List of European Rugby Champions Cup finals
Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Instituted | 1995 |
Number of teams | 20 |
Country | International club (European Professional Club Rugby) |
Holders | Saracens |
Most titles | Toulouse (4 titles) |
The European Rugby Champions Cup is an annual rugby union competition for European clubs whose countries compete in the Six Nations Championship. Established in 1995, it is organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), with teams qualifying via their final positions in their respective national/regional leagues (Premiership, Top 14, and Pro12). It was known as the Heineken Cup until it was rebranded in 2014. The winners of the first final were French team Toulouse, who beat Welsh side Cardiff 21–18 after extra time. Saracens of England are the current champions, they beat French team Racing 92 21–9 in the 2016 final in Lyon.[1]
The European rugby Champions Cup final is the last match of the competition, which sees 20 teams initially compete in five separate pools. The top eight teams from the pools progress to the knockout stage. The winning team is declared European champion and receives the European Rugby Champions Cup trophy. If the score is a draw after 80 minutes of regular play, an additional 20-minute period of play, called extra time, is added. If the score remains tied, an additional 10 minutes of sudden-death extra time are played, with the first team to score points immediately declared the winner. If no team is able to break the tie during extra time, the winner is ultimately decided by a penalty shootout. As well as the first final, the 2005 final between French teams Toulouse and Stade Français went to extra time, which Toulouse won 18–12.[2]
Toulouse are the most successful team in the history of the tournament, with four wins. Leinster and Toulon are second with three wins each. Toulon are the only team to have won three consecutive tournaments, from 2013 to 2015. Stade Français, Biarritz and Clermont have each appeared in two finals without winning. Teams from Scotland and Italy have failed to progress to the final.
It was announced on April 3rd, 2017 that the 2017-18 final wil be held in Bilbao, which will be the first time that the final will be contested in a country without a team participating in the competition. The 2018-19 final will be held in Newcastle.
Finals
† | Match was won during extra time |
Performances
By club
Club | Won | Runner-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|
Toulouse | 4 | 2 | 1995–96, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2009–10 | 2003–04, 2007–08 |
Leinster | 3 | 0 | 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12 | |
Toulon | 3 | 0 | 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 | |
Leicester Tigers | 2 | 3 | 2000–01, 2001–02 | 1996–97, 2006–07, 2008–09 |
Munster | 2 | 2 | 2005–06, 2007–08 | 1999–2000, 2001–02 |
Wasps | 2 | 0 | 2003–04, 2006–07 | |
Brive | 1 | 1 | 1996–97 | 1997–98 |
Ulster | 1 | 1 | 1998–99 | 2011–12 |
Northampton Saints | 1 | 1 | 1999–2000 | 2010–11 |
Saracens | 1 | 1 | 2015–16 | 2013–14 |
Bath | 1 | 0 | 1997–98 | |
Stade Français | 0 | 2 | 2000–01, 2004–05 | |
Biarritz | 0 | 2 | 2005–06, 2009–10 | |
Clermont | 0 | 2 | 2012–13, 2014–15 | |
Cardiff | 0 | 1 | 1995–96 | |
Colomiers | 0 | 1 | 1998–99 | |
Perpignan | 0 | 1 | 2002–03 | |
Racing 92 | 0 | 1 | 2015–16 |
By nation
Nation | Winners | Runners-up |
---|---|---|
France | 8 | 12 |
England | 7 | 5 |
Ireland | 6 | 3 |
Wales | 0 | 1 |
References
- ^ Standley, James (14 May 2016). "Saracens beat Racing 92 to win first European Champions Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ^ "Stade Francais 12–18 Toulouse". BBC Sport. 22 May 2005. Retrieved 6 July 2016.