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Following the opening salvo of the new season's Champions Cup wrapped up, we explore the primary lessons emerging from the fixtures.

French dominance has been the narrative in recent seasons, with the last five champions all representing France's elite division. However, the opening round showcased several impressive wins from new contenders.

Bordeaux Seem Ready to Retain Their Crown

Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in this tournament last season, dominating Toulouse in the last four and subsequently Northampton in the showpiece.

Positioned sixth in the domestic standings, some have suggested about their ability to repeat the title this season. However, in round one, Bordeaux served notice that they are more than capable of winning another trophy with a high-scoring triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.

Faced with a challenging fixture at the Bulls' fortress against a formidable Bulls side including talents like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they went into the break down 33-22 at the interval.

But, as champions do, they showed their quality in the second half, fighting back to secure a 46-33 victory – holding the Bulls scoreless after the break.

Les Bleus stars machines Damian Penaud and star wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any outfit with that pair on the edges has a chance against any competition.

Powerful Bath Appear Equipped of A Deep Run

Bath's lone victory in the Champions Cup came almost a generation 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 transfer that success into Europe – on the back of a surprise group-stage exit the previous season.

Johann van Graan's side looked a highly composed and balanced unit in their 40-14 defeat of Munster, who are third in the United Rugby Championship.

They marry creative spark – sealing the bonus point within 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, holding their opponents at arm's length when they looked like mounting a fightback.

With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer in the half-backs and a deep squad across the team, they have to be considered genuine challengers for a maiden Champions Cup since 1998.

Bath's key result in the initial phase the previous year occurred in the second round, an heartbreaking 22-21 defeat at Benetton with a squad players.

Having secured a domestic championship in their history and top in England once more, Van Graan may feel able to concentrate more effort on the Champions Cup this year.

Glasgow Hand Sale a Major Blow

The tournament contains quality outfits in every pool, but the first group seems destined to be one of the most competitive.

In the tournament's current format, a lot is said about winning your home games, which is why Glasgow's away victory at Sale on Friday evening might just be pivotal.

The Glasgow Warriors were 14-0 down after 20 minutes but fought back impressively, and two tries during the beginning of the second period gave them a valuable five points.

By achieving this, they provided their chances of progressing a major lift and, conversely, dealt a significant setback to Sale.

With the red and blacks – commanding 56-19 victors over the Sharks – and Saracens, who comfortably defeated Clermont, in the same section, we are likely to see high-stakes drama.

And regarding Glasgow's old rivals Edinburgh? They delivered one of their finest displays in Europe in recent memory to stun three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a excellent weekend for rugby in Scotland.

Could Ioane the Missing Ingredient of the Leinster Jigsaw?

When considering a contender you would expect to be challenging at the sharp end of the Champions Cup, it would be four-time winners Leinster.

But in the last few years it has not worked out, 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 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 quarter-final.

It was hoped that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the final piece to win the championship, but they were ambushed and experienced a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the last four.

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

Is Ioane the man to return the cup to Ireland for the first occasion since 2018?

Stormers Seem Equipped to Compete

From the moment the SA franchises entered the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the furthest any of their teams have got is the quarter-finals, and in the last campaign no South African side was able to progress out of the group stage, with plenty of rotated sides used.

Is this the year that turns around? The Stormers are first in the URC and started their continental journey with a 26-17 victory on the road at Bayonne on the opening night.

The reactions after the game were positive too, with the squad and staff speaking of their ambition, and the caliber of Springboks Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse not involved for the first match.

The Stormers appear the best bet for a SA franchise to have a long run in the competition, yet write off the Sharks and Bulls, who were defeated in the opening round but did play the French powerhouses respectively.

Saints and Pau Serve Up a Classic Encounter

There were multiple possibilities for match of the round, and that clash was right up there.

Pau have been enjoying a brilliant season, spearheaded by Pumas Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and veteran playmaker Dan Robson.

They are currently runner-up in the Top 14 and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's