Both venues, which are situated beside each other in the west of the British capital, will be staging a European final for the fifth time.

The 82,000 capacity Twickenham Stadium, home to the England national side, will be the setting for the inaugural final of the European Rugby Champions Cup on May 2 next year.

The new-look competition replaces the Heineken Cup which was scrapped earlier this year after 19 seasons following complaints from French and English clubs who were unhappy at the competition format and the distribution of financial rewards.

This season's tournament will feature 20 teams, reduced from 24, who will compete in five pools of four teams.

The five pool winners and three best runners-up will qualify for the quarter-final stages early next year.

The European Rugby Challenge Cup replaces the Amlin Cup with the final scheduled for May 1.

The competition will also feature 20 teams and will follow the same format as the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Twickenham Stadium hosted the 2012 Heineken Cup final which was won by Leinster
©Getty Images



The Rugby Football Union (RFU) was awarded both fixtures by the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) board following a competitive tender process which was open to the six countries - England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales - that provide the clubs for the Aviva Premiership, the Top 14 and Guinness PRO12 competitions.

"In the inaugural season of the tournaments, the Board of EPCR took the view that fairest and the most commercially-sound approach was to award the finals based on a competitive tender process," said EPCR director and Executive Committee member Bruce Craig.

"The RFU's bid was extremely strong and the fact that we are going to London for the 2015 finals is hugely positive for European club rugby.

"Twickenham Stadium and the Twickenham Stoop tick every box for fans."

Twickenham Stadium last hosted the final of Europe's premier club competition in 2012 when Leinster overcame Irish rivals Ulster 42-14.

The venue, which is due to host the final of next year's Rugby World Cup on October 31, also hosted Heineken Cup finals in 2000, 2004 and 2007.

Twickenham Stoop is home to Aviva Premiership side Harlequins ©Getty Images



Twickenham Stoop, home to Aviva Premiership side Harlequins, hosted its fourth Amlin Cup decider in 2012,  a match which saw Biarritz emerge as winners from the all-French affair with Toulon.

"We are delighted to have been chosen as host for EPCR's inaugural finals," said RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie.

"This is a particularly exciting time for European club rugby as we move into a new era, and we see both games as constituting one marvellous event which will bring tens of thousands of supporters from across Europe into London and Twickenham."

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