The tournaments are viewed as the precursor to the European Rugby Champions Cup, in which Toulouse were crowned the winners of the first edition in 1996.
[4][5] Jean Fabre, newly elected President of Toulouse rugby club, conceived the idea of an international rugby union club tournament to help pay for the costs to complete improvements in their new stadium, Stade des Sept Deniers, following their move in 1978 from Stade des Ponts Jumeaux.
[6] Fabre attained some support from businesses such as Matra Espace (as the main sponsor), La cinq (who screened matches), Aérospatiale, and UTA.
[6] He invited Ponsonby (from New Zealand) and West Brisbane (from Australia) and while both clubs initially gave assurances of their participation, they soon sent notice of their withdrawal from the tournament due to financial constraints on travelling.
[5] Banco Nación (from Argentina) and the Fiji Barbarians, who were touring South America and Europe,[12] filled the remaining positions left vacant by the British and Irish clubs declining their invitations.
Farul Constanta (from Romania) and L'Aquila (from Italy) (who replaced the Italian champions Petrarca Rugby after they declined their invitation) made up the FIRA invitees and Agen was the other French team that participated.
[3][6] Pierre Villepreux who had coached the Toulouse team in their 1986 Matra Masters victory was handed the responsibility of organising the 1990 tournament.
[19] The result shocked not just the hosts, who feared a loss of revenue as a consequence, but also Ponsonby's captain Andy Haden who departed France on the first plane available embarrassed and angry with his team mates.
[19] The other quarter-finals went according to script with Toulouse, West Brisbane, and Agen defeating Banco Nación, L'Aquila, and the Fiji Barbarians respectively.
[22] The first group, Europe, consisted of Toulouse, Semi-finalists in the 1989–90 French Championship, Bath, winners of the 1989–90 Pilkington Cup, and two national teams from Romania and the Soviet Union.
In the game between Toulouse and Bath, the visitors were phased by the rapturous celebrations of the home fans who beat drums and blew trumpets and hooters, creating a deafening environment.
[13] Bonneval, Cazalbou (with two) and Soula scored four unanswered tries for Toulouse, with Marfaing picking up the extras with a conversion and a penalty.