Euro fever builds in London

 

With world-class players from as many as 16 nations on show in the two showpiece matches, ASM Clermont Auvergne and RC Toulon will battle it out at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday in the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup Final.

 

Meanwhile the Challenge Cup will be on the line when Edinburgh and Gloucester clash at the nearby Twickenham Stoop on Friday.

 

Viewers in over 100 countries will have the opportunity to watch stars of the global game such as Toulon's Matt Giteau, Bryan Habana and Carl Hayman, as well as Wesley Fofana, Nick Abendanon and Jonathan Davies of Clermont, compete for the brand new Champions Cup trophy. 

 

The new trophy weighs in at 13.5 kilograms and is made from sterling silver with 18 carat gold-plated handles and interior.

 

In addition, as European club rugby celebrates its 20th anniversary, Toulon are on the cusp of history as they aim to become the first club to win the title three years in succession.

 

Clermont, who were defeated in the 2013 Final by Saturday's opponents, will continue their quest for the one major title that has so far eluded them.

 

This will be the fifth occasion that the European Cup Final has been played at Twickenham and either Clermont or Toulon, who have a combined total of 1,838 test caps in their European squads, will become the first French winner at English rugby's headquarters.

 

With another new piece of silverware on offer for the Challenge Cup winners, and with the contest set to feature emerging talent such as Edinburgh's Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and Matt Kvesic of Gloucester, the stakes will also be particularly high for the Premiership club at The Stoop as victory would earn them a place in the play-offs for next season's Champions Cup.

 

Edinburgh, meanwhile, are appearing in their first European Final and success would see them become the first Scottish club to lift a European trophy.

 

With the Challenge Cup contest expecting a full house of 14,500, the Champions Cup Final is on track for an attendance of in the region of 50,000 which is consistent with the last two all-French finals played outside of France.