More of the Latest News

Toulouse get tough Heineken Cup pool draw

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Heineken Cup champions Toulouse will face London Wasps, Glasgow Warriors and Newport Gwent Dragons in the Pool stages of the 2010/11 Heineken Cup tournament
Read more

Proud Kelleher happy to have achieved goal

Sunday 23 May 2010

Many doubted Byron Kelleher's signing for Toulouse after the 2007 World Cup, but the former All Black scrum-half has endeared himself to one of the most demanding rugby audiences.
Read more

Toulon's Elissalde wins Heineken Cup & retires

Saturday 22 May 2010

Toulouse and France playmaker Jean-Baptiste Elissalde on Saturday announced his retirement from the game after his club's 21-19 victory over Biarritz in the final of the European Cup.
Read more

Toulouse beat Biarritz to win 4th Heineken Cup

Saturday 22 May 2010

David Skrela orchestrated an unprecedented fourth European Cup title for Toulouse after overseeing his club's 21-19 victory over Biarritz at the Stade de France here on Saturday.
Read more

Noves hails Heineken Cup winning Toulouse

Saturday 22 May 2010

Toulouse coach Guy Noves hailed his team as deal breakers after they clinched a record fourth European Cup title with a hard-fought 21-19 win over Biarritz.
Read more

Toulouse eye fourth Heineken Cup title

Friday 21 May 2010

Toulouse will be seeking an unprecedented fourth European Cup title when they take on fellow French club Biarritz at the Stade de France here on Saturday.
Read more

Blanco hails all things French in Rugby

Thursday 20 May 2010

Biarritz president Serge Blanco believes the French championship is now the best in Europe and is not surprised to see two of the country's sides meeting in Saturday's Heineken Cup final.
Read more

Damien Traille ruled out of Heineken Cup final

Tuesday 18 May 2010

Biarritz have suffered a blow ahead of their European Cup final against French Top 14 rivals Toulouse after centre Damien Traille was ruled out of the match through injury.
Read more

Millennium Stadium to host Heineken Cup final

Monday 17 May 2010

The Heineken Cup (ERC) organisers have announced that the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, will host the 16th Heineken Cup final on the weekend of 21/22 May, 2011.
Read more

Biarritz are the underdogs : Harinordoquy

Monday 17 May 2010

Toulouse go into Saturday’s landmark 15th Heineken Cup final against Biarritz Olympique at Stade de France on the back of a 21-13 Top 14 semi-final defeat by Perpignan at the weekend with Biarritz talisman Imanol Harinordoquy nevertheless declaring Toulouse have a bit of the All Blacks in them.
Read more

Medard lauds 'The Real-Deal' Noves

Monday 17 May 2010

Guy Noves has guided Toulouse to a record sixth Heineken Cup final - and he is as hungry for success in his 110th tournament match in charge as he was when it all started 15 years ago.
Read more

Biarritz pack is key to Heineken Cup :Erinle

Monday 17 May 2010

Ayoola Erinle is on course to play in back-to-back Heineken Cup finals - for two different clubs. A year ago he was in the centre for Leicester
Read more

Toulouse are hot Heineken favourites : Traille

Friday 14 May 2010

The pain of the 2006 Heineken Cup final defeat is still red raw for Biarritz Olympique – and star centre Damien Traille is adamant Toulouse will be the clear favourites when they clash in the all-French landmark 15th tournament final at Stade de France on Saturday, 22 May.
Read more

Traille in doubt for Heineken Cup Final

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Biarritz centre Damien Traille, who suffered a fractured forearm on April 24, is uncertain to be fit to play in the European Cup final against Toulouse on May 22, his club said on Tuesday.
Read more

ERC clarify Heineken Cup qualification process

Monday 10 May 2010

Just one to go - 23 of the 24 qualifiers for the 16th Heineken Cup tournament have been confirmed. The winners of both the Heineken
Read more

Heineken Cup final to be shown in 3D

Saturday 8 May 2010

The landmark 15th Heineken Cup final will break more new ground - the all-French match between Biarritz Olympique and Toulouse at Stade de France on Saturday, 22 May, will be shown live in 3D
Read more

More Recent Headlines

Wayne Barnes to referee Heineken Cup final
O'Gara reveals Munster's 'Pain in Spain'
Munster go down in Heineken Cup to Biarritz
Dusautoir delighted at reaching Euro final
Toulouse knock Leinster out of Heineken Cup

Heineken Cup

The European Rugby Cup (known as the Heineken Cup because of the tournament's sponsorship by Heineken) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from six International Rugby Board (IRB) nations in Europe: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Romania competed in the first year of the competition only.

The competition is organised by the European Rugby Cup, who are also responsible for the secondary championship, the European Challenge Cup.

It is one of the most prestigious trophies in the sport. The tournament was launched in the European summer of 1995 on the initiative of the then Five Nations committee to provide a new level of professional cross-border competition.

It is sponsored by Dutch brewing company Heineken International (it is known as H-Cup in France because of alcohol advertising restrictions).

Each European nation has a different qualifying system, though in total, 24 teams contest the pool stages in six pools of four.

According to performances, the number of clubs from each nation changes. The tournament is held from October to May, with various stages scheduled around domestic club competitions.

The 2007-08 tournament was won by Ireland's Munster, who beat Toulouse of France 16–13 in the final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Toulouse have been the most successful team, winning the competition four times. Leicester Tigers have won the tournament twice and are the only team to have won the tournament two years in succession.

Past Winners

2009/10: Toulouse
2007/08: Leinster
2007/08: Munster
2006/07: Wasps
2005/06: Munster
2004/05: Toulouse
2003/04: Wasps
2002/03: Toulouse
2001/02: Leicester
2000/01: Leicester
1999/00: Northampton
1998/99: Ulster
1997/98: Bath
1996/97: Brive
1995/96: Toulouse

Source - Wikipedia