How have the previous all-French European Cup Finals unfolded?

With The Champions Cup final only days away between Clermont Auvergne and Toulon, we take look back at the previous all-French European Cup finals and how they unfolded.

Clermont Auvergne v Toulon

Saturday’s game will be a repeat of the 2013 Heineken Cup final, which was played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Both sides were appearing in their very first final and were looking for their first European Cup. Clermont dominated the game and were 15-6 ahead early in the second half but let Toulon back into the game giving away possession with Delon Armitage scoring a crucial try. Wilkinson converted to make it 16-15 to Bernard Laporte’s side and that is how it ended with Toulon securing their first Heineken Cup.

Toulouse v Biarritz

After eliminating the two previous champions Leinster and Munster in the semi-finals, it was quite fitting that Toulouse would play Biarritz in the Heineken Cup Final in 2010 at the Stade De France. It was a final that we did not see the best brand of Rugby but was a closely fought contest that went down to the wire with Toulouse winning 21-19 thanks to the boot of David Skrela and Florian Fritz. Biarritz were behind for most of the game and even though they scored the only try of the game from Hunt to bring them within two points of Toulouse they ended up on the losing side of another European Cup Final.

Toulouse v Stade Francais

Similar to the Toulouse v Biarritz final, the 2005 Heineken Cup final was a game decided with the tee. In what was a quiet first half, Stade Francais had a 12-6 lead thanks to the boot of David Skrela as he looked to secure his side a first European Cup. Toulouse were looking to get back into the game and a penalty early in the second from Elissalde brought them to within 3 points of Stade. As we made our way into the final play of the game, Toulouse were looking to draw level and were given the opportunity to bring the game into extra-time with Stade penalised at the breakdown. Michalak split the posts and there would be more Rugby to be played at Murrayfield. Extra-time was hugely physical, but in the end Toulouse were able put the game to bed with Michalak slotting a penalty in the first half of Extra-time before securing the win with drop-goal in the second with Toulouse winning 18-12 in the end.

Toulouse v Perpignan

The 2003 Heineken Cup final would suggest a close contest but in reality it was far from that. In what was a one side first half Toulouse led 19-0 in front of a packed Lansdowne Road. A try from Vincent Clerc and the boot of Yann Delaigue looked to have sealed the win but to be fair Perpignan fought back in the second half reducing the deficit to 19-12. Another penalty from Delaigue sealed the win for Toulouse with Perpignan getting a late consolation try from Bomati to make the scoreline look a bit more respectable with Toulouse winning 22-17 in the end.

Ciaran Fallon