Clermont and Toulon compete for a place in history, as the French pair battle it out to become the first ever winners of the European Rugby Champions Cup at Twickenham at 5pm (BST) on Saturday.
The tournament replaced the Heineken Cup for the 2014/15 season and has proved to be an entertaining competition thus far, but can a showpiece final crown a positive debut season?
Toulon won the final two editions of the Heineken Cup, including an excruciatingly close 16-15 victory over Clermont in the 2013 final at Lansdowne Road. If Toulon do succeed in beating Clermont once again, they will become the first side in history to claim three consecutive European titles. They are marginal favourites to do so, priced at 10/11 at Stan James to win. It’s sure to be another tight affair though between two of Top 14’s leading teams though.
Clermont proved their credentials with an emphatic 37-5 victory over Northampton Saints in the quarter-finals before beating Saracens in the semis. However, despite boasting the highest tacking success rate in Europe this season (89 per cent) and having conceded just 20 points in their last three continental outings, their league form of late has been poor to say the least, losing their last three Top 14 outings.
Clermont’s poor run of form in the league has left Toulon four points clear at the top of the table. However, it is Toulon’s European form that has been most impressive this season, a competition in which they have won each their last eight fixtures – a new record.
Toulon have also had the best of their recent head-to-head encounters, winning three of the last four, while Clermont haven’t beaten Toulon away from their Stade Marcel Michelin home since 2011.
Despite no British team reaching the final, there will still be two English and two Welsh representatives starting the game. Steffon Armitage and Leigh Halfpenny will line-up for Toulon – who also have Jonny Wilkinson now amongst their coaching ranks – while Nick Abendanon and Jonathan Davies start for Clermont.
Clermont Auvergne: N Abendanon; N Nakaitaci, J Davies, W Fofana, N Nalaga; B James, M Parra; V Debaty, B Kayser, D Zirakashvili, J Cudmore, S Vahaamahina, J Bonnaire, D Chouly (capt), F Lee.
Replacements: J Ulugia, T Domingo, C Ric, J Pierre, J Bardy, L Radoslavjevic, C Lopez, A Rougerie.
Toulon: L Halfpenny; D Mitchell, M Bastareaud, J M Hernandez, B Habana; M Giteau, S Tillous-Borde; X Chiocci, G Guirado, C Hayman (capt), B Botha, A Williams, J Smith, S Armitage, C Masoe.
Replacements: J-C Orioli, A Menini, L Chilachava, J M Fernandez Lobbe, V Bruni, R Wulf, F Michalak, R Taofifenua.
Toulon to win (-7 handicap) – 9/4 at Ladbrokes
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
