Ian McGeechan: 'Clermont can get better of Toulon in European Cup final'

Former British and Irish Lions coach Sir Ian McGeechan has backed Clermont Auvergne to oust reigning champions Toulon and lift the European Rugby Champions Cup next weekend.

The French club battled their way past Leinster in the semi-finals of the showpiece competition earlier this month to advance through to the Twickenham final.

Clermont will come up against a Toulon side who have tasted success on the European stage for the past two years running but, while McGeechan expects the game to remain tight, he believes that the beaten finalists in 2013 can go one better this time around.

"I would quite like Clermont to win it," he told the The Telegraph. "They are a good club who have played some really good rugby, but for one reason or another have fallen at the final hurdle and never won this competition.

"They really should have won in Dublin two years ago against Toulon, and I have a feeling they might change that next weekend at Twickenham."

Toulon full-back Delon Armitage has been ruled out of the final due to a hand injury.