Clermont Auvergne v Toulon: European Rugby Champions Cup preview

Toulon flanker Steffon Armitage pictured during Friday's Captain's Run at Twickenham

Toulon are bidding to become the first team to claim a hat-trick of European titles when they face Clermont Auvergne in the Champions Cup final at Twickenham.

Saturday's decider pitches the Top 14's top two teams into battle as Twickenham hosts its first all-French final.

Toulon have won a record eight successive knockout games in Europe and they are marginal favourites to extend that streak against the team they defeated in the 2013 Heineken Cup final in Dublin.

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Clermont fullback Nick Abendanon caught up with Graham Simmons in the Massif Central

However, Clermont arrive in London after impressive victories over Northampton and Saracens in the knockout stages. The Massif Central club boast the best tackling success rate – 89 per cent – in this season’s Champions Cup, and have conceded just 20 points in their last three European fixtures.

Clermont have made two changes to the team that ground out a 13-9 semi-final victory over Sarries last month. France international Morgan Parra replaces Ludovic Radoslavjevic at scrum-half, while Fritz Lee comes at No 8 and captain Damien Chouly switches to openside.

Toulon’s starting line-up boasts 759 Test caps, including Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny, who needs just eight points on Saturday to reach 100 in this season’s competition.

Frederic Michalak has paid the price for his ineffective showing against Leinster, with Mitt Giteau moving to fly-half and Juan Martin Hernandez taking his place in midfield.

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This Saturday, Sky Sports brings you seven live games including the Champions Cup final

Steffon Armitage is named in the back row after impressing as a replacement during that extra-time win in Marseille, but brother Delon misses out through injury, with Drew Mitchell taking his place on the wing.

Three of the last four European finals have been won by a margin of more than 10 points, the exception being Toulon’s 16-15 victory over Clermont in the 2013 decider.

“There will be people talking about the final two years ago, but that's in the past and there is no reason for us as a squad to bring it up,” said Wales international Jonathan Davies.

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Toulon are gunning for an unprecedented third consecutive Rugby Champions title against Clermont on Saturday, unfortunately Toulon's Delon Armitage is out

“There will be different players on both sides and neither side will want to dwell on it because it does you no favours.

“Toulon are still incredibly talented, but I'm happy with what we offer as well, so here's hoping for a final that both teams and both sets of fans deserve.”

Clermont Auvergne: 15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Noa Nakaitaci, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Naipolioni Nalaga, 10 Brock James, 9 Morgan Parra; 1 Vincent Debaty, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 4 Jamie Cudmore, 5 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 6 Julien Bonnaire, 7 Damien Chouly (c), 8 Fritz Lee.

Replacements: 16 John Ulugia, 17 Thomas Domingo, 18 Clement Ric, 19 Julien Pierre, 20 Julien Bardy, 21 Ludovic Radoslavjevic , 22 Camille Lopez, 23 Aurelien Rougerie.

Toulon: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Juan Martin Hernandez, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde; 1 Xavier Chiocci, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 3 Carl Hayman (c), 4 Bakkies Botha, 5 Ali Williams, 6 Juan Smith, 7 Steffon Armitage, 8 Chris Masoe.

Replacements: 16 Jean-Charles Orioli, 17 Alexandre Menini, 18 Levan Chilachava, 19 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 20 Virgile Bruni, 21 Rudi Wulf, 22 Frederic Michalak, 23 Romain Taofifenua.

Watch Clermont Auvergne v Toulon live on Sky Sports 3 on Saturday from 4pm