The rugby Champions Cup Winners list is an illustrious one of the best club sides in Europe.

French clubs have won the tournament the most times with Toulouse the most successful side in the tournament’s history with six trophies.

The French side will be bidding to retain their title they won last season in this campaign. The Champions Cup, called the Heineken Cup until the 2014/15 season, will begin in December with the final scheduled for 23 May at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Related: Champions Cup fixtures

Toulouse will be among the favourites, especially with Antoine Dupont in their ranks. But the likes of Leinster and Bordeaux will be fighting them for the silverware.

But who has won the trophy in the tournament’s history stretching back to 1995? Here’s all you need to know.

Rugby Champions Cup winners over the years

1995/96 final

Winners: Toulouse
Runner-up: Cardiff
Score: 21-18
Location: National Stadium, Cardiff

The first European trophy was awarded to Toulouse, who have gone on to leave their mark on the continent. The final was also so tight they needed to go into extra time to decide it.

Cardiff put up a good fight in the match but all of their points came from penalties kicked by Adrian Davies. However, Toulouse were able to score two tries and add two penalties to edge out the final.

1996/97 final

Winners: Brive
Runner-up: Leicester Tigers
Score: 28-9
Location: National Stadium, Cardiff

The second edition saw an English club in the final for the first time. Leicester scored three penalties through John Liley but it was not enough against a strong Brive performance.

Brive scored four tries, including two from Sebastien Carrat, to seal the trophy. Christophe Lamaison, the Brive fly-half, had a shaky day of kicking but did land a drop goal.

1997/98 final

Winners: Bath
Runner-up: Brive
Score: 19-18
Location: Parc Lescure, Bordeaux

An English club once again made the final but this time it was Bath and they came away with the trophy. Brive’s Lamaison was impressive from the tee with five penalties and Alain Penaud, the father of Damian, slotted a drop goal.

However, four penalties and a converted try from Bath’s Jonathan Callard was enough to see the Premiership side to the win.

Read more: Who has captained the France national team over the years?

1998/99 final

Winners: Ulster
Runner-up: Colomiers
Score: 21-6
Location: Lansdowne Road, Dublin

This final was the first to take place with no tries being scored by either side.

Laurent Labit and Mickael Carre kicked a penalty each for Colomiers but Simon Mason’s boot cancelled them out and then some.

Mason kicked six penalties and his Ulster teammate David Humphreys added a drop goal to become the first Irish team to win the trophy.

1999/2000 final

Winners: Northampton Saints
Runner-up: Munster
Score: 9-8
Location: Twickenham, London

Scoring tries does not always mean you are going to win a game. Munster were over the whitewash through David Wallace and despite Jason Holland adding a drop goal, Northampton Saints were the team to come out on top.

The club that day can be thankful for Paul Grayson’s boot as he slotted three penalties to just edge out their Irish opposition.

68,441 fans were in Twickenham Stadium to watch them lift the trophy.

2000/01 final

Winners: Leicester Tigers
Runner-up: Stade Francais
Score: 34-30
Location: Parc des Princes, Paris

This final was the highest-scoring in the competition’s history at that point in time.

Amazingly all 30 of Stade Francais’ points came from penalties or drop goals. Diego Dominguez kicked nine penalties and a drop goal to keep his side ticking over but the last points from his boot came in the 77th minute.

However, Leicester kicked five penalties through Timothy Stimpson and scored three tries, including a last-minute winner by Leon Lloyd. The French side were winning 30-27 until Lloyd dotted down in the 79th minute.

The win meant Leicester completed the treble that season.

2001/02 final

Winners: Leicester Tigers
Runner-up: Munster
Score: 15-9
Location: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Leicester Tigers became the first club to defend a European title with their win over Munster.

Ronan O’Gara kicked three penalties for Munster. But Leicester scored two tries through Austin Healy and Geordan Murphy with Stimpson adding a conversion and a penalty.

There was also an infamous moment that lives long in the memories of Munster fans. Referee Joel Jutge was looking at another part of a late scrum and did not see Neil Back illegally hitting the ball out of Peter Stringer’s hands. The action saw Leicester clear the ball and snuff out a potential last-minute winner for Munster. The moment is known to some as the ‘hand of Back’ as it was likened to Diego Maradona’s ‘hand of God’ moment.

2002/03 final

Winners: Toulouse
Runner-up: Perpignan
Score: 22-17
Location: Lansdowne Road, Dublin

Two French teams battled it out and Toulouse became just the second club to win the title more than once.

Manuel Edmonds kicked four penalties for Perpignan and Pascal Bomati added a late try but it wasn’t enough to overcome Toulouse.

Toulouse scored a try through Vincent Clerc and Yann Delaigue added a conversion and five penalties to claim the silverware.

2003/04 final

Winners: London Wasps
Runner-up: Toulouse
Score: 27-20
Location: Twickenham, London

Delaigue played a big part in this final for Toulouse too but Wasps were the ones to claim their first European trophy in 2004.

Delaigue scored a try and kicked two conversions. His teammate Jean-Baptiste Elissalde added another three penalties but Wasps just edged them out.

Wasps scored three tries through Stuart Abbott, Mark van Gisbergen and Rob Howley, infamous making the most of Clement Poitrenaud’s lapse in concentration. Van Gisbergen also added three conversions and two penalties.

2004/05 final

Winners: Toulouse
Runner-up: Stade Francais
Score: 18-12
Location: Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Toulouse made the final for a third season in a row and became the first team to win the trophy three times.

This final was the second to go into extra time. When the full time whistle blew the score at 12-12 thanks to four penalties from Stade Francais’ David Skrela and three pens from Elissalde with Frederic Michalak adding another for Toulouse.

But in the extra time Stade Francais could not add to their point tally. While Toulouse converted a penalty and a drop goal, both scored by Michalak.

2005/06 final

Winners: Munster
Runner-up: Biarritz
Score: 23-19
Location: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Scrum-half Peter Stringer, who scored a try in the final, inspired Munster to their win over Biarritz with the diminutive figure later named player of the match.

Trevor Halstead also scored for Munster with O’Gara kicking two conversions and three penalties to win the game.

Biarritz’ Dimitri Yachvili had a good match, slotting four pens and a conversion from Isireli Bobo’s try. But they did not have enough fire power to overcome the Irish side who took a legendary win in Cardiff.

2006/07 final

Winners: London Wasps
Runner-up: Leicester Tigers
Score: 25-9
Location: Twickenham, London

Wasps grasped their second taste of European glory against Leicester. The match was the first time two English clubs had played one another in the final.

Leicester went into the game attempting to win the treble after already winning the Premiership and EDF Energy Cup. They had beaten Wasps four times already that season and were the favourites heading into the final.

However, two tries from Wasps’ Eoin Reddan and Raphael Ibanez as well as four penalties and a drop goal from Alex King cancelled out three penalties from Leicester’s Andy Goode.

2007/08 final

Winners: Munster
Runner-up: Toulouse
Score: 16-13
Location: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

The match was Declan Kidney’s last in charge of Munster before he became Ireland’s head coach and what a way for him to bow out.

The score difference came down to one missed kick from Elissalde. He kicked one of two penalties and if he had slotted the second the final would have had to go to extra time. Yves Donguy scored a try for Toulouse in the game too.

However, three successful penalties from O’Gara and a try from Denis Leamy, converted by O’Gara, was enough to win.

2008/09 final

Winners: Leinster
Runner-up: Leicester Tigers
Score: 19-16
Location: Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Leinster won the trophy for the first time in 2009, overcoming Leicester in the final, having witnessed Irish rivals Ulster and Munster already taste success in the tournament.

Heading into the last 15 minutes the final was drawn 16-16. Leicester had scored a try through Ben Woods with Julien Dupuy adding a conversion and three penalties. Leinster had scored through Jamie Heaslip with Johnny Sexton kicking a penalty, conversion and drop goal with Brian O’Driscoll also slotting a drop goal.

But in the 70th minute Leinster were awarded a penalty and Sexton slotted it to win the game for the Irish side.

2009/10 final

Winners: Toulouse
Runner-up: Biarritz
Score: 21-19
Location: Stade de France, Paris

Toulouse won their fourth European trophy in 2010 and did so through kicks alone.

Florian Fritz slotted a penalty and drop goal and Skrela added three penalties and two drop goals.

Biarritz made sure it was a tight game with a try by Karmichael Hunt, a conversion by Valentin Courrent and four penalties by Yachvili.

2010/11 final

Winners: Leinster
Runner-up: Northampton Saints
Score: 33-22
Location: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Leinster stormed their way to their second European title over Northampton Saints in 2011. The final was a Sexton special.

He scored two tries and kicked three conversions and four penalties. Nathan Hines also added another try.

Northampton scored three tries of their own but Sexton’s boot meant the Irish team claimed the trophy.

2011/12 final

Winners: Leinster
Runner-up: Ulster
Score: 42-14
Location: Twickenham, London

Leo Cullen became the first person to win the trophy three times. The final also saw the biggest winning margin to date and the most points scored overall.

Leinster were completely dominant with Ulster scoring a penalty through Ruan Pienaar in the seventh minute and then the team did not add to their point tally until the 40th minute. Pienaar added two more penalties and Dan Tuohy scored a try.

Sexton had another good day from the tee with three conversions and three penalties. Fergus McFadden also slotted a conversion. Leinster scored five tries and the media wrote the team could be the best Europe had ever seen.

2012/13 final

Winners: Toulon
Runner-up: Clermont
Score: 16-15
Location: Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Every point counts in the final and this match definitely underpinned that notion.

Jonny Wilkinson had a 100% from the tee, kicking a conversion from Delon Armitage’s try and three penalties. Meanwhile, Morgan Parra missed just one kick, a conversion, and Clermont lost by one point. Had Parra hit the kick they would have won.

Of course Clermont could have found points elsewhere but Parra’s kick was a contributing factor.

Another point to note was in Toulon’s semi-final Wilkinson came up against Owen Farrell. It was a big contest in the media as Farrell was establishing himself as England’s number 10. Toulon won the semi-final thanks to a late drop goal from Wilkinson.

2013/14 final

Winners: Toulon
Runner-up: Saracens
Score: 23-6
Location: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

The rhetoric around Wilkinson v Farrell was back in play during the 2014 final. Wilkinson came out on top as Toulon thumped Saracens to lift and defend the trophy. The final was the first that Saracens featured in.

Wilkinson had 100% from the tee once again with two conversions, two penalties and a drop goal. Farrell, meanwhile, slotted two from three penalties. The English team did not manage to score a try.

Toulon dotted down through Matt Giteau and Juan Smith.

2014/15 final

Winners: Toulon
Runner-up: Clermont
Score: 24-18
Location: Twickenham, London

This final was the first contested with the competition’s new name of Champions Cup. Despite the new name, the club name added to the trophy was the same as Toulon became the first club to win the title three times in a row.

The match was a closely fought encounter and the boot of Leigh Halfpenny proved to be the difference. The Welsh international four penalties and one conversion. Toulon also scored two tries through Mathieu Bastareaud and Drew Mitchell.

Clermont were highly competitive too but just couldn’t get it over the line. Wesley Fofana and Nick Abendanon scored tries with Camille Lopez adding a conversion and two penalties.

2015/16 final

Winners: Saracens
Runner-up: Racing 92
Score: 21-9
Location: Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon

Saracens were back in the final for a second time and this time they lifted the trophy to complete the double after also winning the Premiership.

No tries were scored in the match and both kickers had 100% kick rate. Racing 92’s Johannes Goosen kicked three penalites and Saracens’ Farrell slotted seven from seven.

Saracens were the first English rugby Champions Cup winners since the tournament’s rebranding.

2016/17 final

Winners: Saracens
Runner-up: Clermont
Score: 28-17
Location: Murrayfield, Edinburgh

2017 saw Saracens’ dominance continue as they completed the double once again. The final also saw Clermont in the final for the third time – the French team lost every single one.

A late Alex Goode try and conversion and penalty from Farrell sealed the final. Saracens also scored tries through Chris Ashton and George Kruis with Farrell adding another conversion and two other penalties.

Clermont scored Remi Lamerat and Abendanon with Parra slotting both conversions and a penalty.

2017/18 final

Winners: Leinster
Runner-up: Racing 92
Score: 15-12
Location: San Marnes Stadium, Bilbao

Leinster were back to winning ways in 2018 but in a different country. The final was held in Bilbao, Spain and it was the first time it was held outside one of the nations who compete in the Six Nations.

Again, no tries were scored in the final but accuracy played a part. Leinster had 100% kicking rate between Sexton and Isakeli Nacewa. Sexton slotted three penalties and Nacewa kicked two.

Racing 92, meanwhile, saw Teddy Iribaren slot four of five penalties. Had he scored them all the game would have been pushed to extra time.

2018/19 final

Winners: Saracens
Runner-up: Leinster
Score: 20-10
Location: St James’ Park, Newcastle

This final was the first of many that Leinster have been in and not been able to get over the line. In 2019 Saracens were able to claim the trophy and had to comeback from being 10 points down.

Leinster had a great start with an early penalty and a try from Tadhg Furlong. Furlong’s try was scored in the 33rd minute and the Irish team did not add to their points for the rest of the match. Saracens managed to get 10 points on the board before half-time with a penalty and a Sean Maitland try.

In the second half Billy Vunipola added another try and Farrell struck the conversion and another penalty. This was the last time Saracens won the European trophy.

2019/20 final

Winners: Exeter Chiefs
Runner-up: Racing 92
Score: 31-27
Location: Ashton Gate, Bristol

Exeter Chiefs completed the double after a thoroughly impressive season for the club. The match was originally scheduled for May but had to be rescheduled for October because of the pandemic.

The match was a cracker to watch with both teams going toe-to-toe. Both teams scored four tries each but Joe Simmonds’ boot carried Exeter to the trophy. Simmonds slotted four conversions and a penalty.

Racing 92, however, only kicked two from four conversions. Finn Russell missed one and Maxime Machenaud also missed one.

2020/21 final

Winners: Toulouse
Runner-up: La Rochelle
Score: 22-17
Location: Twickenham, London

Toulouse claimed their fifth Champions Cup with a closely fought win over La Rochelle.

Romain Ntamack stole the show from 10 with 100% success from the tee. He slotted five penalties and a conversion from Juan Cruz Mallia’s try.

La Rochelle saw Ihaia West kick four from six penalties with Tawera Kerr-Barlow adding a try.

2021/22 final

Winners: La Rochelle
Runner-up: Leinster
Score: 24-21
Location: Veldrome, Marseille

This final was the first contested between the two sides and it has birthed a new European rivalry.

La Rochelle were back in the final after losing the season before and they made sure they came away with the trophy.

The match was finely poised in the last few minutes when Artur Retiere scored in the 79th. Ihaia West added the conversion in the last play of the game to see the French club win 24-21. A tough result for Leinster to take.

2022/23 final

Winners: La Rochelle
Runner-up: Leinster
Score: 27-26
Location: Aviva Stadium, Dublin

The match was Jonny Sexton‘s last in club rugby, though he was in the stands due to injury. Leinster had home advantage as the match was hosted at the Aviva and many backed them to enact revenge for last season’s loss in the final to the same opposition.

It was a closely fought battle but the French club managed to squeak passed the Irish outfit to deny them another star on their shirt.

2023/24 final

Winners: Toulouse
Runner-up: Leinster
Score: 31-22
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

There was pressure on Leinster’s shoulders with this being their third final in as many years with no silverware to show for it.

The final was tight and it was pushed to extra time after the game finished 15-15 as the full time whistle blew.

Tries were exchanged and cards flew with James Lowe yellow carded and Richie Arnold shown red. But it was the boot of Thomas Ramos who kept the scoreboard ticking and sealed the win.