Opening weekend of Champions Cup 2025/26 pool stages sees two away victories on Friday; Glasgow Warriors fight from behind to win at Sale Sharks, registering a bonus-point; South Africa’s Stormers pick up impressive victory over Top 14 side Bayonne in France in other fixture

Glasgow Warriors fought from 14-0 behind to win at Sale Sharks in the Champions Cup’s opening round

Glasgow stormed back from a 14-point deficit to open their Champions Cup campaign with a 26-21 victory at Sale Sharks.

Sale dominated the opening quarter in difficult conditions and led through tries from Ernst van Rhyn and replacement Ollie Davies, while Rob Du Preez added two conversions.

But the Warriors reduced the gap to 14-12 by the break as Gregor Hiddleston and Rory Darge rewarded Scottish forward power and Adam Hastings landed a conversion.

Glasgow struck again within two minutes of the restart as Kyle Steyn collected a poor box kick to slice through, with Hastings adding the extras.

The visitors soon bagged a bonus point try as Stafford McDowall flew in off the right for a score that Hastings again maximised.

Sale set up a grandstand finish as Marius Louw powered over by the posts for a try that Du Preez converted, but Glasgow held on for an impressive away victory.

Bayonne 17-26 Stormers

In the night’s second clash, South Africa’s Stormers registered an impressive 26-17 victory over Top 14 side Bayonne in France despite a 20-minute red card to Adre Smith.

Scrum-half Imad Khan and Paul de Villiers scored tries for the Stormers – the second with Bayonne down to 13 players due to two sin-binnings.

Though the hosts scored three tries through Federico Mori, Arnaud Erbinartegaray and Lucas Paulos, Stormers fly-half Clinton Swart kicked four penalties in the contest, which proved the difference.