1995–96 Heineken Cup

Rugby union competition 1995–96 Heineken Cup 100px Official logo FranceIreland rugby unionItalyRomaniaWales Round-robin and Knockout 31 October 1995 to 7 January 1996 12 15 97535 Adrian Davies (Cardiff)(58 points) Philippe Bernat-Salles (Bordeaux)David Berty (Toulouse)Thomas Castaignède (Toulouse)Piero Dotto (Treviso)Mike Hall (Cardiff)Alan Harris (Swansea)Sebastien Loubsens (Bordeaux)Leandro Manteri (Treviso)Andy Moore (Cardiff)Émile Ntamack (Toulouse)Conor O'Shea (Leinster)Massimiliano Perziano (Treviso)(2 tries) National Stadium, Cardiff 21,800 FRA Toulouse 1 WAL Cardiff https://web.archive.org/web/20080506141030/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/ 1996–97 1996–97 Heineken Cup 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 FRA FranceWAL WalesIRE rugby union IrelandROU RomaniaITA 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 FRA Toulouse22008177219534Advanced to the semi-finals ITA Benetton Treviso2101121119526692Eliminated ROU Farul Constanţa2002220−1818140−1220 31 October 1995 15:00 Farul Constanţa ROU 10–54 FRA Toulouse Mihai Foca Emil Florea Emil Florea Stéphane Ougier Émile Ntamack (2) Thomas Castaignède David Berty (2) Jean-Luc CesterPenalty try Christophe Deylaud (7) Constanta 3,000 Robert Davies 7 November 1995 20:00 Benetton Treviso ITA 86–8 ROU Farul Constanţa Piero Dotto (2) Massimiliano Perziano (2) Leandro Manteri (2)Alessandro TronconNicola GiuliatoJulian Gardner Carlo Checchinato Michael Lynagh (10) Michael Lynagh (2) Dorin Talaba Emil Florea Stadio Comunale di Monigo 3,000 Brian Stirling 15 December 1995 20:00 Toulouse FRA 18–9 ITA Benetton Treviso Christophe Deylaud (5) Christophe Deylaud Michael Lynagh (2) Michael Lynagh Les Sept Deniers 6,085 John Bacigalupo Pool 2 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPtsStatus WAL Cardiff21107166020403Advanced to the semi-finals FRA Bègles-Bordeaux21106334330133Eliminated IRE rugby union Ulster2002211−92275−530 21 November 1995 20:00 Bègles-Bordeaux FRA 14–14 WAL Cardiff Philippe Bernat-Salles Vincent Etcheto Mark Bennett Adrian Davies Stade Andre Moga 10,000 David McHugh 28 November 1995 19:15 Cardiff WAL 46–6 ReportKieran Rooney, "Quick-fire Cardiff leave Ulster trailing in wake", Irish Independent, 29 November 1995 IRE rugby union Ulster Mike HallStephen JohnAdrian DaviesAndy Moore (2) Adrian Davies (5) Adrian Davies (2) Mark McCall (2) Cardiff Arms Park 3,600 Gérard Borreani 13 December 1995 19:00 Ulster IRE rugby union 16–29 ReportKieran Rooney, "Brave Ulster denied", Irish Independent, 14 December 1995 FRA Bègles-Bordeaux Andrew MatchettDenis McBride Mark McCall Pascal FauthouxPhilippe Bernat-SallesSebastien LoubsensJulien Berthe Pascal FauthouxJulien Berthe Ravenhill 2,500 Derek Bevan Pool 3 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPtsStatus IRE rugby union Leinster2200431474344Advanced to the semi-finals WAL Pontypridd21012205335182Eliminated ITA Milan200223−13355−220 1 November 1995 14:30 Milan ITA 21–24 IRE rugby union Leinster Roberto CrottiMarco Platania Massimo Bonomi Diego Dominguez Conor O'SheaNiall Woods Alan McGowan Alan McGowan (4) Stadio Comunale Giuriati 1,200 Franck Maciello 22 November 1995 19:15 Pontypridd WAL 31–12 ITA Milan David ManleyNeil Jenkins Neil Jenkins (8) Diego Dominguez (4) Sardis Road 4,500 Brian Campsall 6 December 1995 19:00 Leinster IRE rugby union 23–22 WAL Pontypridd Conor O'SheaAlan McGowan Alan McGowan (2) Alan McGowan Crispin Cormack Lee Jarvis Lee Jarvis Lansdowne Road 4,000 Daniel Gillet Pool 4 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPtsStatus WAL Swansea2101330352782Advanced to the semi-finals IRE rugby union Munster21012202932−32Eliminated FRA Castres 21012202934−52 1 November 1995 14:30 Munster IRE rugby union 17–13 Reporthttps://www.epcrugby.com/overview/?FixGuid=95MS4530#report Munster 17-13 Swansea 1 November 1995 EPCR 7 June 2019 WAL Swansea Pat MurrayRichard Wallace Ken Smith Ken Smith Alan Harris Aled Williams Aled Williams Thomond Park 6,000 Ed Morrison 8 November 1995 20:00 Castres FRA 19–12 Reporthttps://www.epcrugby.com/overview/?FixGuid=95CM1486#report Castres Olympique 19-12 Munster 8 November 1995 EPCR 7 June 2019 IRE rugby union Munster Nicolas Combes Laurent Labit Laurent Labit (4) Ken Smith (4) Stade Antoine Beguere 6,500 David Davies 5 December 1995 19:00 Swansea WAL 22–10 FRA Castres Alan HarrisGarin Jenkins Aled Williams (4) Francis Rui Cyril Savy Cyril Savy St Helen's 8,000 Chuck Muir Seeding SeedPool WinnersPtsTF+/−1 FRA Toulouse48+532 IRE rugby union Leinster44+43 WAL Cardiff37+404 WAL Swansea23+8 Knockout stage Semi-finals Final 1 FRA Toulouse 30 4 WAL Swansea 3 2 IRE rugby union Leinster 14 3 WAL Cardiff 23 1 FRA Toulouse (a.e.t) 21 3 WAL Cardiff 18 Semi-finals 30 December 1995 13:30 Leinster IRE rugby union 14–23 ReportFri 29 December 1995 https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/match-centre?ref=23eb6676-9e72-412d-b7e2-6365dd362ed6&tab=media Leinster rugby 15 January 2024 WAL Cardiff Pim m McGowan (3) Hall cTaylor 50' c Davies (2) Davies DaviesMoore Lansdowne Road, Dublin 7,350 Brian Campsall (England) 30 December 1995 14:00 Toulouse FRA 30–3 Report WAL Swansea Artiguste cManent cPenalty try c Deylaud (3) Deylaud (3) Williams Stade des Sept Deniers, Toulouse 10,000 Jim Fleming (Scotland) Final 1996 Heineken Cup 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 7 January 1996 13:30 Cardiff WAL 18–21(a.e.t.) Report FRA Toulouse Davies (6) CastaignèdeCazalbou Deylaud Deylaud (2) Castaignède Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff 21,800 David McHugh (Ireland) References 1995-96 Category:1995–96 in French rugby union Category:1995–96 in Irish rugby union Category:1995–96 in Italian rugby union Category:1995–96 in Romanian rugby union Category:1995–96 in Welsh rugby union Category:1995–96 in European rugby union Category:1995–96 rugby union tournaments for clubs