2014-2015 ERCC Final
(05-05-15)
"Rugby" ... one of
the greatest words in the English language.
Simply because Rugby is THE
greatest Sport in the history of Sports-dom; and it is, of course, the Sport
that I love best ... Well, that and DWTS ... and occasionally Football (the
American kind, not that European dribble called Soccer) when Wisconsin's
Green Bay Packers or Texas' Cowboys
are playing.
I do not consider myself
a "Sports Fanatic" by any means; but, I can and will say that I am a
total "Rugby Nut".
And more so, a complete
New Zealand All Blacks Fan!
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| The All Blacks |
Why shouldn't I be?
They are the elite, a Team to aspire to; and inarguably the BEST International
Rugby Team to have ever graced the Sport ... just ask any Nation of the World.
In my opinion, it is
impossible to be at all "into Sports" and not be a complete nutter-of-a-Fan of one Team or another; or else, why are you even bothering?
That said, aside from my
Avid Admiration of the All Blacks, I do possess a general, overall love
for that "civilized" War of the Nations known as Rugby; and, this
Blogger will strive to offer you a complete, objective commentary of the Sport
... except ... maybe ... for certain times when the topic of the All Blacks is being
biased-ly conversed upon.
The Heineken Cup: Sponsored by Heineken, This cup began in the year 1995 and is known as
"The H Cup" in France (According to Wikipedia) due to
the Nation's "restrictions on alcohol sponsorship" (in France!? ... Is that funny to
anyone else but me?), "The Heineken Cup" consists of an
annual series of International Test matches (International Games) organized by the European
Rugby Cup, and played by 6 different Nations:
England, Wales,
Scotland, Ireland,
France, Italy.
These nations are broken down into 24 Teams, all vying for Europe's most prestigious, International, Annual Rugby trophy, The Heineken Cup.
Near the end of the year 2014, The Heineken Cup took on a different name:
The "European Rugby Champions Cup" or the "ERCC",
and is now organized by European Professional Club Rugby.
England, Wales,
Scotland, Ireland,
France, Italy.
These nations are broken down into 24 Teams, all vying for Europe's most prestigious, International, Annual Rugby trophy, The Heineken Cup.
Near the end of the year 2014, The Heineken Cup took on a different name:
The "European Rugby Champions Cup" or the "ERCC",
and is now organized by European Professional Club Rugby.
NOTE: The ERCC (also called The European Rugby Champions Cup, and ... previously called The Heineken Cup) is not the "Six Nations Championship" (also called "The RBS 6 Nations" due to the sponsor, The Royal Bank of Scotland) which involves only 6 teams - the 6 national teams from the same 6 nations.
Confusing? ... a little ... but if you re-read the few paragraphs above about 6 (LOL) times ... slowly ... it will become more clear ... eh?
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| The ERCC (European Rugby Champions Cup) |
Besides the change of
name, the ERCC competition remains largely the same as its inaugural
predecessor, except that the 6 competing Nations are now broken down into 20
Teams instead of the original 24; and, the 20 Teams are now all vying for a
different trophy, The European Rugby Champions Cup.
The ERCC (or The
Heineken Cup, by which it was still known at the time) was the very first Rugby
match I ever saw.
It was the final match of the 2010-2011 Season: Leinster vs. Northampton Saints (Leinster won, 33-22) and so began the rest-of-my-life love affair with the game of Rugby.
It was the final match of the 2010-2011 Season: Leinster vs. Northampton Saints (Leinster won, 33-22) and so began the rest-of-my-life love affair with the game of Rugby.
Given our
"history", it should come as no great surprise that the ERCC is one
of the annual International Test Matches to which I most look forward.
Which brings me to the
sum-up of the final Test Match of its most recent Season (2014-2015 Season):
Toulon vs. Clermont Auvergne ...
Toulon vs. Clermont Auvergne ...
On the 5th of May, in
the year 2015, two, French, Club Rugby Teams officially made Rugby History,
when they met in London ... at England's beloved Twickenham Stadium
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| An aerial view of Twickenham Stadium |
to compete for Rugby's
very first European Rugby Champions Cup (ERCC),
formally known as The Heineken Cup.
This exciting Finals
game was hashed out between Clermont Auvergne, looking for their first Championship Win, and back-to-back Winners and defending Champions, Toulon,
going for their third win of the Top Tier, European Professional Club Rugby Tournaments (which before had only been achieved by the Irish
Team, Leinster, who have won it Three times, and the
French Team, Toulouse, who have won it a record Four
times).
This historic event
would mark the third time in a row that Toulon had made it to the ERCC
Final, and the second Final for Clermont Auvergne (the 2012/13 season, and the 2014/15 season).
In Addition, this
particular, highly-anticipated Rugby Match would also mark the second
time that these two teams have met on the Rugby field of battle for the Final
game of the ERCC tournament (though it was, at the time, called The Heineken Cup tournament). The first
time was the conclusion of the 2012/13 Season -- And yes, that means that
both times that Clermont Auvergne have been to the Final, they have met
that same, seemingly unbeatable foe, Toulon.
For the First Half of
this enthralling game, Clermont Auvergne overwhelmed its opposing Team,
and Toulon seemed to be in a real strait! Following a well-timed charge-down by Morgan Parra of Clermont Auvergne which led to a Try, it
looked as though these "underdog" Challengers had the game well in
hand!
But the spot-on kicking
from (Stephen) Leigh Halfpenny of Toulon,
who scored 11 points out of 16 for his Team during the First Half (the other 5 points coming from a powerful Try made by Number 13, Mathieu Bastareaud),
would give
Toulon the lead just before Halftime!
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| Leigh Halfpenny |
who scored 11 points out of 16 for his Team during the First Half (the other 5 points coming from a powerful Try made by Number 13, Mathieu Bastareaud),
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| Mathieu Bastareaud |
During the Second Half
of the game, each Team would achieve only one more Try, including
one made by Rugby's first ever EPCR (European Professional
Club Rugby) Player of the Year Honoree, Clermont Auvergne's
very own Nick Abendanon.
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| Nick Abendanon |
With only one Conversion
made by Camille Lopez of Clermont Auvergne,
and one Penalty Kick by Halfpenny, this thrilling game was down to the wire!
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| Camille Lopez |
and one Penalty Kick by Halfpenny, this thrilling game was down to the wire!
In the end, Clermont Auvergne would need a converted try to win the trophy; but, Toulon strongly held its ground for the eventual WIN (24-18), allowing this record-breaking Team to once again make Rugby History as the first Club Rugby Team to win the European Rugby Champions Cup AND the only Club Rugby Team to have won a Top Tier Rugby Championship Three times in a row! (That is, they are the first winners of the newly-named ERCC and they won the last 2 Heineken Cups ... 3 wins in-a-row with a name change thrown in for free!)
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| Toulon: The Winners of the European Rugby Champions Cup (ERCC), 2015! |
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