This entirely "made in Top 14" final is not a first: the European Challenge has already experienced such a scenario in 1997 (Bourgoin-Jallieu - Castres), 1998 (Colomiers - Agen), 1999 (Montferrand - Bourgoin-Jallieu) , 2000 (Pau - Castres), then in 2012 (Biarritz - Toulon) and 2019 (Clermont - La Rochelle).

This seventh "derby" therefore sees an opposition between a regular never crowned and an ambitious newcomer.

The "small" European Rugby Cup will have an unprecedented winner, the RCT and its three "big" Champions Cup (2013, 2014, 2015) or the Lou, a novice at this level.

If successful, the Varois, unfortunate finalists of the competition in 2010, 2012 and 2020, can join the English of Bath (Challenge 2008, European Cup 1998), Wasps (Challenge 2003, European Cup 2004, 2007 ) and Northampton (Challenge 2009, 2014, European Cup 2000) or the Irish of Leinster (Challenge 2013, European Cup 2009, 2011, 2012, 2018) among the few teams to have won both continental competitions.

The RCT would be the first French club to achieve such a feat.

The joy of the Toulon players, European champions for the 3rd consecutive year, after their victory, 24-18 against Clermont, on May 2, 2015 at Twickenham Stadium in London GLYN KIRK AFP / Archives

The Lyonnais will play the first European final in their history and "everyone is very excited at the idea of ​​being on Friday evening, we have to take advantage of all these moments", confides the international flanker Dylan Cretin.

Lyon flanker Dylan Cretin tries to escape the tackle from Montpellier pillar Enzo Forletta, during the match of the 19th day of the Top 14, on January 23, 2021 at GGL Stadium

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"We will try to let ourselves be carried away until kick-off. What is certain is that we will show up on the pitch without feeling any more pressure than that, except that of showing our best face", said explained Dylan Cretin.

The Top 14 in a corner of the head

"When the smell of the final is near, we will want more and more. Since the start of the season, the Challenge Cup has been one of our objectives. We are 80 minutes away from winning a trophy and it is never too early for that,” he added.

On the side of the RCT, the time is for concentration.

The future club of Pierre Mignoni, current coach of Lyon, is chasing after this new European star while remaining in the league race.

Lyon coach Pierre Mignoni, before the match of the 21st day of the Top 14 against Toulouse, March 27, 2022 at the Stade Ernest-Wallon Valentine CHAPUIS AFP / Archives

A nice turnaround for the Rade club, sunk in the depths of the Top 14 ranking until the end of March.

Since then, the RCT seems almost untouchable, with only one defeat (20-17 against Biarritz) in ten matches.

"I've never experienced that, such a sequence. The press talks about it a lot. We are aware of it but we don't ask ourselves any questions. We just have to recover well, take advantage of being together to go and win our last matches. I don't know where it will take us but we will stay on it", was surprised the Toulon manager Franck Azéma.

Toulon coach Franck Azéma, before the home match of the 25th day of the Top 14 against Pau, May 21, 2022 at the Stade Mayol Sylvain THOMAS AFP / Archives

Lyon (8th, 63 pts) and Toulon (7th, 64 pts) can still believe in a qualification for the final phase of the Top 14, for an end to the season in apotheosis.

© 2022 AFP