Bath Rugby supporter Glyn Edwards gives his take on events at The Rec...
Events last weekend in Dublin were a painful reminder to Bath supporters of what the past had delivered in the finals of both European tournaments – rather too long ago.
Fifteen long seasons ago Andy Robinson's Bath lifted the Heineken Cup as the first English winners, after more than a decade of unrivalled domestic domination. Then five years ago, after losing second-tier finals to Wasps in 2003 and in 2007 to Clermont, Steve Meehan's side captured the Challenge Cup twelve months later.
The Clermont team that pipped Bath at the Stoop went on to finally become French champions in 2010, and have generally been considered one of – if not the – best in Europe in recent times, whilst Bath have struggled to make much of an impact.
But, despite enjoying significant territorial advantage for most of the match and the majority of possession, Aurelien Rougerie's men from Montferrand could not prevent the expensively-assembled Toulon squad from snatching Heineken glory at the Aviva.
Few English rugby fans will begrudge Jonny Wilkinson another medal and, after being named ERC European Player of the Year this week, he still has the opportunity to lead Toulon to their first Top 14 title since 1992 and - maybe - to feature for the Lions in Australia this summer.
Toulon came close last year, losing to south-west France's Toulousain heavyweights in the final, and it would be sweet revenge if they could overcome Toulouse this year in their home play-off semi-final before facing either Clermont or Castres in Paris.
Wilkinson's modest demeanour throughout his career, and now in victory in Dublin, contrasted sharply with that of his fellow England international in red and black – Delon Armitage – a talented player who again demonstrated his petulant immaturity, despite having claimed recently to have learnt from JW how to behave properly.
The 2011 and 2012 European Cup winners, Leinster, 'took home' their third successive European trophy by beating Bath's quarter-final conquerors - Stade Francais – to capture the Amlin Challenge Cup in stirring fashion.
That's not strictly true, of course, for they were already at home in the curtain-raiser final, played last Friday night at their Royal Dublin Showground base, and they also had the undoubted advantage of being refereed by the familiar Nigel Owens.
The Welshman may be – and clearly is, in my book – one of the very best officials in the world – but Leinster will have encountered him many more times in the Rabo Direct Pro 12 than Stade Francais will have had the chance to 'learn' his style.
However, despite the inequality of having to play a cup final on the opponents' home turf, I could not bring myself to feel too sorry for a team whose scrum-half had been rightly – if leniently – banned for spitting in Peter Stringer's face. C'est la guerre!
