Fifth-straight Euro final for Basta

Editor

Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud is set to play in his fifth consecutive European Final in Saturday's showdown with Clermont at Twickenham.

Having featured in Toulon's back-to-back European Cup Final wins in 2013 and 2014, 'Basta' is expected to start for the defending champions in this weekend's Champions Cup climax.

Bastareaud was in the Stade Français side that lost 19-18 to Harlequins in the 2011 Challenge Cup Final and then in the Toulon side the following season that was beaten 21-18 by Biarritz Olympique at the Twickenham Stoop. He has also played in last two Top 14 Finals in France.

Meanwhile, Clermont hooker Benjamin Kayser will play in his fourth European Cup final, although with different clubs.

Unlike Bastareaud, Kayser has never won a European Cup final. He was part of the Stade Français side that lost to Toulouse in 2005 before going down to Leinster in 2009 while playing for Leicester.

He was also part of the Clermont team that fell short in Dublin in 2013 against Toulon.