🔗 Share this article

With the opening salvo of the 2025-26 Champions Cup concluded, we explore the key revelations emerging from the weekend's action.

Top 14 superiority has defined the competition in recent years, with the last five champions all calling home France's Top 14. But, the first weekend featured multiple convincing performances from potential challengers.

Bordeaux Appear Primed to Defend Their Title

Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were utterly dominant in the competition last season, overpowering Toulouse in the semi-final and subsequently Northampton in the final.

Currently sitting sixth in the Top 14, some have suggested about their chances of defending the feat this year. Yet, in the first round, Bordeaux served notice that they are more than capable of winning consecutive championships with a free-flowing win on the road in South Africa.

Faced with a difficult tie at a hostile venue against a powerful Bulls side boasting internationals like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at half-time.

However, demonstrating their pedigree, they displayed their class in the second period, fighting back to secure a 46-33 victory – keeping the Bulls to zero after the halftime.

France international phenoms Damian Penaud and World Player of the Year nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any outfit with those two on the wings stands a good chance against any opponent.

Formidable Bath Appear Equipped of Challenging for the Title

Bath's sole success in this competition came almost three decades ago. In the years since, they have probably never been more strongly positioned to secure another title.

The current English champions are top of the pile in the league after six games and will be aiming to carry that momentum into the Champions Cup – on the back of a unexpected elimination last year.

Johann van Graan's side looked a extremely well-rounded and polished team in their 40-14 defeat of Munster, who are third in the URC.

They combine attacking verve – earning the bonus point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with tough tackling, restraining their visitors at bay when they looked like mounting a fightback.

With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer directing play and quality reserves all over the squad, they are surely serious contenders for a first European trophy since 1998.

Bath's key result in the initial phase a year ago came in the following week, an narrow 22-21 defeat at Benetton with a changed side.

Having secured a Premiership title in their history and leading the home league, Van Graan might decide to concentrate more effort on the Champions Cup now.

Glasgow Hand Sale a Significant Setback

You will find powerful sides everywhere you look, but their section seems destined to be one of the tightest.

In the existing pool system, a lot is said about winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on the opening night might just be pivotal.

The team from Scotland were two scores behind after 20 minutes but responded with character, and two tries at the start of the second half gave them a valuable five points.

In doing so, they provided their prospects of qualification a significant early boost and, in turn, inflicted a damaging defeat to the Sharks.

With the French giants – imperious 56-19 conquerors of the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, sharing the group, we should be in for plenty of fireworks.

And as for Glasgow's old rivals Edinburgh? They delivered one of their top continental showings in recent memory to surprise former champions Toulon 33-20, on a excellent weekend for Scottish rugby.

Could Ioane the Key Addition of the Leinster Quest?

If there's one team you would fancy to be there or thereabouts at the later stages of the season in Europe, it would be multiple champions Leinster.

But in the last few years it hasn't gone to plan, as they have been favourites but delivered little. Runners-up three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked the team to beat the previous campaign after following up a 62-0 mauling of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 win 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 ambushed and experienced a surprise defeat to Northampton Saints in the semi.

Now they are bringing in another Kiwi, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a try assist on his bow in Saturday's 45-28 win over Harlequins.

Is Ioane the man to bring the trophy back to Ireland for the first time since 2018?

Stormers Appear Equipped to Compete

Since the South African sides became part of 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 pool phase, with often squads not at full strength fielded.

Could this be the season that turns around? 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 encouraging too, with the squad and staff talking about their aspirations, and the caliber of stars Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse unavailable for the round-one win.

The Stormers appear the best bet for a South African side to progress far in the tournament, yet do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who each suffered defeat in the opening round but did meet Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.

The English and French Sides Serve Up a Memorable Match

There were multiple possibilities for best fixture, and the Northampton vs. Pau game was right up there.

Pau have been enjoying a outstanding campaign, led by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and veteran playmaker Dan Robson.

They are right now runner-up in the Top 14 and the stadium was buzzing at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's