Heineken Cup

Heineken Cup

Competition logo
Sport Rugby union
Instituted 1995
Inaugural season 1995–96
Ceased 2013–14
Replaced by European Rugby Champions Cup
Number of teams 24
Nations  England
 France
Ireland Ireland
 Italy
 Scotland
 Wales
Holders Toulon (2013–14)
Most titles Toulouse (4 titles)
Website Official site (Archived)

The Heineken Cup (known as the H Cup in France due to restrictions on alcohol sponsorship) was one of two annual rugby union competitions organised annually by European Rugby Cup from 1995 to 2014. The tournament involved leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board (IRB) countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. In addition to these six countries, Romania competed in the inaugural tournament, but did not feature afterwards. Teams that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup entered the second tier competition, the European Challenge Cup.

The Heineken Cup was one of the most prestigious trophies in the sport and was sponsored by Dutch brewing company Heineken International from its launch in 1995. 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. The European Rugby Champions Cup replaced the Heineken Cup at the start of the 2014-15 season.

Each European country used 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 country changes. The tournament was held from October to May, with various stages scheduled around domestic club competitions.

Toulouse won the competition a record four times. In addition to this record, the tournament was won by Leinster three times, while Munster, Leicester Tigers, Toulon and London Wasps all won it twice each.

Format

Qualification

The Heineken Cup was open to clubs in the RaboDirect Pro12 (originally the Celtic League), Aviva Premiership and the Top 14. The Italian Excellenza competition also sent clubs into the Heineken Cup through 2009–10, but ceased to do so after the Celtic League expanded to include Italian franchises. Clubs in Europe's top leagues that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup entered the European Challenge Cup, along with teams from outside the top European rugby nations.

22 places were awarded by country, with each country deciding how to allocate their allotted places:[1]

From the competition's start in 1995 until the 2008–09 season, the remaining two places were allocated as follows:

From the 2009–10 season until the competition's disbandment, the remaining two places in the 24-team tournament for the following season were filled by the winners of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup. If a trophy winner had already qualified for the Heineken Cup by virtue of its league position, that team's country would receive an extra Heineken Cup place (assuming that the country has an extra team that can take up a place; Scotland had only two top-level professional teams, as did Italy since the 2010–11 season). However, England and France were capped at seven Heineken Cup places each. If either of those two countries had produced the winners of both European cups, the last place would have been filled by the highest ERC-ranked club from outside of that nation to have not already qualified.[2] The latter rule would have also applied if one of Scotland or Italy's two Pro 12 teams had won a European trophy. London Wasps could have benefited if either Clermont or Edinburgh had won the 2011–12 Heineken Cup,[3] but both those clubs lost in the semi-finals, ending Wasps' hopes of a Heineken Cup lifeline.

Competition

The 2005–06 final at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff between Munster and Biarritz.

Pool stage

Six pools of four teams played both home and away games. Until the 2007–08 season these pools were drawn mostly at random, with the following restrictions:[4]

From the 2008–09 season, there were more structures to the pools. The competing 24 teams were ranked based on past performance using the European club ranking from the ERC[5] and arranged into four tiers of six teams, with the reigning champion automatically appearing in the top tier. Each pool received one team at random from each tier; again, this was subject to the restriction that each pool cannot contain more than one team from each competing nation, except France or England, who supplied seven teams.

Four points were awarded for a win and two points for a draw. A bonus point was awarded for a loss by seven points or fewer, or for scoring four tries or more. The six pool winners (ranked 1–6 by number of points scored) and two best placed runners-up (ranked seven and eight) qualified for the quarter-finals. Teams ranked one to four were given home advantage. Starting in the 2009–10 season, the three next-best placed runners up would qualify for the knock-out stages of the European Challenge Cup.[2]

Knock-out stage

The quarter-finals match ups were: Team 1 v Team 8; Team 2 v Team 7; Team 3 v Team 6; Team 4 v Team 5.

The quarter-finals were played at the home stadiums of the higher-seeded clubs, or sometimes at a larger stadium in or near the host team's city. The semi-finals, on the other hand, were always played at nominally neutral venues. Each of the two semi-final venues are in the country of the first team out of the hat when the draw was made. For example, in 2004, Munster v Wasps was played at Lansdowne Road in Dublin, while Toulouse v Biarritz was played in Bordeaux.[6]

However, the neutrality requirement was satisfied simply by the designated home team playing outside of its normal stadium. Both 2005 semi-finals were held in the host's home city; Leicester Tigers v Toulouse was held at Walkers Stadium in Leicester, not far from Leicester's normal home of Welford Road,[7] while Stade Français v Biarritz was played at Parc des Princes in Paris, across the street from Stade's normal home field. The semifinal venue was also required to meet the following additional criteria; it had to have a capacity of at least 20,000[8] and was required to be in the same country as the designated home team.

However, the European Rugby Cup, which organised the competition, would allow exceptions, such as with Biarritz, located in a city less than 20 km from the Spanish border, being allowed to host their 2006 and 2010 semi-finals across the border at Estadio Anoeta in Donostia-San Sebastián (which is the closest stadium to Biarritz that meets the requirements).[9][10] During pool stages, these requirements were further relaxed; for example, Bourgoin hosted Munster in Switzerland at Stade de Genève, Geneva in the 2006–07 competition,[11] and Stade Français planned to take their 2009–10 home fixture against Ulster to Belgium's largest stadium, King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, but that fixture was canceled and moved to Paris after heavy snowfall in Brussels on the intended matchday. Brussels' Heineken Cup debut would have to wait until 2012–13, when Saracens took their home match against Racing Métro to that city.[12]

Saracens also unsuccessfully sought to take pool matches to Cape Town in both 2011–12[13] and 2012–13,[14] and to the New York City area in 2012–13.[15]

History

1995 to 1998

The Heineken Cup logo used until 2013

The Heineken Cup was launched in the summer of 1995 on the initiative of the then Five Nations Committee to provide a new level of professional cross border competition.[16] Twelve sides representing Ireland, Wales, Italy, Romania and France competed in four pools of three with the group winners going directly into the semi-finals.[17] English and Scottish teams did not take part in the inaugural competition.[18] From an inauspicious beginning in Romania, where Toulouse defeated Farul Constanţa 54–10 in front of a small crowd, the competition gathered momentum and crowds grew. Toulouse went on to become the first European cup winners, eventually beating Cardiff in extra time in front of a crowd of 21,800 at Cardiff Arms Park.[17]

Clubs from England and Scotland joined the competition in 1996–97.[19] European rugby was further expanded with the advent of the European Challenge Cup for teams that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup. The Heineken Cup now had 20 teams divided into four pools of five.[20] Only Leicester and Brive reached the knock-out stages with 100 per cent records and ultimately made it to the final, Cardiff and Toulouse falling in the semi-finals. After 46 matches, Brive beat Leicester 28–9 in front of a crowd of 41,664 at Cardiff Arms Park, the match watched by an estimated television audience of 35 million in 86 countries.[20]

The season 1997–98 saw the introduction of a home and away format in the pool games.[21] The five pools of four teams, which guaranteed each team a minimum of six games, and the three quarter-final play-off matches all added up to a 70-match tournament. Brive reached the final again but were beaten late in the game by Bath with a penalty kick. Ironically, English clubs had decided to withdraw from the competition in a dispute over the way it was run.[18]

Without English clubs, the 1998–99 tournament revolved around France, Italy and the Celtic nations. Sixteen teams took part in four pools of four. French clubs filled the top positions in three of the groups and for the fourth consecutive year a French club, in the shape of Colomiers from the Toulouse suburbs, reached the final. Despite this it was to be Ulster's year as they beat Toulouse (twice) and reigning French champions Stade Français on their way to the final at Lansdowne Road, Dublin. Ulster then carried home the trophy after a 21–6 win over Colomiers in front of a capacity 49,000 crowd.[21]

1999 to 2004

English clubs returned in 1999–2000. The pool stages were spread over three months to allow the competition to develop alongside the nations’ own domestic competitions, and the knockout stages were scheduled to take the tournament into the early spring. For the first time clubs from four different nations – England, Ireland, France and Wales – made it through to the semi-finals. Munster's defeat of Toulouse in Bordeaux ended France's record of having contested every final and Northampton Saints' victory over Llanelli made them the third English club to make it to the final. The competition was decided with a final between Munster and Northampton, with Northampton coming out on top by a single point to claim their first major honour.[19]

England supplied two of the 2000–01 semi-finalists – Leicester Tigers and Gloucester – with Munster and French champions Stade Français also reaching the last four. Both semi-finals were close, Munster going down by a point 16–15 to Stade Français in Lille and the Tigers beating Gloucester 19–15 at Vicarage Road, Watford. The final, at Parc des Princes, Paris, attracted a crowd of 44,000 and the result was in the balance right up until the final whistle, but Leicester walked off 34–30 winners.

Munster reached the 2001–02 final with quarter-final and semi-final victories on French soil against Stade Français and Castres. Leicester pipped Llanelli in the last four, after the Scarlets had halted Leicester's 11-match Heineken Cup winning streak in the pool stages. A record crowd saw Leicester become the first side to successfully defend their title.[16]

From 2002, the European Challenge Cup winner now automatically qualified for the Heineken Cup. Toulouse's victory over French rivals Perpignan in 2003 meant that they joined Leicester as the only teams to win the title twice.[16] Toulouse saw a 19-point half-time lead whittled away as the Catalans staged a dramatic comeback in a match in which the strong wind and showers played a major role, but Toulouse survived to win.

In 2003–04 the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) voted to create regions to play in the Celtic League and represent Wales in European competition. Henceforth, Wales entered regional sides rather than the club sides that had previously competed. English side London Wasps had earned their first final appearance by beating Munster 37–32 in a Dublin semi-final while Toulouse triumphed 19–11 in an all-French contest with Biarritz in a packed Chaban Delmas, Bordeaux. The 2004 final at Twickenham saw Wasps defeat defending champions Toulouse 27–20 at Twickenham to win the Heineken Cup for the first time. The match was widely hailed as one of the best finals. With extra time looming at 20–20, a late opportunist try by scrum half Rob Howley settled the contest.

2005 to 2014

Munster fans watch their team on a jumbo screen on the streets of Limerick. Munster won the 2005–06 Cup and were runners-up twice before.

The tenth Heineken Cup final saw the inaugural champions Toulouse battle with rising stars Stade Français when Murrayfield was the first Scottish venue to host the final.[22] Fabien Galthié's Paris side led until two minutes from the end of normal time before Frédéric Michalak levelled the contest for Toulouse with his first penalty strike. He repeated this in the initial stages of extra time and then sealed his side's success with a superb opportunist drop-goal. Toulouse became the first team to win three Heineken Cup titles.[22]

In 2006, Munster defeated Biarritz in the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, 23–19.[23] It was third time lucky for the Irish provincial side, who had previously been denied the ultimate prize twice by Northampton and Leicester.

London Wasps celebrate after winning the 2006–07 Heineken Cup

The 2006–07 Heineken Cup would be distributed to over 100 countries following Pitch International's securing of the rights.[24] That season was the first time in the history of the competition that two teams went unbeaten in pool play, with both Llanelli Scarlets and Biarritz doing so. Biarritz went into their final match at Northampton Saints with a chance to become the first team ever to score bonus-point wins in all their pool matches, but were only able to score two of the four tries needed. Leicester defeated Llanelli Scarlets to move into the final at Twickenham, with the possibility of winning a Treble of championships on the cards, having already won the EDF Energy Cup and the Guinness Premiership. However, Wasps won the final 25 points to 9 in front of a tournament record 81,076 fans.[25]

During competition there was uncertainty over the future of the tournament after the 2006–07 season as French clubs had announced that they would not take part because of fixture congestion following the Rugby World Cup and an ongoing dispute between English clubs and the RFU.[26][27] It was speculated that league two teams might compete the next season, the RFU saying "If this situation is not resolved, the RFU owes it to the sport to keep this competition going...We have spoken to our FDR clubs, and if they want to compete we will support them.".[28] A subsequent meeting led to the announcement that the tournament would be played in 2007–08, with clubs from all the six nations. On 20 May it was announced that both French and English top-tier teams would be competing[29]

In the 2008 final, Munster won the cup for their second time ever by beating Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Leinster won the title in 2009 in their first ever final after beating Munster in the semi-final in front of a then world record Rugby Union club match attendance in Croke Park. They beat the Leicester Tigers in the final at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. They also beat Harlequins 6–5 in the quarter finals at Twickenham Stoop, in the famous Bloodgate scandal.

In the 2010 final, Toulouse defeated Biarritz Olympique in the Stade de France to claim their fourth title, a Heineken Cup record.

The sixteenth Heineken Cup tournament in 2011 resulted in an Irish province lifting the title for the fourth time in six years as Leinster recorded their second triumph in the competition. They defeated former multiple Heineken Cup winners Leicester and Toulouse in the quarter and semi finals. At the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, in front of 72,000 spectators,[30] Leinster fought back from a 22–6 half-time deficit in the final against Northampton Saints, scoring 27 unanswered points in 26 second-half minutes, winning 33–22 in one of the tournament's greatest comebacks. Jonathan Sexton won the man-of-the-match award, having scored 28 of Leinster's points total, which included two tries, three conversions, and four penalties.

Leinster successfully defended their crown in 2012 at Twickenham, eclipsing fellow Irish province and former champions Ulster 42–14 to establish the highest Heineken Cup final winning margin. The performance broke a number of Heineken Cup Final records.[31] Leinster became only the second team to win back-to-back titles, and the only team ever to win three championships in four years. In addition, the game had the highest attendance at a final (81,774), the highest number of tries (5) and points (42) scored by one team and the highest points difference (28).

Shortly after the 2012 final, The Daily Telegraph reported that Premiership Rugby, organiser of the English top flight, would officially notify European Rugby Cup on 1 June of its intention to leave the accord that governs both European cups. The departure, which was expected to be mirrored by Top 14 operators Ligue nationale de rugby, would take effect following the 2013–14 season. The Premiership's desired new format, strongly opposed by the Celtic nations and Italy, is:[32]

The following season, English and French clubs announced the Rugby Champions Cup competition, inviting the other nations competing in the Heineken Cup to join them. The new competition would have the format the clubs desired in the Heineken Cup - 20 teams, equal revenue split etc. Subsequently, the FFR offered French clubs a bonus to remain in the Heineken Cup, which they accepted, and subsequently withdrew from the Champions Cup. Shortly after, Regional Rugby Wales, on behalf of the Welsh Regions, confirmed its support for the new competition.[33][34]

Negotiations for a new competition agreement were ongoing until April 2014, when following months of negotiation, an accord was signed to create the European Rugby Champions Cup as a successor to the Heineken Cup, in time for the 2014–15 season.[35]

Finals

Season Winner Score Runner-up Venue Attendance
1995–96
Details		 France Toulouse 21–18
a.e.t.		 Wales Cardiff Cardiff Arms Park,
Cardiff		 21,800
1996–97
Details		 France Brive 28–9 England Leicester Tigers Cardiff Arms Park,
Cardiff		 41,664
1997–98
Details		 England Bath 19–18 France Brive Stade Lescure,
Bordeaux		 36,500
1998–99
Details		 Ireland Ulster 21–6 France Colomiers Lansdowne Road,
Dublin		 49,000
1999–2000
Details		 England Northampton Saints 9–8 Ireland Munster Twickenham Stadium,
London		 68,441
2000–01
Details		 England Leicester Tigers 34–30 France Stade Français Parc des Princes,
Paris		 44,000
2001–02
Details		 England Leicester Tigers 15–9 Ireland Munster Millennium Stadium,
Cardiff		 74,000
2002–03
Details		 France Toulouse 22–17 France Perpignan Lansdowne Road,
Dublin		 28,600
2003–04
Details		 England London Wasps 27–20 France Toulouse Twickenham Stadium,
London		 73,057
2004–05
Details		 France Toulouse 18–12
a.e.t.		 France Stade Français Murrayfield Stadium,
Edinburgh		 51,326
2005–06
Details		 Ireland Munster 23–19 France Biarritz Millennium Stadium,
Cardiff		 74,534
2006–07
Details		 England London Wasps 25–9 England Leicester Tigers Twickenham Stadium,
London		 81,076
2007–08
Details		 Ireland Munster 16–13 France Toulouse Millennium Stadium,
Cardiff		 74,417
2008–09
Details		 Ireland Leinster 19–16 England Leicester Tigers Murrayfield Stadium,
Edinburgh		 66,523
2009–10
Details		 France Toulouse 21–19 France Biarritz Stade de France,
Saint-Denis, Paris		 78,962
2010–11
Details		 Ireland Leinster 33–22 England Northampton Saints Millennium Stadium,
Cardiff		 72,456
2011–12
Details		 Ireland Leinster 42–14 Ireland Ulster Twickenham Stadium,
London		 81,774
2012–13
Details		 France Toulon 16–15 France Clermont Auvergne Lansdowne Road,
Dublin		 51,142
2013–14
Details		 France Toulon 23–6 England Saracens Millennium Stadium,
Cardiff		 67,578

Wins by club

Team Winners Runners-up Years won Years losing finalist
France Toulouse421995–96, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2009–102003–04, 2007–08
Ireland Leinster302008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12
England Leicester Tigers232000–01, 2001–021996–97, 2006–07, 2008–09
Ireland Munster 222005–06, 2007–081999–2000, 2001–02
England London Wasps202003–04, 2006–07
France Toulon202012–13, 2013–14
France Brive111996–971997–98
England Northampton Saints111999–20002010–11
Ireland Ulster111998–992011–12
England Bath101997–98
France Biarritz022005–06, 2009–10
France Stade Français022000–01, 2004–05
Wales Cardiff011995–96
France Clermont Auvergne012012–13
France Colomiers011998–99
France Perpignan012002–03
England Saracens012013–14

Wins by country

Country Winners Runners-up Winning clubs Runners-up
 France 7 10 Toulouse (4), Toulon (2), Brive Biarritz (2), Stade Français (2), Toulouse (2), Brive, Colomiers, Perpignan, Clermont Auvergne
 England 6 5 Leicester Tigers (2), London Wasps (2), Bath, Northampton Saints Leicester Tigers (3), Northampton Saints, Saracens
Ireland Ireland 6 3 Leinster (3), Munster (2), Ulster Munster (2), Ulster
 Wales 0 1 Cardiff RFC

Player records

Note that in the case of career statistics, only those clubs for which each player appeared in the Heineken Cup are listed.

All-time records

Top try scorers

Rank Player[36] Club(s) Tries
1 Vincent Clerc Toulouse 36
2 Brian O'Driscoll Leinster 33
3 Dafydd James Pontypridd, Llanelli, Bridgend, Celtic Warriors, Harlequins, Scarlets 29
4 Shane Horgan Leinster 27
5 Gordon D'Arcy Leinster 26
6 Geordan Murphy Leicester Tigers 25
Napolioni Nalaga ASM Clermont
Chris Ashton Northampton Saints, Saracens
Tommy Bowe Ulster, Ospreys
10 Ben Cohen Northampton Saints, Brive, Sale Sharks 24
Michel Marfaing Toulouse

Top point scorers

Rank Player[37] Club(s) Points
1 Ronan O'Gara Munster 1365
2 Stephen Jones Llanelli, Clermont Auvergne, Scarlets 869
3 Dimitri Yachvili Biarritz 661
4 Diego Domínguez Milan, Stade Français 645
5 David Humphreys Ulster 564
6 Neil Jenkins Pontypridd, Cardiff, Celtic Warriors 502
7 David Skrela Colomiers, Stade Français, Toulouse, Clermont Auvergne 500
8 Dan Parks Glasgow Warriors, Cardiff Blues, Connacht 479
9 Felipe Contepomi Bristol, Leinster, Toulon 444
10 Jean-Baptiste Élissalde Toulouse 441

Most goals (penalties and conversions) of all time

Rank Player[38] Club(s) Goals
1 Ronan O'Gara Munster 488
2 Stephen Jones Llanelli, Clermont Auvergne, Scarlets 313
3 Dimitri Yachvili Biarritz 235
4 Diego Domínguez Milan, Stade Français 231
5 Neil Jenkins Pontypridd, Cardiff, Celtic Warriors 176
6 Jean-Baptiste Élissalde Toulouse 165
7 David Skrela Colomiers, Stade Français, Toulouse, Clermont Auvergne 164
8 David Humphreys Ulster 161
9 Dan Parks Glasgow Warriors, Cardiff Blues, Connacht 156
10 Jonathan Sexton Leinster, Racing Métro 92 149

Appearances

Rank Player[39] Club(s) Games
1 Ronan O'Gara Munster 110
2 John Hayes Munster 101
3 Gordon D'Arcy Leinster 100
4 Donncha O'Callaghan Munster 96
5 Peter Stringer Munster, Saracens 94
6 Leo Cullen Leinster, Leicester Tigers 92
7 Shane Horgan Leinster 87
Brian O'Driscoll Leinster
Clément Poitrenaud Toulouse
10 Anthony Foley Munster 86
David Wallace[40] Munster

Single season records

Tries

Rank Player Club Season Tries
1 Chris Ashton Saracens 2013-14[41] 11
2 Sébastien Carrat Brive 1996–97[42] 10
3 Matthew Robinson Swansea 2000–01[43] 9
4 Shane Horgan Leinster 2004–05[44] 8
Timoci Matanavou Toulouse 2011–12[45]
Napolioni Nalaga Clermont 2012–13[46]
7 Tommy Bowe Ospreys 2009–10[47] 7
Vincent Clerc Toulouse 2002–03[48]
Franck Comba Stade Français 2000–01[43]
Garan Evans Llanelli 2002–03[48]
Kenny Logan London Wasps 1997–98[49]
Thomas Lombard Stade Français 1998–99[50]
Michel Marfaing Toulouse 1998–99[50]
Ugo Mola Castres 2001–02[51]
Émile Ntamack Toulouse 1998–99[50]
Clément Poitrenaud Toulouse 2006–07[52]
Paul Sackey London Wasps 2006–07[52]

Points

Rank Player Club Season Points
1 Diego Domínguez Stade Français 2000–01[53] 188
2 Tim Stimpson Leicester Tigers 2000–01[53] 152
3 Simon Mason Ulster 1998–99[54] 144
4 Jonathan Sexton Leinster 2010–11[55] 138
5 Lee Jarvis Cardiff 1997–98[56] 134
6 Ronan O'Gara Munster 1999–2000[57] 131
7 Jonathan Callard Bath 1997–98[56] 129
Felipe Contepomi Leinster 2005–06[58]
Ronan O'Gara Munster 2001–02[59]
10 Ronan O'Gara Munster 2000–01[53] 127

European Player of the year

The following are the winners of the ERC European Player of the Year award.

The ERC began distributing its awards in 2010. Ronan O'Gara received the inaugural ERC award, with the ERC recognising O'Gara as the best player over the first 15 years of ERC tournaments.[60]

Attendance

This lists average attendances for each season's Heineken Cup competition, total attendance for each season, and the highest attendance for that season. The final is typically the most-attended match, as it is generally held in a larger stadium than any club's home venue.

The highest attended match of the 2002–03 competition was a quarterfinal between Leinster and Biarritz before 46,000 fans at Landsdowne Road in Dublin.

The 2009 final held at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh was only the third most-attended match that season. The most-attended match was a semi-final between Irish rivals Leinster and Munster played in Croke Park in Dublin. The attendance of 82,208 set what was then a world record for a club match in the sport's history.[61] Second on that season's list was a pool match between Stade Français and Harlequins that drew 76,569 to Stade de France in Paris (a venue that Stade Français has used for select home matches since 2005).

While the 2010–11 tournament's highest attended match was unsurprisingly the final, the second-highest attended match was notable in that it was held in Spain. Perpignan hosted Toulon in a quarterfinal before a sellout crowd of 55,000 at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain.

Season Total Average Highest
1995–96 97,535 6,502 21,800
1996–97 317,987 6,765 41,664
1997–98 462,958 6,613 36,500
1998–99 322,340 5,860 49,000
1999–2000 626,065 7,924 68,441
2000–01 646,834 8,187 44,000
2001–02 656,382 8,308 74,600
2002–03 704,782 8,921 46,000
2003–04 817,833 10,352 73,057
2004–05 918,039 11,620 51,326
2005–06 964,863 12,370 74,534
2006–07 914,048 11,570 81,076
2007–08 942,373 11,928 74,417
2008–09 1,177,064 14,900 82,208
2009–10 1,080,598 13,678 78,962
2010–11 1,139,427 14,423 72,456
2011–12 1,172,127 14,837 81,774
2012–13 1,063,218 13,458 50,148
2013–14 1,127,926 14,278 67,578

Media coverage

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Heineken Cup – Key Tournament Rules". European Rugby Cup. Retrieved 12 January 2008.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Format and qualification changes for Europe" (Press release). European Rugby Cup. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
  3. ↑ "Heineken Cup lifeline for Wasps?". ESPN Scrum. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012. Note also that France produced all four semi-finalists in that year's Challenge Cup, meaning that a Clermont Heineken Cup win would have triggered the rule.
  4. ↑ "Biarritz Olympique Secure French Top Seed with Championship Win". ERC Rugby. 12 June 2006. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
  5. ↑ "New European ranking to be introduced next season". ERC Rugby. 27 March 2008. Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
  6. ↑ "Heineken Cup Semi Final Referees". BBC. 16 April 2004. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  7. ↑ "Leicester 19–27 Toulouse". BBC. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  8. ↑ "Heineken Cup Semi Final Venues". Irish Rugby Football Union. 7 February 2002. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  9. ↑ "Munster To Reign in Spain?". Irish Rugby Football Union. 18 February 2005. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  10. ↑ "Biarritz Turn On Power To Floor Munster". Irish Rugby Football Union. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  11. ↑ "Munster to take on Bourgoin in Geneva". RTÉ Sport. 20 November 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  12. ↑ "Saracens beat Racing in Brussels". European Rugby Cup. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  13. ↑ "Saracens pull out of Cape Town Heineken Cup tie". BBC Sport. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  14. ↑ Reid, Alasdair (10 October 2012). "Edinburgh reject Saracens proposal to play Heineken Cup match in Cape Town". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  15. ↑ "Sarries denied New York showdown". ESPN Scrum. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "European Rugby Cup : History". ERC. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "European Rugby Cup : Heineken Cup History 1995/96". ERC. Archived from the original on 15 March 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Rees, Paul (30 March 2006). "Big boys plan for more lucrative Heineken Cup". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "A history of the Heineken Cup". Nobok. Retrieved 1 April 2007.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "European Rugby Cup : Heineken Cup History 1996/97". ERC. Archived from the original on 18 January 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "European Rugby Cup : Heineken Cup History 1997/98". ERC. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Stade Francais 12–18 Toulouse". BBC. 22 May 2005. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  23. ↑ "Munster 23–19 Biarritz". BBC. 20 May 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  24. ↑ "2006–07 Heineken Cup delivered to over 100 countries". Sport Business. 31 October 2006. Archived from the original on 9 February 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  25. ↑ "Waspss crowned club champions in front of world record crowd". ERC. 20 May 2007. Archived from the original on 8 July 2007. Retrieved 15 June 2007.
  26. ↑ "French clubs to quit Heineken Cup". BBC. 17 January 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2007.
  27. ↑ "French blame RFU for Heineken Cup boycott". RTÉ Sport. 17 January 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2007.
  28. ↑ Jones, Stephen (9 April 2007). "Low division likely to fill Europe spots". Australian. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
  29. ↑ "ERC Press Statement". ERC. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  30. ↑ Watterson, Johnny. "Leinster turn the tide". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  31. ↑ "Leinster enter record books". ERC. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  32. ↑ Mairs, Gavin (29 May 2012). "English Premiership clubs open rift with Celtic nations over Heineken Cup". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  33. ↑ "English & French clubs to set up new competition". BBC Sport. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  34. ↑ "Background to the European rugby dispute". BBC Sport. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  35. ↑ "Future of European Rugby resolved" (Press release). Rugby Football Union. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  36. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  37. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Points Scorers". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  38. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Goal Kickers". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  39. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Appearances". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  40. ↑ "David Wallace". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  41. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 2013-14". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  42. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 1996-97". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 2000-01". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  44. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 2004-05". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  45. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 2011-12". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  46. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 2012-13". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  47. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 2009-10". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 2002-03". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  49. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 1997-98". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 1998-99". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  51. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 2001-02". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 "Heineken Cup: Try Scorers 2006-07". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 53.2 "Heineken Cup: Points Scorers 2000-01". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  54. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Points Scorers 1998-99". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  55. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Points Scorers 2010-11". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 "Heineken Cup: Points Scorers 1997-98". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  57. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Points Scorers 1999-00". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  58. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Points Scorers 2005-06". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  59. ↑ "Heineken Cup: Points Scorers 2001-02". ERC. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  60. ↑ ERC, Jonny Wilkinson named as ERC European Player of the Year, 19 May 2013, http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/news/21214.php#.UmMlyBzi2XI
  61. ↑ Thornley, Gerry. "Leinster bring all the emotion, the intelligence and the rugby". The Irish Times.

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