Miles Harrison looks ahead to Sunday's Heineken Cup Final - LIVE on Sky Sports 1.

LONDON WASPS v TOULOUSE
HEINEKEN CUP FINAL
Sunday, Sky Sports 1, 2pm

The English champions take on the holders in THE showpiece event of the European club rugby season at Twickenham - what a prospect.

This is the culmination of it all. We've had some fun from this competition on Sky Sports. Right from the word go in December, it has been littered with stories, great moments and terrific matches.



Howley: `World-class`

There have been some amazing weekends. As an example, round three of the pool stage saw a fantastic match in Dublin where Sale surprised Leinster, a ferocious Gloucester-Munster clash, Ulster `nil` Leicester and Wasps turned over by Celtic Warriors at Wycombe - phew!! This has been a special season for a great competition.

The final round of the Pools had so much at stake, the quarter-finals were all different in flavour and the semi-finals....well, it was simply the best rugby weekend ever.

And what a way to bring the curtain down...

Wasps are back on track, after suffering a real hangover from their epic semi-final win over Munster with consecutive Zurich Premiership defeats, and Toulouse know that in big matches the Londoners are as hard to beat as any team around.

But, if we are talking pedigrees, few can touch the Frenchmen. This match represents a tilt at a third Heineken Cup triumph, which would be an unprecedented achievement. Leicester won back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002, but no club has yet to get their hands on the trophy three times.

There have four winners from England and three from France, with just Ulster (1999) breaking the Anglo-Gallic hold on the Cup. Last season was an all-French final, where Perpignan were Toulouse's victims, and was actually the first time an English club had not reached the climax when they had entered the competition.



Van Gisbergen: Will he kick it?

So where will the final be won? Well, I have a feeling that one of the central characters could be one of the least well-known players on the pitch, Wasps prop Tim Payne. No disrespect, but there is no way he would have played if Craig Dowd had been fit. Payne is thrust in at the deep end, but Wasps (as any champion club would) have rallied round him, claiming he is their number one prop at the moment.

is this a ploy to put pressure on tight-head Will Green? It's a very big ask for Payne, this is a big ask, as he is bound to be facing one of Toulouse's international props. IF he can cope with the immense weight (literally) on his shoulders then it could be a real fillip for Wasps.

Fortunately for Payne he is backed up by a superb pack. Lawrence Dallaglio's presence and leadership is key, Simon Shaw returns to the coalface and is an absolutely vital ingredient in the Wasps eight.

Behind the scrum we have Rob Howley, one of the players of the tournament, who confirmed that he is a world-class in the quarter-final against Gloucester before again being a shining light at Lansdowne Road, Alex King who is so important to Wasps at No.10 and Mark Van Gisbergen, who impresses me more and more.

A big question for coach Warren Gatland is who he will entrust goal-kicking responsibility to? Van Gisbergen is a reliable kicker, whereas King has had trouble in the past, and in a game this tight it will be intriguing who will get the nod.

Toulouse are just a legion of stars.



Labit: Impressive

International half-backs Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and Frederic Michalak, an abundance of talent in the back-line and a pack to be proud of, led by the immense Fabien Pelous. The France captain is a terrific player, not just a `big lump`. Christian Labit has enjoyed a very good tournament at No.8 and blindside Jean Bouihlou gives them so many options at the line-out.

Even on the bench the class goes on, with the likes of Isitolo Maka (the definition of an `impact player`) and the ability to take off France's No.1 hooker and replace him with their No.2 - that's frightening strength in depth.

No wonder Wasps wing Josh Lewsey calls them the `Real Madrid of European rugby.` Yes, Toulouse are as big as it gets in this part of the world and I don't think we have seen the best of Toulouse in this season's Heineken Cup and the fact that they have yet to guarantee qualification via the French Championship is a massive motivation for Toulouse.

We are guaranteed a fantastic occasion, a titanic tussle and a very close match. I often draw analogies with football in this column but this year's FA Cup final could be one-sided - but I can't see that being the case at Twickenham. It's going to be fantastic.

Prediction: Before last week's Northampton game I was going towards Toulouse, I was wondering if the aftermath of the Dublin semi was taking its toll. That was proved to be a wrong assessment.
I think this is their time, as a group of players. Wasps remind me of England in the World Cup, they have an inner belief. But if they win, they will win by just enough. It may go to extra time, so read the `small print` in this prediction!!!