Just another Final for Toulon
Bernard Laporte and his RC Toulon side have become used to preparing for major finals and Saturday's Champions Cup Final clash at Twickenham Stadium with ASM Clermont Auvergne will be their seventh in four seasons.
Last year they managed to become only the fourth team in the history of the professional game to complete a domestic league and European Cup double – when they followed in the footsteps of Toulouse (1996), Leicester Tigers (2001, 2002) and Wasps (2004).
This weekend Laporte's men are eyeing up another piece of history by trying to become the first team to win the European Cup three seasons in a row.
If they do, then the experience of the previous six finals – Challenge Cup 2012, European Cup 2013 and 2014, as well as Top 14 2012, 2013 and 2014 – should come into play in making it business as usual.
"It's our third Final in three years, so maybe we don't feel as apprehensive about it as we did the first time.
"There are very experienced players on both sides and we are trying to prepare for the game as calmly as we possibly can," said Laporte.
"The players' change every season these days so we won't get any real benefit from playing what will be our seventh major final in a row.
"Maybe, subconsciously, we will slip into some good habits in our preparation, but Clermont have also been in a lot of semi-finals and finals, so it's the same thing for both of us.
"Clermont is a very good team, both collectively and individually.
"Are they better than Leinster?
"I don't know, but they are among the best teams in Europe."
What might make the occasion a little bit more emotional than usual is the fact that three of RC Toulon's biggest name players, skipper Carl Hayman and World Cup winning locks Ali Williams and Bakkies Botha, will be making their final appearances in European rugby.
Going out on a high note will be important to them.
"Players like Carl are full of humility. They won't say 'we want to finish in style', that's what I say," Laporte said.
"Hayman, Botha, Williams – these guys bring real power to the group without even talking because they're so charismatic!"
Source: @ChampionsCup
