Perennial European heavyweights Toulouse will be going in search of a record-breaking fifth European Cup on Saturday, having already lifted Europe’s top club prize in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010.

Meanwhile, La Rochelle will be competing in the Heineken Champions Cup final for the first time, having only previously reached the quarter-final stage of the competition.

They can look back on a 2019 Challenge Cup final defeat to ASM Clermont Auvergne, and have plenty of European pedigree amongst the coaching staff, including Munster Rugby legend Ronan O’Gara and former Leinster Rugby coach Jono Gibbes.

The route to the final for La Rochelle has been very convincing, having seen off the likes of Edinburgh Rugby, Gloucester Rugby and Sale Sharks before a stunning second half dismantling of four-time European champions Leinster at Stade Marcel-Deflandre.

Toulouse have mixed flair and grit in their march for a fifth crown, defeating Irish provinces in Ulster Rugby and Munster Rugby before hard-fought successes over ASM Clermont Auvergne and Bordeaux-Begles.

EPCR European Player of the Year nominee Antoine Dupont has been at his brilliant best in this campaign for Toulouse, and is tied for top try-scorer in the competition with four - and has also beaten 20 defenders in his four matches.

His half-back partner, Romain Ntamack, sits third in the points scored chart with 52, but it is his creativity at the line that will surely worry their fellow French opponents this weekend.

La Rochelle’s Gregory Alldritt leads the competition in carries with 59, but arguably their finest player this season has been former Saracens lock Will Skelton.

The 2019 Heineken Champions Cup winner has taken his form to a new level this season, especially when producing one of the best all-round displays of the season against Leinster in the last four.

Watch the Heineken Champions Cup final between La Rochelle and Toulouse on Saturday 22 May, live on BT Sport, Channel 4 and Virgin Media from 16:45 (UK and Irish time).

It might be a clash of two stellar French outfits in this season’s showpiece Heineken Champions Cup final at Twickenham, but in terms of European experience, La Rochelle and Toulouse couldn’t be further apart.