It will be only the French club’s second appearance in a Challenge Cup decider, their first having ended in victory in 2016, when they defeated Harlequins 26-19 in Lyon.

Leicester, of course, have a grand history in the European Cup, having reached five finals to date, winning two – in 2001 and 2002 – and thus becoming the first back-to-back winners of the continent’s elite club rugby trophy.

The Gallagher Premiership outfit could now become the fifth club in the history of European competition - after Bath Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Northampton Saints and Wasps - to complete the coveted double of European Cup and Challenge Cup.

Leicester’s director of rugby, Steve Borthwick, has already captained Bath to Challenge Cup success, in the 2008 final against Worcester Warriors, but was also on the losing side for the Gallagher Premiership club in the 2003 and 2007 finals.

Montpellier have a two-time Challenge Cup winner on their coaching staff in forwards coach Olivier Azam, who claimed his first winners’ medal with Montferrand (now ASM Clermont Auvergne) in 1999 and with Gloucester in 2006.

Flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo, scrum-half Benoit Paillaugue, lock Paul Willemse and hooker Bismarck du Plessis, who featured in Montpellier’s 2016 success, will be aiming to emulate Azam at Twickenham.

Paillaugue is this season’s leading scorer to date with 34 points, ahead of Leicester fly-half George Ford, who is in joint-second place on 33 alongside Ulster Rugby scrum-half John Cooney.

However, Leicester’s No. 8, Jasper Wiese, is the season’s stand-out player so far on tournament statistics, as he leads the tables for carries (54), defenders beaten (21) and offloads (6).

Leicester players also head the charts for tackles and turnovers, with back-row forward George Martin topping the former with 54 and centre Matt Scott the latter, albeit with Willemse, on five.

The final may see ex-Saracens team-mates Richard Wigglesworth and Alex Lozowski in opposition, with Leicester scrum-half Wigglesworth and Montpellier fly-half Lozowski seeking to add a first Challenge Cup winner’s medal to their Heineken Champions Cup stars achieved with the London club.

Leicester Tigers will be breaking new ground when they make their European Rugby Challenge Cup final debut on Friday night - and the Twickenham Stadium showpiece will be fairly unfamiliar territory for Montpellier too.