Rougerie returns to captain Clermont for European decider

Clermont Auvergne have made two changes from the side that beat Munster in the semi-finals for Saturday’s Heineken Cup decider against Toulon at the Aviva Stadium (5.0pm).

Captain Aurelien Rougerie, who missed the 16-10 victory at the Stade de la Mosson through injury, and slots back in at outside centre in place of Welshman Regan King, who is named on the bench.

There is also one change in the pack, with Gerhard Vosloo named ahead of Potuguese international Julien Bardy at openside flanker.

Johnny Wilkinson captains an unchanged Toulon side from the one that beat Saracens 24-12 at Twickenham, with the England outhalf scoring all their points with the boot.

Meanwhile, Ireland captain Jamie Heaslip is the only player outside the two Heineken Cup finalists to make the five-man shortlist for the ERC European Player of the Year.

The number eight will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins for Leinster players after his backrow colleague Seán O’Brien in 2011 and Rob Kearney last season.

Clermont are represented by the French international pairing of centre Wesley Fofana and backrow Julien Bonnaire, while Toulon’s New Zealand winger Sitiveni Sivivatu and outhalf Wilkinson are also nominated.

ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE: Lee Byrne; Sitiveni Sivivatu, Aurelien Rougerie (capt), Wesley Fofana, Napolioni Nalaga; Brock James, Morgan Parra; Thomas Domingo, Benjamin Kayser, Davit Zirakashvili; Jamie Cudmore, Nathan Hines; Julien Bonnaire, Gerhard Vosloo, Damien Chouly. Replacements: Ti'I Paulo, Vincent Debaty, Clement Ric, Julien Pierre, Julien Bardy, Ludovic Radosavljevic, David Skrela, Regan King.

TOULON: Delon Armitage; Rudi Wulf, Mathieu Bastareaud, Matt Giteau, Alexis Palisson; Jonny Wilkinson (capt), Sebastien Tillous-Borde; Andrew Sheridan, Sebastien Bruno, Carl Hayman; Bakkies Botha, Nick Kennedy; Danie Rossouw, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Chris Masoe. Replacements: Jean Charles Orioli, Gethin Jenkins, Davit Kubriashvili, Joe Van Niekerk, Steffon Armitage, Maxime Mermoz, Frederic Michalak, Jocelino Suta.