1995–96 Heineken Cup

The Five Nations Committee met in December 1994 to discuss proposals for a multi-national European club competition. It was proposed that the top four teams in Wales, England, France, Ireland and Scotland would compete. Welsh, English and French clubs had welcomed the idea, but the RFU were concerned that it might devalue the Courage League.[1] In May 1995, the Committee gave the go-ahead for a pilot European Cup tournament to be held in the autumn of 1995, and a full competition to follow in 1996. Clubs from England, Wales, France and provincial or divisional sides from Ireland and Scotland, and possibly the top club from Romania, would be invited to compete.[2]

However, English and Scottish teams would unable to participate as it was too late to change their domestic league schedules to accommodate the new competition.[3] The IRFU confirmed that Ireland would enter provincial teams, as their clubs were unlikely to be strong enough for the competition.[4] They were initially offered two places, but Tom Kiernan, Ireland's representative on the organising committee, was able to secure a third. The three places would go to the top three teams in the 1994 IRFU Interprovincial Championship, Munster, Ulster and Leinster.[5] The three Welsh teams would be the top two in the Welsh Premier Division, Cardiff and Pontypridd, and the winners of the WRU Challenge Cup, Swansea.[6] France entered the top two teams in the 1994-95 French championship, Toulouse and Castres, and cup runners-up Bègles-Bordeaux.[7]

In October, ITV secured the UK TV rights for the competition in a three year deal,[8] and Dutch brewing company Heineken was announced as the competition's sponsor.[9]

The twelve teams were arranged into four pools of three, with each team playing the other team in their pool once. Two points were awarded for a win, and one point for a draw. The four pool winners qualified for the knockout stage.

Pool 1

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts	Status
Toulouse	2	2	0	0	8	1	7	72	19	53	4	Advanced to the semi-finals
Benetton Treviso	2	1	0	1	12	1	11	95	26	69	2	Eliminated
Farul Constanţa	2	0	0	2	2	20	−18	18	140	−122	0

31 October 1995 15:00

Farul Constanţa	10–54	Toulouse
Try: Mihai Foca Con: Emil Florea Pen: Emil Florea		Try: Stephane Ougier Émile Ntamack (2) Thomas Castaignède David Berty (2) Jean-Luc Cester Penalty try Con: Christophe Deylaud (7)

Constanta Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Robert Davies

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7 November 1995 20:00

Benetton Treviso	86–8	Farul Constanţa
Try: Piero Dotto (2) Massimiliano Perziano (2) Leandro Manteri (2) Alessandro Troncon Nicola Giuliato Julian Gardner Carlo Checchinato Con: Michael Lynagh (10) Pen: Michael Lynagh (2)		Try: Dorin Talaba Pen: Emil Florea

Stadio Comunale di Monigo Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Brian Stirling

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15 December 1995 20:00

Toulouse	18–9	Benetton Treviso
Pen: Christophe Deylaud (5) Drop: Christophe Deylaud		Pen: Michael Lynagh (2) Drop: Michael Lynagh

Les Sept Deniers Attendance: 6,085 Referee: John Bacigalupo

Pool 2

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts	Status
Cardiff	2	1	1	0	7	1	6	60	20	40	3	Advanced to the semi-finals
Bègles-Bordeaux	2	1	1	0	6	3	3	43	30	13	3	Eliminated
Ulster	2	0	0	2	2	11	−9	22	75	−53	0

21 November 1995 20:00

Bègles-Bordeaux	14–14	Cardiff
Try: Philippe Bernat-Salles Pen: Vincent Etcheto		Try: Mark Bennett Pen: Adrian Davies

Stade Andre Moga Attendance: 10,000 Referee: David McHugh

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28 November 1995 19:15

Cardiff	46–6	Ulster
Try: Mike Hall Stephen John Adrian Davies Andy Moore (2) Con: Adrian Davies (5) Pen: Adrian Davies (2)	Report[10]	Pen: Mark McCall (2)

Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 3,600 Referee: Gérard Borreani

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13 December 1995 19:00

Ulster	16–29	Bègles-Bordeaux
Try: Andrew Matchett Denis McBride Pen: Mark McCall	Report[11]	Try: Pascal Fauthoux Philippe Bernat-Salles Sebastien Loubsens Julien Berthe Con: Pascal Fauthoux Julien Berthe

Ravenhill Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Derek Bevan

Pool 3

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts	Status
Leinster	2	2	0	0	4	3	1	47	43	4	4	Advanced to the semi-finals
Pontypridd	2	1	0	1	2	2	0	53	35	18	2	Eliminated
Milan	2	0	0	2	2	3	−1	33	55	−22	0

1 November 1995 14:30

Milan	21–24	Leinster
Try: Roberto Crotti Marco Platania Con: Massimo Bonomi Pen: Diego Dominguez		Try: Conor O'Shea Niall Woods Con: Alan McGowan Pen: Alan McGowan (4)

Stadio Comunale Giuriati Attendance: 1,200 Referee: Franck Maciello

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22 November 1995 19:15

Pontypridd	31–12	Milan
Try: David Manley Neil Jenkins Pen: Neil Jenkins (8)		Pen: Diego Dominguez (4)

Sardis Road Attendance: 4,500 Referee: Brian Campsall

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6 December 1995 19:00

Leinster	23–22	Pontypridd
Try: Conor O'Shea Alan McGowan Con: Alan McGowan (2) Pen: Alan McGowan		Try: Crispin Cormack Con: Lee Jarvis Pen: Lee Jarvis

Lansdowne Road Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Daniel Gillet

Pool 4

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts	Status
Swansea	2	1	0	1	3	3	0	35	27	8	2	Advanced to the semi-finals
Munster	2	1	0	1	2	2	0	29	32	−3	2	Eliminated
Castres	2	1	0	1	2	2	0	29	34	−5	2

1 November 1995 14:30

Munster	17–13	Swansea
Try: Pat Murray Richard Wallace Con: Ken Smith Pen: Ken Smith	Report[12]	Try: Alan Harris Con: Aled Williams Pen: Aled Williams

Thomond Park Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Ed Morrison

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8 November 1995 20:00

Castres	19–12	Munster
Try: Nicolas Combes Con: Laurent Labit Pen: Laurent Labit (4)	Report[13]	Pen: Ken Smith (4)

Stade Antoine Beguere Attendance: 6,500 Referee: David Davies

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5 December 1995 19:00

Swansea	22–10	Castres
Try: Alan Harris Garin Jenkins Pen: Aled Williams (4)		Try: Francis Rui Con: Cyril Savy Pen: Cyril Savy

St Helen's Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Chuck Muir