Rougerie wants final piece of jigsaw

Are Clermont the best team to never win a Heineken Cup?

Many believe so, but there are plenty more who would scoff at the idea. There have been many great sides that have fallen at the final hurdle — Biarritz and Stade Francais have both been losing finalists twice — but Clermont are not one of them.

Their agonising 19-15 loss to Leinster in Bordeaux in last year’s semi-final was the closest they have come to the showpiece of European Rugby.