The 1995–96 Heineken Cup was the first edition of the Heineken Cup, which became the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top nations in European rugby. Competing teams from France, Ireland, Italy, Wales and, for the only time to date, Romania, were divided into four pools of three, in which teams played each other only once, meaning one home and one away game per team. The winners of the pools qualified for the knock-out stages.
Background The Five Nations Committee met in December 1994 to discuss proposals for a multi-national European club competition. It was proposed that the top four teams in Wales, England, France, Ireland and Scotland would compete. Welsh, English and French clubs had welcomed the idea, but the RFU were concerned that it might devalue the Courage League."Davies warns rugby", South Wales Echo, 8 December 1994 In May 1995, the Committee gave the go-ahead for a pilot European Cup tournament to be held in the autumn of 1995, and a full competition to follow in 1996. Clubs from England, Wales, France and provincial or divisional sides from Ireland and Scotland, and possibly the top club from Romania, would be invited to compete."European Cup gets go-ahead", Irish Independent, 19 May 1995
However, English and Scottish teams would be unable to participate as it was too late to change their domestic league schedules to accommodate the new competition.Jim Stokes, "Clubs put European Cup top of agenda", Ireland's Saturday Night, 23 September 1995 The IRFU confirmed that Ireland would enter provincial teams, as their clubs were unlikely to be strong enough for the competition."Ireland confirm Euro entry", Belfast Telegraph, 22 August 1995 They were initially offered two places, but Tom Kiernan, Ireland's representative on the organising committee, was able to secure a third. The three places would go to the top three teams in the 1994 IRFU Interprovincial Championship, Munster, Ulster and Leinster.Jim Stokes, "Ulster to face Cardiff?", Belfast Telegraph, 29 August 1995 The three Welsh teams would be the top two in the Welsh Premier Division, Cardiff and Pontypridd, and the winners of the WRU Challenge Cup, Swansea.Paul Rees, "English Euro Cup hi-jack", Sport on Sunday, 20 August 1995 France entered the top two teams in the 1994-95 French championship, Toulouse and Castres, and cup runners-up Bègles-Bordeaux.Kieran Rooney, "Provinces to play in new European league", Irish Independent, 23 August 1995
In October, ITV secured the UK TV rights for the competition in a three-year deal,"ITV secure Euro rugby cup deal", Evening Herald, 25 October 1995 and Dutch brewing company Heineken was announced as the competition's sponsor.Barry Coughland, "Euro League scores", Irish Examiner, 28 October 1995
Teams France Wales Ireland Romania ItalyCastres Toulouse BordeauxCardiff Pontypridd SwanseaLeinster Munster UlsterFarul ConstanţaBenetton Treviso Rugby Milano
Pool stage The twelve teams were arranged into four pools of three, with each team playing the other team in their pool once. Two points were awarded for a win, and one point for a draw. The four pool winners qualified for the knockout stage.
Pool 1 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPtsStatus Toulouse22008177219534Advanced to the semi-finals Benetton Treviso2101121119526692Eliminated Farul Constanţa2002220−1818140−1220
Pool 2 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPtsStatus Cardiff21107166020403Advanced to the semi-finals Bègles-Bordeaux21106334330133Eliminated Ulster2002211−92275−530
Pool 3 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPtsStatus Leinster2200431474344Advanced to the semi-finals Pontypridd21012205335182Eliminated Milan200223−13355−220
Pool 4 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPtsStatus Swansea2101330352782Advanced to the semi-finals Munster21012202932−32Eliminated Castres 21012202934−52
Seeding SeedPool WinnersPtsTF+/−1 Toulouse48+532 Leinster44+43 Cardiff37+404 Swansea23+8
Knockout stage
Semi-finals
Final
The 1996 Heineken Cup Final was the final match of the 1995–96 Heineken Cup, the inaugural season of Europe's top club rugby union competition. The match was played on 6 January 1996 at the Arms Park in Cardiff. The match was contested by Cardiff of Wales and Toulouse of France. Toulouse won the match 21–18 after extra time; they took the lead with two tries in the first 10 minutes, but the kicking of Adrian Davies kept Cardiff level. With the scores at 15–12 as the clock ticked past 80 minutes, Davies stepped up again and slotted over a penalty to take the game to extra time. Christophe Deylaud restored Toulouse's lead with another penalty shortly after the game restarted, before Davies tied the scores up again. Then, going into the final few seconds of extra time, the referee penalised Cardiff for using hands in the ruck; Deylaud slotted the resulting penalty to seal Toulouse's victory.
Match details
References