The top five greatest Heineken Champions Cup finals
The Heineken Champions Cup is the pinnacle of club rugby in Europe). This year’s tournament culminates on Saturday afternoon when – in a repeat of last year’s final – Ireland’s best, Leinster, face the behemoths of The Bay of Biscay, La Rochelle.
The French side ran out 24-21 winners last year in Marseille and Munster legend Ronan O’Gara, now head coach at La Rochelle, will be looking to get another one over his bitterest of rivals come Saturday evening.
To whet the appetite, Glenn Kelly looks back at five of the greatest Heineken Cup finals since it’s incarnation in 1995.
From drop-goals, to fumbles, to scintillating tries, this tournament has had it all over the years.
1996: Toulouse 21-18 Cardiff (Cardiff)
What better place to start than at the beginning. Twelve sides entered the inaugural competition which was contested between sides from Ireland, Wales, France, Italy and Romania. English and did not enter the tournament until the following year.
Tries from French legend Thomas Castaignede and Jerome Cazalbou, gave Toulouse an early lead at Cardiff’s old Arms Park, but Adrian Davies kicked Cardiff back into the contest and a last-minute penalty levelled the game at 15-15 to force extra time in front of a buoyant crowd of 21,800.
With the Welsh side faltering, Toulouse clinched victory after two Christophe Deylaud extra-time penalties to bring the trophy back south of the channel and what would begin a love affair with the tournament for the Rouge et Noir.
1999: Ulster 21-6 Colomiers (Dublin)
Not known for being a try-fest, well none were actually scored in the final but Dublin will always be remembered for the day Ulster upset the odds and became the first Irish side to lift the trophy. Before the days of late spring finales, this game was played in the depths of winter at a windy Lansdowne Road. The English had again boycotted this year’s tournament.
Ulster had got to the final the hard way, beating Toulouse twice and Stade Francais en-route.
With almost all of the 49,000 attendees wearing the Ulster colours, there was an inevitability about the result.
English full-back Simon Mason scored six from six penalties to end with a phenomenal personal tally of 144 points in the tournament.
David Humphries chipped in with a second-half drop goal. Colomiers could not overcome the Ulster pack which included David McWhirter and Andy Ward; and fans were getting ready for a pitch invasion long before the final whistle.
Ulster fans still await their second victory of the trophy 24 years on.
2004: Wasps 27-20 Toulouse (London)
This Twickenham final will be best known for a calamitous act by a French full-back as much as the exciting rugby on display.
Wasps had the upper hand in the first half, with Stuart Abbott crossing the line to give them the lead, before Toulouse fly-half Yann Delaigue replied to bring his side back to within two points of their opponents.
Full-back Mark van Gisbergen followed up with Wasps' second try, but the English club were pegged back by two penalties from Jean-Baptiste Elissalde.
Just as the crowd were settling in for a period of extra-time, step forward Clement Poitrenaud. Rob Howley played a grubber-kick down the Toulouse touchline, giving chase. What appeared to be a lost cause turned out to be anything but.
Poitrenaud hesitated with the ball bobbling in front of him, hoping to nurse it into touch. However, Howley made a dive and managed to ground the ball in goal for the winning try.
2011: Leinster 33-22 Northampton (Cardiff)
Leinster’s second title will be best remembered for the greatest comeback victory of all Heineken Cup finals.
In a thrilling contest, tries from Phil Dowson, Ben Foden and Dylan Hartley, put the Saints 22-6 up at half-time and on course for a second Heineken Cup success.
However, following a famous Johnny Sexton team talk, Leinster came out like a wild animal.
Within 17 minutes of the restart, two Sexton tries and a penalty had Leinster in front and a third from Scottish International Nathan Hines settled matters to break Northampton hearts.
Northampton would struggle to reach these heights again, whilst Leinster would go on to beat Ulster the following year to retain the trophy.
2022: Leinster 21-24 La Rochelle (Marseille)
Last year’s final was the first to be played with a capacity crowd since 2019 due to the Covid Pandemic.
Over 59,000 expectant fans attended the Stade Velodrome with high hopes of a thrilling encounter between Europe’s top two sides. La Rochelle were hoping for their first tournament win after being defeated by Toulouse a year earlier in the final.
Leinster had led for much of the game thanks to six Johnny Sexton penalties and one from Ross Byrne.
However, the sheer size of the French pack began to take its toll and dominate the Irish side who at one stage had a man advantage, with second row Thomas Lavault sent to the sin-bin for a trip.
Despite some valiant defence, Leinster finally succumbed to La Rochelle pressure when scrum-half Arthur Retiere stretched and dotted the ball down on the line for the crucial score.
West contributed the additional two points to secure an unforgettable success after a thrilling game.
