Summary

  • Full-time: Saracens 6-23 Toulon

  • Toulon become third team to retain title

  • Matt Giteau & Juan Smith tries for Toulon

  • Jonny Wilkinson adds 2 cons, DG & 2 pens

  • 2 Farrell penalties for Saracens

  1. Postpublished at 18:46 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Matt Dawson
    Former England scrum-half on BBC Radio 5 live

    "I am looking at the Saracens team sheet and those Test match animals have to stand up in these big occasions. But they have not put in those amazing performances. Flip the coin over and look at Giteau, Wilkinson, Steffon Armitage... the list goes on and on."

  2. Postpublished at 18:46 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Saracens are trying, but they're making about as much impression on the Toulon defence as a stiff breeze does on a mountain range.

    Billy Vunipola rumbles back upfield from a kick but the mighty number eight is swamped by the champions' defence and Steffon Armitage earns his fourth turnover of the match.

  3. Postpublished at 18:43 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Two teams took to the pitch with dreams of a European and domestic Double, but only Toulon still have that rare prize in their sights.

    Saracens have had a fine season and could still end up as champions of England, but Toulon's extra class looks like giving them back to back Heineken Cups.

  4. Postpublished at 18:41 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Mathieu Bastareaud may have many qualities - being quick and 18 stone is nothing to be sneezed at - but drop-goals are not his forte and there are jeers as his kick fizzes along the ground like a wayward firework.

  5. #bbcrugbypublished at 18:39 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Dan:, external The Toulon back row is just full of ridiculous talent. Lobbe, Smith and Armitage could walk in to any team.

  6. Postpublished at 18:38 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    There's something piston-like about Toulon as they unload power runner after power runner into the Saracens midfield.

    They may be mechanical but it's just relentless now and Saracens are looking increasingly out-gunned.

  7. Postpublished at 18:36 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    BBC Sport's Chris Osborne at the Millennium Stadium: "The scourge of the selfie is alive and well in Cardiff. A lady in the crowd refuses to return the ball until she's got her camera out and snapped a picture of herself with it. Then a hundred camera phones are raised to snap Jonny Wilkinson on this near touchline as he converts for Toulon."

  8. Postpublished at 18:36 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Matt Dawson
    Former England scrum-half on BBC Radio 5 live

    "Toulon have got too much in the locker, they know how to squeeze the life out of the opposition."

  9. PENALTY (Wilkinson)published at 18:33 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Jonny Wilkinson kicks a penalty for ToulonImage source, Jamie McDonald

    Owen Farrell takes out Bryan Habana as the Springbok flyer chases his own chip, and although Habana produces a dive that Cristiano Ronaldo would be proud to emulate in the Champions League final later tonight, it's a clear penalty.

    Up steps Jonny Wilkinson and he drills the ball right between the sticks - he has been immaculate off the deck today.

    Coming into this match he'd missed only one kick in 26 attempts in the knock-out stages over the past two seasons, and he's landed four from four plus a drop-goal today. The game will miss you Jonny.

  10. Postpublished at 18:31 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Matt Dawson
    Former England scrum-half on BBC Radio 5 live

    "That was breathtaking rugby. It all came from a turnover which Toulon pounced on. They're hungry for it. There's 19 stone of Bastareaud but my goodness can he move."

  11. TRY (Smith, con Wilkinson)published at 18:28 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Juan Smith scores a try for ToulonImage source, Getty Images

    That could be the killer blow.

    Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud starts it with an outside break and feeds Juan Smith, who takes the ball superbly one-handed behind him.

    The ex-South Africa flanker has Argentina back rower Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe in support and a quick one-two between the two ends with Smith going over wide out.

    The conversion is tricky to say the least, so how good must it be when you see Jonny Wilkinson stepping up to kick the conversion for your team? Two more points, and this is looking bad for Saracens now.

  12. #bbcrugbypublished at 18:27 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Julian Smith:, external Jonny Wilkinson driving a stake deep into the heart of Saracens.

  13. Postpublished at 18:27 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Wow the scrums are a mess - they end up looking like the front rows have been put through a blender.

    Saracens are pinned back in their own 22 and although they exit via Neil de Kock's boot, it is Toulon who go back on the attack.

  14. Postpublished at 18:26 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Matt Dawson
    Former England scrum-half on BBC Radio 5 live

    "That was a great break by Owen Farrell, he really went for it hard. This is what has to happen if Saracens are to get back into this. There has got to be more pace injected into the game. They not playing a week to week Premiership game. This is the highest level of club rugby."

  15. Postpublished at 18:24 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Owen Farrell of SaracensImage source, David Rogers

    Oh, chance for Sarries goes begging. Owen Farrell breaks through the middle of the Toulon defence and finds the flying Chris Ashton on his shoulder, but the winger cannot hold onto the pass.

  16. Postpublished at 18:22 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Matt Dawson
    Former England scrum-half on BBC Radio 5 live

    "The bigger the occasion, the bigger the man."

  17. PENALTY (Wilkinson)published at 18:20 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Off go Toulon second rows Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw, on come New Zealand lock Ali Williams and France lock Jo Suta.

    Saracens try to counter through Billy Vunipola off the scrum, Steffon Armitage gets over the ball at the tackle and it's a penalty to the champions.

    Up steps Jonny Wilkinson and through goes the ball - are Saracens' hopes over?

  18. Postpublished at 18:19 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Matt Dawson
    Former England scrum-half on BBC Radio 5 live

    "More aggressive defending from Toulon. You just feel at the moment if any team is going to capitalise on phase play then it's going to be Toulon."

  19. Postpublished at 18:19 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Toulon mount a promising attack just outside the Saracens 22 featuring lovely quick hands from big second row Danie Rossouw but Schalk Brits is lying in wait and hammers Jonny Wilkinson man and ball to force a knock-on. Scrum Saracens.

  20. #bbcrugbypublished at 18:16 British Summer Time 24 May 2014

    Alex Haworth:, external Saracens to turn this around like Northampton did on Friday.

    Northampton trailed Bath 13-6 at the interval in the Amlin Challenge Cup before storming back to win 30-16.