ASM Clermont Auvergne will be hoping to clinch a third European Rugby Challenge Cup on Friday night when they take on fellow French side La Rochelle in the showpiece final at St James’ Park in Newcastle. Clermont secured their place in Friday’s final with a 32-27 semi-final victory over Harlequins at Stade Marcel-Michelin, while La Rochelle battled past Sale Sharks 24-20 in their last-four clash at Stade Marcel Deflandre. You can watch live coverage from 19:45 BST on BT Sport 2, FR4 and beIN SPORTS. Pool positions La Rochelle: 1st, Pool 4, 24 points ASM Clermont Auvergne, 1st, Pool 1, 30 points Head-to-head record ASM Clermont Auvergne wins: 1 Draws: 0 La Rochelle wins: 0 2018/19 points-scorers ASM Clermont Auvergne: Peter Betham (50), Patricio Fernandez (39), Greig Laidlaw (38) La Rochelle: Ihaia West (53), Maxime Lafage (49), Gregory Alldritt (25) Key quotes Franck Azema (ASM Clermont Auvergne): “Right from the start [of the season] together we have respected this competition. Everyone has done their job. “The story of this European campaign is that we have been on a journey that now allows us to have the right to contest this final. We want to win it and we have the hunger to achieve a record. We know that there is this opportunity there now.” Romain Sazy (La Rochelle): “We have done everything to reach the final – this is now a bonus. We understand the magnitude of the event. “We will be supported by Rochelais fans in Newcastle, at Deflandre and by all those in front of their televisions. We will give everything to bring back something for them.” https://twitter.com/ERChallengeCup/status/1126429048836698112 Team news

Clermont captain and scrum-half Morgan Parra forms a half-back partnership with Camille Lopez, while wings Alivereti Raka and Damian Penaud also start. The Clermont front row features props Etienne Falgoux and Rabah Slimani as well as hooker Benjamin Kayser.
La Rochelle fly-half Ihaia West will start at No.10, having racked up 53 points this season. His half-back partner is Tawera Kerr-Barlow, while Marc Andreu and Arthur Retiere make up the wing duo and Vincent Rattez starts at full-back. Lock Romain Sazy will captain the La Rochelle team alongside second-row partner Mathieu Tanguy.

Match stats

Clermont won the Challenge Cup in 1999 and 2007, so victory against La Rochelle would see them lift the trophy for a third time, level with Harlequins’ total.
La Rochelle will be aiming to become the 16th club and the eighth TOP 14 side to win the Challenge Cup in their first final appearance.
This is the first all-French final since 2012, when Biarritz defeated RC Toulon at the Twickenham Stoop.
Clermont have the chance of recording an unbeaten, nine-game Challenge Cup campaign for the second time, after completing the feat in 2006/07.

La Rochelle are the only side with a 100% scrum success rate, winning all 45 scrums on their own feed.
Clermont’s Peter Betham is the top try-scorer this season with 10 and if he crosses the whitewash in the final, he will beat Tom Varndell’s record of 10 tries in a Challenge Cup campaign for Wasps in 2009/10.
Both sides have stolen more line-outs than any other team in the competition this season (La Rochelle 15; Clermont 12).