2004 Heineken Cup final: Wasps 27 Stade Toulousain 20

Wasps claimed EPCR’s top prize for the first time in 2004 as Rob Howley’s last-gasp try saw them snatch victory over Stade Toulousain at Twickenham Stadium.

Toulouse, chasing their third title in the competition, led through two Yann Delaigue penalties in the first 12 minutes, but Wasps replied with a Mark Van Gisbergan three-pointer and the first try of the game through Stuart Abbot.

Delaigue scuffed two drop-goal attempts wide before Van Gisbergan, who had converted Abbot’s score, extended the gap to seven points.

Toulouse were back within two points at half-time, though, as Delaigue gathered a bouncing ball and dotted down in the corner, failing to convert from the acute angle.

The pulsating action continued after the restart with Van Gisbergan finishing for Wasps’ second try after good work from Alex King, the conversion opening up a nine-point margin.

Delaigue missed a penalty and another drop-goal shortly after as Toulouse struggled to make their pressure count, but when Wasps’ Lawrence Dallaglio was sin-binned on 56 minutes, replacement fly-half Baptisite Ellissalde hit the target from the tee.

A drop-goal from King hit the upright before Ellisalde struck another penalty, and after Van Gisbergan couldn’t extend Wasps’ lead with a long-range effort, the Toulouse man levelled the scores with a strike on 77 minutes.

The game looked destined for extra time with the scores locked at 20-20, but there was an incredible conclusion as Howley produced a clever grubber and pounced on the ball over the line as Toulouse’s Clement Poitrenaud hesitated.

Van Gisbergan’s conversion bounced off the crossbar and went over to add the icing on the cake for Wasps and send a large portion of the 73,000 fans at Twickenham into raptures.

With the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium set to host the Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup finals in May 2024, we’re taking a look back at some of the most thrilling showpiece games London has produced over the years.