By Tournament / Top 14

Clermont Auvergne: 20
Tries: A Rougerie, D Zirakashvili
Cons: B James 2
Pens: B James 2

Toulouse: 26
Tries: W Servat, M Médard
Cons: JB Elissalde 2
Pens: JB Elissalde 2, M Kunavore, V Courrent


About 100 miles east of Paris may lie the sparkling province of Champagne-Ardenne, where toasting is part of one's daily pleasures, but any al-frescoing would've gone some way to match the fizzy feast of French rugby flavour going on in the capital.

Toulouse, home to French club rugby, claimed claimed a 17th Bouclier de Brennus, after breaking Clermont Auvergne hearts for a jinxed ninth time at a sold-out Stade de France.

Seven years since their last league triumph, Toulouse triumphed through tries from William Servat and one spectacular effort from top marksman, Maxime Medard, as Clermont's customary free-scoring deserted them when they needed it most.

Jean-Baptiste Elisalde defied all medical probability to trundle about battered and bruised for sixty minutes.

Every time the ball arrived in his intelligent hands, the athletic presence of the world's best centre, Yannick Jauzion, ensured his taped up ribs could survive the brutal battle between France's best.

Painful memories of the heartbreaking European Cup Final defeat to Munster were shortlived as Clermont were the one's nursing heavier emotions once again.

It was typically French, full of flair, brimming with life, perfect for evening diners seeking fullsome entertainment. And there wasn't an empty plate in the house.

Le Plat de Jour was a large piece of New Zealand lamb. Byron Kelleher signing off his first season in south-west France with a flawless work-out.

Feisty around the fringes, the All-Black epitomised the Toulousian temperament - taking the pressure off the dead-legged Elissalde and the hungry pack with a number of calm clearances, orchestrating matters with a champon head.

les Januards were their own worst enemy. Their set piece was dire.

Even with Mario Ledesma and John Smit, the top two hookers in the world, Messrs Pelous and Bouilhou in for more than just the scraps in the lineout, intervening at crucial stages towards the end.                          

Fever pitch had already erupted before the whistle, but the game kicked-off at a furious pace with the ball being shipped around like a hot-potato such was the sublime off-loading and all-round handling skills.

William Servat crashed over after a trademark incisive Kelleher break following Brock James' earlier penalty.

Instead of sticking with their free-flowing mutli-faceted brand of rugby, Clermont chose to play a terrotorial game, waiting to pounce on a mistake, and captain Aurelien Rougerie pounced on a defensive mix-up between Medard and Dan Humaan for a try. But that was it for errors.

Inseparable at the break, it took a vinatage moment of brilliance, fitting of such a magnificent finale, to really nail down the result.

Deep inside his own 22, replacement flanker, Finau Maka powered through a couple of tackles before the ball found Yves Donguy on the wing, who sliced inside a couple of trailing defenders, and a deft one-handed off-load out of the tackle allowed Maxime Medard to step off his right wing and under the posts.

Both sides exchanged penalties and with Toulouse's sea of supporters dressed in red celebrating, Clermont's Georgian giant Davit Zirakashvili bulldozed over for a consolation effort, credit for a bruising perormance, but even while Brock James knocked over the conversion, Toulouse's stars were already popping the corks.

Toulouse have already suffered one defeat in a final this year, but two would be unprecedented, giving the crazy South West passionate french fans reason give up drinking and smoking such would be the heartbreak.

Les Rouge et Noires haven't won the Bouclier de Brennus for seven seasons, which considering their rich history of silverware, draws comparisons with the All-Blacks who create obstacles for themselves, stumbling out rather than over the line.

Clermont Auvergne have the edge, doing the double in the regular season and have an extra 24 hours of freshness in their tired legs. Les Januards have Brock James in their artillery. A reliable aim, clinical shot coupled with a lethal array of firepower outwide, James and half-back partner Pierre Mignoni are the batteries in the clock.

Toulouse posses a hex over Vern Cotter's side when it comes to the biggest stage. In all of their three previous meetings, in 1994, 1999 and 2001, Guy Noves' big red machine has rolled over their arch-rivals.

Meanwhile, the absence of crucial star quartet, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Yannick Nyanga, Vincent Clerc and Clement Poitrenaud, is like taking away a kidney and both sets of fingers - still able to function but not at peak performance.

Martin Schelzo's season ended weeks ago, so the biggest decision for Cotter is whether to stick with Argentina's number two Mario Ledesma or go for World Cup winning captain, John Smit - some coaches have all the luck.

Much is being made of the Maxime Medard-Napolioni Nalaga confrontation. The season's most potent weapons both go searching for the ball, but whether Yannick Jauzion's forced entry into the No. 10 jersey comes off as well as Riki Flutey's did for Wasps remains to be seen, and could prove pivotal to Toulouse's chances.

At least more people will be watching this than the national side eight hours earlier...

Toulouse

Probable 15. Maxime Médard, 14 Cédric Heymans, 13. Florian Fritz, 12 Maleli Kunavore, 11. Yves Donguy, 10. Yannick Jauzion, 9. Byron Kelleher, 8. Shaun Sowerby, 7 Jean Bouilhou (c),  6. Thierry Dusautoir, 5. Patricio Albacete, 4. Fabien Pelous, 3. Daan Human, 2. William Servat 1. Omar Hasan.

Subs from: , Jean-Baptiste Poux Yohan Montes, Virgile Lacombe, Alberto Vernet Basualdo, Romain Millo-Chluski, Grégory Lamboley, Finau Maka, Vincent Courrent, Gaffie du Toit, Manu Ahotaeiloa

Clermont Auvergne:

Probable: 15 Benoit Baby, 14. Napolioni Nalaga, 13. Gonzalo Canale, 12. Marius Joubert, 11. Aurelien Rougerie (c), 10. Brock James, 9. Pierre Mignoni, 8. Elvis Vermeulen, 7. Julien Bonnaire, 6. Alexandre Audebert, 5. Loic Jacquet, 4. Jamie Cudmore, 3. Davit Zirakashvili, 2. Mario Ledesma, 1. Laurent Emmanuelli.

Subs from: Thomas Domingo, John Smit, Christophe Samson, Thibault Privat, Sam Broomhall, John Senio, Seremaia Baï, Julien Malzieu, Anthony Floch.

The best player in the world is coming to Europe. It's Goodbye DC and Bonjour Daniel, as Mr. Carter, New Zealand's finest export, excluding a tender joint of lamb, will be donning the blood orange from December.

Dan Carter has chosen the sunny Mediterranean for his sixth month European sabbatical with Perpignan his chosen destination. Although Tana Umaga's best efforts didn't go unnoticed, it was impossible to think of the Crusader turning it on in the European Challenge Cup.

Unlike Jerry Collins, who chased the lure of the Euro, Carter can't wait to get to grips with Europe's finest. The All-Black fly-half can look forward to dates with Leicester Tigers and the Ospreys joining up with good mates, Aaron Mauger and Justin Marshall in the Heineken Cup as well as coming face to face with the cauldron like atmosphere of a Basque-Catalan derby when Perpignan take on Biarritz.