attacking verve – sealing the bonus point in under 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, holding their opponents at arm's length when they attempted a fightback.
With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer pulling the strings and strength in depth across the team, they have to be considered genuine challengers for a continental title since 1998.
Bath's defining match in the initial phase the previous year came in the following week, an agonising 22-21 loss at Benetton with a rotated team.
Now with a Premiership title in their history and leading domestically again, Van Graan might decide to put a heightened focus on the Champions Cup this year.
Glasgow Give Sale a Significant Setback
You will find strong teams throughout the draw, but their section seems destined 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 away victory at Sale on the opening night might just turn out to be vital.
The Glasgow Warriors were trailing by 14 points after 20 minutes but responded with character, and two tries early in the second half gave them a valuable five points.
With this result, they provided their prospects of qualification a significant early boost and, by contrast, dealt a damaging defeat to the Sharks.
With the French giants – commanding 56-19 conquerors of the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, sharing the group, we are likely to see high-stakes drama.
And what of Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They delivered one of their finest displays in Europe in years to shock heavyweights Toulon 33-20, on a successful weekend for rugby in Scotland.
Could Ioane the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Quest?
When considering a contender you would expect to be in the mix at the business end of the Champions Cup, it would be European giants Leinster.
Yet in recent campaigns it has ended in disappointment, as they have been favourites but fallen short. Finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked heavy favourites the previous campaign 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 hoped that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the key player to win the championship, but they were caught out and experienced a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the semi-final.
This year they are testing another New Zealand import, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a scoring pass on his first appearance in Saturday's 45-28 success against Harlequins.
Is Ioane the man to bring the trophy back to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Seem Prepared to Challenge
From the moment the SA franchises joined the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the best performance by any of them is the quarter-finals, and last year no South African side succeeded in getting out of the pool phase, with often squads not at full strength fielded.
Could this be the season that turns around? 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 post-match comments were positive too, with individuals involved expressing their goals, and the players such as Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse absent for the opening victory.
The Stormers look the best bet for a South African side to progress far in the event, although do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost this weekend but did play formidable opponents respectively.
Northampton and Pau Deliver a Classic Encounter
There were multiple possibilities for match of the round, and this one was among the best.
Pau have been enjoying a brilliant season, spearheaded by stars Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are right now in second place in the French championship and the stadium was buzzing at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's