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Toulon claimed the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup on Saturday following their 24-18 victory over Clermont Auvergne at Twickenham, winning their third successive continental title.
BBC Wales Sport confirmed Toulon's triumph, which required a real show of character from Bernard Laporte's side, which ended the six-point win by showing some of the best defence any team is likely to produce:
In a re-enactment of the 2013 Heineken Cup final, the two teams understandably opened under tetchy circumstances, but the sheer wealth of superstar talents present made for high entertainment from the start.
For Clermont, the likes of Napolioni Nalaga—Toulon-bound himself this summer—and Nick Abendanon enjoyed space in the opening minutes, while Juan Martin Hernandez and Drew Mitchell were active for Toulon.
Despite that sea of quality, however, it was kickers Camille Lopez and Leigh Halfpenny who did the bulk of the early damage from the tee, coping well with the pressures of a raucous Twickenham crowd.
Even then, though, it was Toulon full-back Halfpenny who was forced to do the replying after Lopez took advantage of a few penalties, per the competition's official Twitter account:
Having been forced to settle with their chances from long range in the early stages, Clermont pounced on the opportunity to open some daylight in the 25th minute. Wesley Fofana rose to play the role of hero for his side.
Morgan Parra applied some pivotal pressure to block a Sebastien Tillous-Borde box-kick attempt around the halfway line, spilling the ball favourably into the arms of Fofana, who rampaged down the left flank to glide over for the first try of the afternoon.
The yellow half of Twickenham erupted following the centre's sprint from distance, with Rugby World editor Owain Jones agreeing Franck Azema's side had enjoyed more control of the first half:
Halfpenny responded with his third penalty of the match to cut Clermont's lead to 11-9 and had the opportunity to put his side in front but missed a 35th-minute kick attempt many may have thought routine for one of his ability.
It seemed as though Clermont were ready to take that two-point lead into the break too, but Toulon gambled, opting to keep the ball in play past the 40-minute mark, and it paid dividends.
Grinding away at the doors of their enemy, Mathieu Bastareaud eventually provided the battering ram to knock down Clermont's borders and send Laporte's side into the lead.
Halfpenny made up for his earlier miss by converting Toulon's first try, leading ex-England international Brian Moore to hint it may be the defending champions with more patience, a critical factor in these matches:
It was more of the same as the second half kicked off, and Toulon's speed of transition put fear into their foes. Matt Giteau came close to creating the team's second score within minutes of the restart.
Steffon Armitage, having been quieter than usual up until this point, started to come alive and put a thunderous hit on England compatriot Abendanon in particular, catching his countryman woefully out of defensive shape.
To their credit, however, Azema's men stood firm, but it gradually became clear the power balance was well and truly in Toulon's favour, summed up by a show of indiscipline from France winger Noa Nakaitaci.
Referee Nigel Owens was forced to give Toulon a penalty after Nakaitaci threw an out-of-play ball away from Bryan Habana, Halfpenny happily converting and the Clermont man earning the ire of ESPN Scrum's Tom Hamilton:
Many among this Toulon squad will have been present for the European victories of 2013 and 2014, but for Clermont, this was the first time competing under European club rugby's most intense spotlight.
With 20 minutes remaining, that difference in pedigree had begun to tell, and it was Clermont making the majority of mistakes, both little and large.
For Laporte, being able to replace a back-row icon like Juan Smith with the similarly gifted Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe showed just what a unique depth Toulon possessed, another key difference in the result.
Just like that, though, the game was turned on its head when an exquisite chip-and-chase from Abendanon saw the full-back cut in under the posts to score and earn widespread attention for his moment of inspiration:
Some Toulon players seemed up in arms, apparently under the impression advantage was still in their favour, but referee Owens had the only say that mattered.
As World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper attested, Abendanon's try had a rejuvenating effect not just on Clermont's players but on their fans too as a more even contest rose back to the fore:
Back and forth the momentum shifted, and just when it looked Clermont were back within range of their fierce French rivals, Mitchell crashed off a set piece to glide in for a one-man-army effort of his own.
The Australian scythed through Clermont's defences, and despite the backing of his peers, chose to go it alone and touch down in the right corner, leaving Welsh figures Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies in awe:
A moment of confusion followed when it looked as though Halfpenny had added the extras, but the scoreboard told otherwise, and Clermont could at least rest easier knowing the deficit was six points instead of eight.
Both teams are a delight to watch at their offensive best, but it was Toulon's structure and discipline without the ball that impressed most in their bid to stop the opposition clinching the converted try they needed.
It was slow, agonising and far less fancy than the pieces of play that created the scores, but former fly-half Jonny Wilkinson could look on as Toulon eked their way to a third European crown in as many years.
With more star names to come this summer and prospects only getting brighter, the question must be asked as to whether anyone can stop Toulon's runaway train.
They may have lost Jonny Wilkinson, but Toulon are still the team to beat in the European Rugby Champions Cup this season. As the statistics show, the French outfit is currently performing at the highest level.
While the World Cup-winning former England fly-half was the public face of Toulon's Top 14 and Heineken Cup wins last season, it was the strength across the pitch that saw the French side lift two trophies.
And while it is virtually impossible to replace the metronomical kicking ability of Wilkinson, Toulon may be stronger without the trusty left-footer.
That sounds an almost outrageous statement—if Wilkinson had not hung up his boots at the end of last season his name would still be the first one on the team-sheet—but his departure has seen Toulon add depth in a number of other areas that are already bulging with talent.
In comes full-back Leigh Halfpenny, whose shoulder and groin injuries almost prompted Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal to rip up his two-year contract.
But the Welsh kicker returns to the fray just in time for the kick-off of Toulon's European defence and offers Toulon an upgrade at No. 15 over the sometimes electric but often error-prone Delon Armitage.
At fly-half, Boudjellal wasted no time in replacing Wilkinson with Australian James O'Connor, once again the flavour of the month in rugby circles following a rehabilitation stint at London Irish that came after he had his Australia rugby contract cancelled.
But O'Connor is returning to Australia in the new year, at which point star Argentinean fly-half Juan Martin Hernandez will join Toulon and could slot straight in at No. 10, especially with Frederic Michalak's shoulder injury likely to keep him out for at least three months.
The rest of the back line reads like a who's who of international rugby over the past decade, with Bryan Habana and Drew Mitchell possessing 166 international caps between them on the wings, and the experienced Aussie Matt Giteau is a regular in the centres.
But it's not just at the back where Toulon will shine. Their forwards will again be the key to winning the European Rugby Championship.
In the front row, Carl Hayman, regarded by many as the best tighthead prop in the business, is interchangeable with the hairy beast that is Martin Castrogiovanni, while Ali Williams and Bakkies Botha often pack down in the second row.
In Steffon Armitage, Toulon have a flanker described as one of the best in the world by teammate Juan Smith, and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe is comfortable anywhere at the back of the pack.
It's all well and good throwing all these names at you, because as teams in all sports have discovered before, simply signing star players is not enough to guarantee silverware.
This is where I will sprinkle in some statistics from this year's Top 14, where Toulon sit second behind Clermont Auvergne after eight games this season.
Their numbers in both attack and defence are pretty impressive. With 29 tries in eight games, Toulon certainly know how to cross the whitewash, racking up 255 points at an average of nearly 32 per game.
Defensively, they have only allowed their opponents over the try-line 11 times, they have only had 21 penalties converted against them, and they have only received three yellow cards while conceding the fewest points (140) in the league.
Top 14 defeats to Racing Metro and Stade Francais this season have shown they are beatable, but Toulon often save their best for the big European occasions.
There is an enviable depth to their squad, with international star replacing international star, which will serve them well when they kick off their European Champions Cup campaign against the Scarlets on October 19.
Toulon eventually battered Saracens into submission to capture the 2014 Heineken Cup in Cadiff on Saturday, besting a game Sarries team by a 23-6 margin.
The game was predictably defined by the merciless, power-first approach of Toulon's forwards. Toulon hit hard and often, even if it meant playing fast and loose with the rules off the ball.
| Team | Tries | Penalty Goals | Conversions |
| Toulon | Matt Giteau, Juan Smith | Johnny Wilkinson 3 | Johnny Wilkinson 2 |
| Saracens | Owen Farrell 2 |
This overt physical intimidation did serve to wear down Sarries. But it also contributed to a stop-start first half that prompted referee Alain Rolland into as much action as the players.
On numerous occasions, per Dan Lucas of The Guardian, Rolland warned both sides to cut out the negative tactics and treat this final as a spectacle of Rugby Union. While his words weren't heeded by everybody, Toulon did eventually start moving the ball quicker.
That led to a first-half try from Matt Giteau, finishing a slick move with a typically bulldozing burst over the line. Unerring kicker Jonny Wilkinson then clipped over a drop goal to push Toulon into double-digits.
The successful kick was capture nicely on the Sky Sports Rugby Twitter page:
Toulon appeared to be in cruise control heading into the interval. But as is their way, Saracens stayed in the game and began chipping at their opponents' seven-point lead after the break.
Owen Farrell calmly split the uprights for his second successful penalty conversion, reducing the deficit to just four points early in the second half. But rather than unnerve Toulon, Farrell's penalty served only as a cue for the leaders to suffocate the game.
Wilkinson became more selective and conservative with his kicking, routinely pinning Sarries deep and challenging runners to break through crowded avenues.
The decisive try soon came. Wilkinson started the move releasing a quick pass to Drew Mitchell. He eventually set Mathieu Bastareaud away.
The massive Frenchman powered through two Saracens' players, who didn't seem that keen to try to bring him down. He fired a pass to Juan Smith, who then cleverly exchanged with Juan Fernandez Lobbe, before crossing the line himself.
Wilkinson, of course converted to stretch Toulon's lead to 14.
That left Saracens to go gung-ho. While players like Farrell were committed, there was no composure or flow to Sarries' game.
Toulon, behind a solid showing from Steffon Armitage, simply held their opponent at bay, comfortably seeing out the clock to claim the trophy. A pair of Wilkinson penalties merely added gloss to proceedings, in a fond farewell for the retiring No. 10.
It was a fitting finish both for Wilkinson and the Heineken Cup. The revered tournament will now make way for the new European Champions Cup format.
It seems James O'Connor might not be joining French outfit Toulon after all.
The Australian utility back, who currently plays for London Irish, told Alan Manicom of GetReading that any decision regarding his future would be made with a potential call-up to the Wallabies for the upcoming World Cup in the back of his mind. Reports that he is all-but-set to join Toulon are premature:
I obviously have some decisions to make in terms of the World Cup. I have been told I have to have been playing in the Super League for a season (to be selected for Australia).
That complicates things a bit.
O'Connor wasn't the only one to speak out on his future. Brian Smith, Irish's director of rugby, said in the same article he is adamant O'Connor has not signed for anyone and claims he is unaware of any French offers the player might have received.
The news comes on the back of multiple reports in the French media that claimed O'Connor would be joining current European champions Toulon, with L'Equipe going as far as calling it a "certainty" (reported by the Australian Associated Press via the Guardian).
The 23-year-old back is currently exiled from the Wallabies as a result of multiple incidents involving alcohol, as reported by Mick Cleary of the Telegraph.
Additionally, under Australia Union rules, a player has to ply his trade in Australia in order to be eligible for a call-up to the National team.
Reports that O'Connor would be joining fellow exile Matt Giteau at Toulon next season now appear to have been premature, as O'Connor has not yet given up on his dream of appearing in the 2015 World Cup.
Any deal with the French outfit would almost certainly exclude the player from a potential call-up.
Mick Crossan, Irish's club president since taking over the team earlier this year, revealed he plans to use O'Connor to spearhead the team's resurgence and would not like to see his new star leave. He also took the time to compliment the young fullback on his exemplary behaviour since joining London Irish:
He turned 23 in July and all the reports you heard was that you've got this young lad who was off the rails. He's far from that. My son's 23 and James has done nothing different occasionally to what my son does most weekends.
After his first game against Northampton, James attended our post-match Q&A and he held the whole crowd. Whether people were seven or 70, he had time for them all and he made sure he spoke to every one of them.
This lad is very special...It's about building a community (at London Irish) and he can be at the forefront.
O'Connor will be faced with making a big decision as the season goes along, as his future as a Wallaby will depend on where he plays his rugby. There is no doubting the player's talent, but after his recent off-field scandals he really needs to prove himself to the Australian selectors.
Will Genia, Australia's star halfback, certainly believes in the youngster, pointing to the case of Quade Cooper who turned his career around after being in a similar situation.
Talking to Jamie Pandaram of the Daily Telegraph, Genia warned O'Connor that a return to the squad would "take time" but stated he was hopeful the Irish back would go through a similar transformation (via news.com.au).
London Irish have yet to win a game with O'Connor in the line-up.
