The leading club rugby tournament worldwide, that is , the Heineken Cup commemorates its 15th anniversary on its 2009 - 2010 season. The tournament started in 1995 and under the tutelage of its organizer European Rugby Club (ERC) blossomed into one of the most prominent and exciting rugby tournaments held annually in the world.

In 2010 this tournament boasts of 24 cream of the crop teams from six rugby playing nations which are (England, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy), where the toughest, resilient and smartest teams are cinched to figure prominently well in the tournament as they provide the finest rugby spectacle to their staunch fans and supporters. Here is the list of crack teams that participated in the 2009/2010 season of the tournament: http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/31_264.php

• France is represented by six (6) teams (these teams were chosen by their performance in Top 14 Championship)
• England is represented by six (6) teams (these teams were chosen by their performance in Guinness Premiership and EDF Energy Cup)
• Wales is represented by three (3) teams (these teams were chosen by their performance in Magners League)
• Ireland is represented by three (3) teams (these teams were chosen by their performance in Magners League)
• Scotland is represented by 2 teams (these teams were chosen by their performance in Magners League)
• Italy is represented by 2 teams (these teams were chosen by their performance in Super 10 Championship)

• The 23rd Heineken Cup team slot is allotted England.
• The 24th Heineken Cup team slot is allotted Wales.

The participating teams are bracketed into 6 different pools with 4 rugby clubs. The Tournament will be played under the IRB Laws of the Game. Teams competing in the event will then play series of pool matches. Its survival of the fittest since each team’s goal is to eliminate their opponents as they endeavor to qualify or advance in the quarterfinal, semifinal and eventually to the final round.

In October 1995, tournament director Ken Reid inaugurated European Rugby Cup (ERC) to the delight of fans all across the planet. On October 31, 1995 the first ever game was played in Romania, and from then on ERC’s Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup gathers the elite rugby teams from 8 nations (presently, there are 6 nations taking part in the Heineken Cup).http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/121_266.php The Heineken Cup, which then has 12 entries from 5 nations, has grown to 24 teams from 6 nations and commands now a mammoth following from rugby playing countries in the world especially those in Europe. http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/121_266.php

Here are the lists of winners of the Heineken Cup since the tournament was inaugurated in 1996:http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/37_74.php

• 2008 – 2009 Leinster
• 2007 - 2008 Munster
• 2006 - 2007 London Wasps
• 2005 - 2006 Munster
• 2004 – 2005 Toulose
• 2003 – 2004 London Wasps
• 2002 – 2003 Toulose
• 2001 –2002 Leicester Tigers
• 2000 - 2001 Leicester Tigers
• 1999 - 2000 Northampton
• 1998 – 1999 Ulster
• 1997 – 1998 Bath
• 1996 – 1997 Brive
• 1995 – 1996 Toulose

Toulose is the winningest team in the Heineken Cup and with its recent win over Biarritz Olympique in Paris, it now hiked its collection of championships trophy to four (4). Toulose also reigned supreme in 1996, 2003 and 2005. Other successful teams that so far won (two) 2 Heineken Cup crowns are Leicester Tigers (2001 and 2002), London Wasps (2002 and 2004) and Munster (2006 and 2008).

The climax of the 2009 – 2010 Heineken Cup, which is dubbed as the 2010 Heineken Cup Final, was staged last May 22, 2010, in Stade de France, Paris, France. Two French teams advanced to the finals Toulose earned the a finals ticket by eking out a 26-16 win over defending champions Leinster in the semi-finals while Biarritz Olympique earned the right to chance to Toulose in the finals by essaying a masterful 18-7 triumph over Munster in the other semi-final meetings.

In the exciting finale, which was witnessed by a wild 78,962 fans, Toulose escaped the upset axe wielded by the tough nut to crack Biarritz Olympique. The Toulose rugby team went on to capture their fourth Heineken Cup by subduing their compatriots 21-19 giving its captain Thierry Dusautoir a winners medal after the team lost twice in the finals.http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/12_15592.php