By Bryn Palmer BBC Sport at Twickenham

Incroyable. Magnifique. The French could find all manner of words to describe this final.

Trevor Leota was in tears after the match - but recovered to celebrate

Clement Poitrenaud will probably add 'sacre bleu' to the list when he wakes up in a cold sweat thinking about the moment he let the Heineken Cup slip from Toulouse's grasp.

You had to feel for the full-back, his fatal hesitation allowing Wasps scrum-half Rob Howley in for the dramatic late winning try.

But it would be unfair to lay the blame at one man's feet - or hands - after an enthralling contest that confirmed why northern hemisphere rugby is currently on such a high.

This was a Test match in all but name, the elite of England against France's finest.

The contrast with the basketball-like nature of Saturday's Super 12 final was marked.

When Lawrence Dallaglio and Fabien Pelous led their teams out, the roar was as deafening as any the captains of England and France would have heard at the stadium for a Six Nations encounter.

On the field, the action was of a similar tub-thumping variety, Dallaglio's crunching hit on Christophe Labit setting the tone in a frenetic opening.

As Yann Delaigue stroked over two early penalties, the chants of 'Tou-lous-ain' accompanied the drums from the red-and-black clad supporters in the west stand.

But once Stuart Abbott sliced through to put Wasps ahead, 'You're not singing any more' came the retort from the black and yellow contingent.

By the end it was 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' sweeping round Twickenham, to further confirm the impression of an international occasion.

Punishing heat

The temperature may have cooled by kick-off, but this was still energy-sapping stuff on a baking hot afternoon.

When the marvellous Trevor Leota lay flat on his back in the first half, you were not sure if the barrel-chested hooker was injured or merely exhausted.

It was thirsty work, and the queues for the bar were a dozen deep at half-time.

Some had not reached their seats again as Twickenham erupted three minutes into second half to salute a superb try from Mark van Gisbergen.

Coach Warren Gatland - pictured on the big screen - took a deep breath, but it was another 35 minutes before Wasps scored again after van Gisbergen's conversion had given them a 20-11 lead.

Despite their magnificent defiance - particularly during the 10 minutes they were without the sin-binned Dallaglio - Toulouse fought back.

Quins match winner Rob Howley had plenty to cheer at the end

Three penalties from replacement scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde brought the visitors tantalisingly level.

How would Wasps - who had led from the 19th to 76th minute - react as the prospect of extra-time loomed?

Two minutes later came the answer.

Howley, hemmed in on the left flank, dabbed a clever grubber kick up the touchline, and set off in pursuit.

It appeared for all the world it would bounce into touch at any moment, but continued on its way to the Toulouse line.

The retreating Poitrenaud hesitated for an instant as he attempted to touch the ball down, and Howley dived on it instead.

His reaction suggested he thought it was a try, and the crowd - watching a replay on the big screen - roared their approval.

After a nervous wait for the television reply, referee Alain Rolland signalled the score, and Twickenham erupted again.

When van Gisbergen's subsequent conversion bounced onto the bar and over, Toulouse knew the game was up.

France may have relieved England of their Six Nations crown, but Wasps had wrestled back club rugby's greatest prize from French hands.

Leota was in tears at the end, overcome by the emotion of it all.

It was that kind of day.