Champions Cup: Five takeaways from Round-of-16 first legs as Ulster beat holders Toulouse

Following the opening legs of the round-of-16 clashes played across Europe, here’s our five takeaways from a memorable Champions Cup weekend.

With the last 16 format a double legged aggregate affair this season, the first round of matches saw a series of great performances away from home. At the top of the list, few might have predicted La Rochelle’s 31-13 demolition of Bordeaux-Begles as Gregory Alldritt yet again reminded us of his offloading and carrying brilliance. Ulster’s win in Toulouse was equally surprising, as the home team looked jaded after a red card incident.

However, the performance of the weekend had to be Leicester Tigers’ rampant showing at Stade Marcel-Michelin; despite losing Guy Porter to a red card, they powered and pummelled their way to a 29-10 victory with Ellis Genge and Tommy Reffell putting in defining performances. The last time Clermont lost to an English side in Europe was against Sale in 2008, when, with delightful symmetry, Tigers replacement scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth started at 10.

With only seven days or so before the teams meet for the second leg, out of this weekend’s hosts, only Montpellier hold anything near a considerable advantage, courtesy of their 40-26 destruction of Harlequins. It’s going to be a stellar weekend of all or nothing rugby.

Although nothing is a given in rugby, the form and style of the French clubs have yet again set a benchmark. Sure, Tigers and Ulster dished out a few Gallic bloody noses this weekend, but generally, the style, defensive systems and big names in continental rugby are setting the standard for all to follow.

Shaun Edwards has set a national agenda for the shape of defence; the speed of blitz, especially that of Montpellier, La Rochelle and