Big Dogs’ Roar And Patience Rewarded: Champions/Challenge Cup Talking Points

The Investec Champions and Challenge Cups got underway over the weekend, and as ever there was fantastic rugby across Europe and in South Africa.

There are still six more rounds before we head to Spain’s Basque Country for the finals in Bilbao, but here is what caught ATR’s eye on opening weekend.

Big Guns Begin Firing

It didn’t take the big guns long to make their mark in the competition, with last year’s finalists, and the Top 14, Gallagher PREM Rugby, and United Rugby Championship (URC) champions all taking maximum points.

Bath needed less than 25 minutes to wrap up their four-try bonus. They will have been pleased with their first against Munster, as it came from a rolling maul and shows they are more than just nimble backs.

Toulouse scored after three minutes, through Italy wing Ange Capuozzo, who ended with a hattrick in a match in which the French champions ran in eight tries to beat the Sharks. Meanwhile, in Dublin Leinster were pushed hard by Harlequins, who showed up a few issues in their defence, but ultimately the URC champs rode out the storm and finished with a flourish.

Most satisfied though will be last year’s winners Bordeaux-Begles (UBB), and runners-up Northampton Saints, who returned home from tricky away trips with all five points in their luggage. UBB enjoyed a memorable tussle against the Bulls, while Saints needed a late try and penalty to leave opponents Pau emptyhanded, and now they can look forward to the comforts of home.

Friday Night Fun

Traditionally, away wins have been rare in cross-border competition, but on Friday, two teams did just that.

Sale Sharks started brightly and were quickly two tries ahead, but when Glasgow Warriors upped their intensity, they couldn’t live with the 2024 URC Champions. Captain Kyle Steyn led the way, and Stafford McDowall’s not only secured the result and all five points but showed how porous Sale’s defence could be when they had quick ball to play with.

Down in France’s Basque Country, the Stormers also enjoyed some Friday night joy by beating Aviron Bayonnais. What a start they made too with scrumhalf Imad Khan rounding off a counterattack from kick off with only one minute, 35 seconds on the clock.

The Capetonians left it late to secure victory, and unsurprisingly it came through their pack. With the other four South African teams in the competitions losing, the Stormers victory was important for the tournament, and they can now return to warmer climes with a spring in their step.

Scarlets Hang In

A lot of attention was on the Scarlets, as Wales’s only team in the competition. While expectations were low, they still performed with heart and inspiration in their 17-16 defeat at home to Bristol Bears, and more than once were denied tries for the smallest of infractions.

Scrumhalf Gareth Davies showed he can roll back the years for their first try, and namesake Jac Davies finished off a good move for their second. Overall, their defence was fairly solid, and they won’t be the last team that suffers at the hands of Fiji number eight Bill Mata.

Bristol Bears lacked their usual fluidity, and while they didn’t take a bonus point back with them across the Severn Bridge, a win on the road, especially early on, is always welcome. Scarlets also clocked their first points in this season’s tournament, which in a tricky season is something to be welcomed.

Red Bulls Up And Charging

There were double takes galore in north-east England, as Newcastle Red Bulls fans needed two looks to believe the result coming in from eastern France; Lyon 14, Newcastle Red Bulls 23. Who can blame them for double checking that result, such has been their season so far.

Their last and, so far, only victory under the Red Bull moniker, came on 12 September, against Harlequins in the PREM Rugby Cup on their opening night as the Red Bulls. Since then, there’s been zero points, and floggings galore to leave them firmly rooted to the bottom of the PREM Rugby table.

Newcastle started well with a try from winger Harrison Obatoyinbo that Brett Connon converted, and the flyhalf’s two penalties were crucial to keeping the Red Bulls in touch with Lyon when the French team built their momentum. It meant that Tom Christie and Oliver Spencer’s late tries earned four points for winning, rather than acted as a coda to another miserable night. Victory lifts the cloud over the club and is a very welcome early Christmas present.