European Champions Cup: Win 'a privilege' for Leigh Halfpenny
Last updated on .From the section Welsh Rugby
Leigh Halfpenny said it was "a privilege to have been part of creating history" after helping Toulon win a third European Champions Cup.
The Wales full-back scored 14 points as his side beat Clermont Auvergne, who had fellow countryman Jonathan Davies at centre, 24-18 at Twickenham.
"I don't think it will sink in for a long time," Halfpenny said.
Halfpenny joined the Top 14 French club as a goal-kicking successor to England 2003 World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson.
And the former Cardiff Blues player's goal-kicking at Twickenham was as important to Toulon's win as Wilkinson's had so often been.
Afterwards Halfpenny, who has won two Wales Grand Slams and a British Lions series, said: "It is up there [with the highlights of my career]. This was a goal to retain our title and create history to win the European title three times in a row.
"To be fair to Clermont they threw everything at us.
"It's what it's all about. This is where you want to be, involved in games like this, and what a performance from the boys.
"The character they showed to keep Clermont out right at the end was just incredible."
Clermont went into an 11-3 lead only for Toulon to strike back.
Davies, who joined Clermont from Scarlets before the 2014-15 season, said: "It was our mistakes that let them back in... they didn't beat us as such, we let them in the door.
"They're a team of winners. They've come from all parts and they've all won whatever competitions they've been a part of.
"To win two European championships before and now their third, it shows they're a quality team and you can't give them easy opportunities like that."