To have a Heineken Cup winner’s star woven onto your clubs jersey is a symbol of not just winning the final, but of being the champion club of Europe across an entire season.
In the past, that star represented a long and successful journey of sustained excellence. Earning the right to wear the star tells the world of a season of supreme dedication because that is what it used to take to win the Heineken Cup.
The first stages of that long arduous journey were always far more difficult than those not directly involved with the teams realised. To dominate the six pool games, played across four months in autumn and winter, both at home and away, was a tough mission.
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- April 9, 2022
