The Heineken Champions Cup final will be a meeting of France’s top two sides but in terms of recent pedigree, they are almost opposites. For Toulouse, it is an opportunity to get back where they belong and win a fifth European title. For La Rochelle, it is their first trip to an unknown summit after an uneven ride to the top. Auch and Dax finished first and second but below them were five of the leading sides in this season’s Top 14: La Rochelle (third), Toulon (fourth), Lyons (sixth), Racing Métro (11th) and Bordeaux-Bègles (12th). That season was the first of many near misses for La Rochelle.

Source: The Times May 21, 2021 16:17 UTC