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Now that the initial matches of the 2025-26 Champions Cup concluded, we delve into the major talking points stemming from the games.

Gallic supremacy has been the narrative in the past few campaigns, with the last five champions all hailing from France's Top 14. However, the opening round showcased a number of statement victories from potential rivals.

Bordeaux Seem Ready to Retain Their Crown

Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in the competition last season, dominating Toulouse in the last four and then Northampton in the final.

Positioned sixth in the Top 14, some have suggested about their capacity to retain the feat this season. Yet, in the first round, Bordeaux served notice that they are fully equipped of achieving consecutive championships with a points-laden triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.

Given a difficult tie at a hostile venue against a strong Bulls side including stars like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they found themselves trailing 33-22 at the interval.

However, as champions do, they displayed their class in the second half, roaring back to claim a 46-33 victory – shutting out the Bulls scoreless after the halftime.

French try-scoring aces Damian Penaud and global award contender Louis Bielle-Biarrey both got on the scoresheet. Any outfit with that pair on the flanks is a threat against any competition.

Formidable Bath Look Capable of Going the Distance

Bath's only triumph in the Champions Cup came almost three decades ago. Throughout the ensuing period, they have perhaps not been more strongly positioned to win it again.

The defending English Premiership champions are setting the pace domestically after six games and will be hoping to transfer that success into continental competition – on the back of a shocking early departure in the last campaign.

Johann van Graan's team looked a very complete and balanced unit in their 40-14 victory against Munster, who are third in the URC.

They combine creative spark – sealing the extra point within 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, holding their opponents at bay when they attempted a fightback.

With players including Finn Russell and Ben Spencer in the half-backs and quality reserves across the team, they are surely credible threats for a first European trophy since 1998.

Bath's key result in the group stage a year ago was in the next fixture, an agonising 22-21 loss at Benetton with a rotated team.

After winning a Premiership title under their belt and setting the pace the home league, Van Graan might decide to put a heightened focus on the Champions Cup this year.

Glasgow Deal Sale a Major Blow

There are strong teams in every pool, but the first group appears poised to be one of the most fiercely contested.

In the tournament's current format, a lot is emphasized regarding winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on the first day might just turn out to be vital.

The team from Scotland were 14-0 down after 20 minutes but came back strongly, and two tries at the start of the second period gave them a precious five points.

In doing so, they handed their hopes of advancing a major lift and, conversely, inflicted a hefty blow to the Sharks.

With the French giants – imperious 56-19 winners against the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, sharing the group, we can expect many thrilling contests.

And regarding Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They produced one of their best European performances in recent memory to stun heavyweights Toulon 33-20, on a excellent weekend for Scottish rugby.

Is Ioane the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Puzzle?

If there's one team you would fancy to be in the mix at the business end of the Champions Cup, it would be European giants Leinster.

Yet in recent seasons it hasn't gone to plan, as they have promised much but fallen short. Beaten finalists three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked overwhelming favourites a year ago after building on 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 New Zealand full-back Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to take them over the line, but they were caught out and experienced a stunning upset to Northampton Saints in the semi.

This year they are bringing in another Kiwi, this time with Rieko Ioane, who claimed a scoring pass on his bow in Saturday's 45-28 success against Harlequins.

Will Ioane prove to return the cup to Ireland for the first occasion since 2018?

Stormers Seem Prepared to Challenge

Since the South African sides became part of the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the best performance by any of them is the last eight, and last year none of them managed to make it out of the pool phase, with often weakened teams used.

Is this the year that changes? The Stormers are leading the URC and kicked off their European campaign with a 26-17 away win at Bayonne on Friday.

The post-match comments were promising too, with the squad and staff speaking of their goals, and the players such as Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse not involved for the opening victory.

The Stormers seem the most likely contender for a South African side to go deep into the competition, yet do not rule out the Sharks and Bulls, who both lost in their first games but did play Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.

Saints and Pau Deliver a Classic Encounter

There were a few contenders for best fixture, and the Northampton vs. Pau game was a leading candidate.

Pau have been enjoying a brilliant campaign, spearheaded by Argentine internationals 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 atmosphere was electric at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's