Leicester ensured that there would be no French representatives in the European Cup semi-finals for the first time since the 1995-96 season on Sunday as they edged past Stade Francais 21-20 in a thrilling quarter-final.
A late try by replacement Tom Varndell and the conversion by Andy Goode saw the Tigers rebound from 20-14 down to go ahead by a point leaving Stade and its flamboyant owner Max Guazzini still searching for their first ever European Cup.
It had looked like French flyhalf David Skrela had sealed their place in the last four with a drop goal but Varndell's try erased their hopes.
PHOTO: AFP
Leicester will now play Welsh side Llanelli, who beat holders Munster on Friday, while Leinster's conquerors Wasps will take on Northampton, who beat Biarritz earlier on Sunday.
Leicester skipper Martin Corry said watching from the sidelines -- he played 70 minutes before going off -- had been agony.
"I feel I aged several years sitting and watching that!" grinned the former England captain.
"The boys were just tremendous and showed extraordinary character," he said.
The first-half was full of free-flowing rugby with both sides preferring to run the ball than kick.
Fijian flyer Seru Rabeni grabbed the first try of the match for the Tigers as he ran on to a beautiful sleight of hand pass by Geordan Murphy and touched down.
Skrela hit back with a penalty before Stade took the lead through a brilliant solo try by Argentinian fullback Juan Martin Hernandez, who broke four tackles to score in the corner.
However Leicester retook the advantage thanks to two penalties by Goode, with the second one seeing French flanker Remy Martin yellow-carded.
Despite this Stade, thanks to Skrela's admirable boot, ended the half all square, while Goode could have had the hosts in front at the break had a penalty not bounced off the post.
Skrela restored the lead for Stade shortly after the break with another penalty while Leicester were not helping themselves by making a series of handling errors.
Goode replied in kind to bring the sides level again with just over 25 minutes remaining.
Leicester looked sure to regain the lead in the see saw encounter as Andy Tuilagi charged down the right wing and with the corner in sight, he was left dazed and confused in touch after a cracking last ditch tackle by Hernandez.
Hernandez then almost gave the game away as his kick from inside his goal area was charged down by England scrum-half Harry Ellis, but the ball went over the deadball line.
Ellis had to be treated for a couple of minutes having taken the ball full in the face.
Stade were back in the lead shortly after the hour mark as the metronomic Skrela converted another penalty to make it 17-14.
The son of the former French coach Jean-Claude produced what looked like the match-winning moment with just over 10 minutes remaining as he put over a superb drop goal leaving Leicester requiring a converted try to get past them.
However, Varndell collected a pass and ran past Mirko Bergamasco to touch down for his fourth try of the tournament. Goode converted to put them ahead by a point.
Skrela then tried the drop goal again but it went agonizingly wide.
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two