The Aviva Stadium was awash with colour and noise as the two sets of French fans saw a match that built and built towards a dramatic climax that saw Toulon win the coveted trophy for the first time.

They are only the third French club to be crowned European champions – and the 10th club overall – and Clermont will rue the golden opportunity they had to make the game safe and put it out of Toulon’s reach when they ran in two tries early in the second half.

The match was always going to have to go some after a spectacular and innovative opening ceremony and it did not disappoint. Far from it – it was simply stunning.

It was fast and it was furious, and massively physical, from start to finish between two clubs who know each other’s games inside out.

The tone was set with a monstrous hit by Springbok lock Bakkies Botha on Gerard Vosloo but any pain the Clermont flanker may have felt would have been eased by seeing scrum half Morgan Parra right on target with a 45 metre penalty goal after just four minutes.

The second penalty also went Clermont’s way when Jaun-Martin Lobbe was early coming around a ruck in a prime attacking position deep in Clermont territory.

Clermont then turned the heat up at scrum time to drive the Toulon eight back and up for Parra to clear the danger with a raking touch-finder.

Jonny Wilkinson failed to find touch with a similar chance but promptly made amends when Clermont were penalised for not rolling away quickly enough for referee Alain Rolland’s liking to level matters after 14 minutes.

And that is the way it stayed on the scoreboard until the break with Clermont the ones trying to produce try scoring chances with Sitiveni Sivivatu and lock Jamie Cudmore linking well only for Lee Byrne to be double tackled and unable to keep the momentum going.

The full back responded by taking his own high kick ahead superbly but with both sides penalised for failing to release the ball promptly the flow was simply not there for any great length of time.

Mathieu Bastareaud – a rock in defence and named Heineken Man of the Match – rescued Toulon when he got a finger-tipped tackle in on Wesley Fofana as the star centre tried to skip his way though and Delon Armitage needed lengthy treatment as testimony to the ferocity of proceedings.

The celebrations of the Clermont fans for what might have been a Brock James try – the outside half getting a touch just as the ball went dead – proved premature but while the opening 40 minutes failed to produce a try what a difference the break made.

Having waited 42 minutes for points to come with the ball in hand Clermont proceeded to do it twice in six whirlwind minutes – and captain Aurelien Rougerie, an injury doubt right up until Thursday, was heavily involved in both.

First he put Naipolioni Nalaga away and the wing did superbly to stay away from the touchline and evade Armitage’s despairing tackle to dive over and this time the Clermont fans were not to be denied.

James initiated and finished off the next, collecting his own delicate chip kick over the defence and then being on Rougerie’s shoulder to take the return for the double whammy.

Wilkinson had earlier added a second penalty but Parra’s conversion opened a nine-point advantage against some tired Toulon legs.

There was no tiredness in Wilkinson’s legs as he stroked over a third penalty to keep Toulon in touch – and turnover ball won by Lobbe released Armitage for a clear run to the line and their only try.

Wilkinson added an assured conversion and Toulon were ahead for the first time with just 14 minutes remaining.
With the drama at fever pitch replacement David Skrela saw his final minute drop kick chance charged down – and the cup was Toulon’s.

ASM Clermont Auvergne: Tries – N Nalaga, B James; Con – M Parra; Pen – M Parra

Toulon: Try – D Armitage; Con – J Wilkinson; Pens – J Wilkinson (3)