Euro Cup: A battle of business

 

Toulon's bid to be crowned kings of Europe for an unprecedented third successive season will see their star-studded side up against familiar foes when they take on French rivals Clermont in Saturday's Final at Twickenham.

 

Both clubs are among the most well-financed in Europe, with Toulon backed by wealthy comic-book publisher Boudjellal while Clermont were founded by the family behind France's Michelin tyre company and still receive generous backing from the business to this day.

 

Yet, as is often the way in modern professional sport, both clubs like to portray themselves as outsiders, even underdogs.

 

"We are accused of being a wealthy club but Toulon is a great adventure," Boudjellal told AFP. 

 

"It's like Indiana Jones, but it's my money and I'm putting everything including my shirt on the line, while Michelin pours hundreds of millions into Clermont.

 

"It's not a criticism, because Michelin is a great French business, but I don't understand why Clermont try to pass themselves off as a poor club."

 

Toulon boasts the talents of Australia's Matt Giteau, South Africa's Bakkies Botha and New Zealand's Carl Heyman.

 

But Clermont, looking to gain revenge for their 15-16 defeat by Toulon in the 2013 Final, have plenty of international firepower including Australian playmaker Brock James and England's Nick Abendanon.

 

Wales's Jonathan Davies is there too, although he must fight off competition from the likes of France's Wesley Fofana and Aurelien Rougerie for a place in Clermont's midfield.

 

Both Toulon and Clermont were pushed hard in seeing off Leinster and Saracens in their respective semifinals, while both French clubs were defeated in the Top 14 last weekend.

 

For the likes of the English duo of Clermont's Abendanon and Toulon's Steffon Armitage, the reigning European player of the year, Saturday's match is another chance to put pressure, ahead of the World Cup, on the Rugby Football Union to ease its policy of not picking overseas-based players for Test duty.

 

But with the Final taking place barely a fortnight after the semifinals and the lack of an English club in the Final, Saturday's match is set to be played in front of a near half-empty Twickenham, where the capacity is 82,000. 

 

 

2014: Toulon (FRA)

2013: Toulon (FRA)

2012: Leinster (IRL)

2011: Leinster (IRL)

2010: Toulouse (FRA)

2009: Leinster (IRL)

2008: Munster (IRL)

2007: Wasps (ENG)

2006: Munster (IRL)

2005: Toulouse (FRA)