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The first European semi-final of the weekend is an all-French affair with Stade Francais hosting Clermont Auvergne in Paris on Friday. - 28/04/2011 07:12
The first European semi-final of the weekend is an all-French affair with Stade Francais hosting Clermont Auvergne in Paris on Friday.
The hosts are unbeaten in the tournament this season and beat Montpellier in quarter-final earlier this month.
Stade’s last experience in the semi-final stage of the Amlin Challenge Cup came in 1998 when they lost to Colomiers at the Stade Selery.
They currently find themselves in tenth in the Top 14 and will look to turnaround a recent run of poor performances this weekend.
Clermont Auvergne are in search of their third Amlin Challenge Cup title after success in 1999 and 2007 and will go into the match full of confidence following their recent 20 v 12 victory over Stade Francais in the Top 14.
Clermont reached the knock-out stage after finishing as runners-up to Leinster in Pool 2 of the Heineken Cup and comfortably beat La Rochelle in the last eight match earlier this month.
L'espoir du Stade Français Paris de disputer la H Cup la saison prochaine est toujours d'actualité suite à la victoire empochée 29-25 aux dépens des champions de France de l'ASM Clermont Auvergne. - 29/04/2011 23:10
Stade Français Paris’ dream of playing Heineken Cup next season rugby lives on after they upset the odds to beat reigning French champions ASM Clermont Auvergne 29-25.
In a sensational Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final at Stade Charlety the Parisians capitalised on a string of errors from the visitors to hang on to a game that threatened to run away from them at any time.
Two interception tries, by wings Julien Arias and Guillaume Bousses, enabled Stade to make it eight wins in a row in the Amlin Challenge Cup this season and move on to their third European final.
The other two, both in the Heineken Cup, were lost, but now Sergio Parisse’s men have the chance to shoot for a major title in the Welsh capital next month and guarantee themselves Heineken Cup rugby next season.
The Amlin Challenge Cup winners automatically qualify for the Heineken Cup and, given their poor league season in the Top 14, it remains the only way for them to return to the top table in Europe.
Stade outside half Lionel Beauxis helped himself to 19 points to steer his side to victory, and claim the Man of the Match award, and his five penalties punished the visitors’ for their repeated indiscretions.
Beauxis and Morgan Parra swapped penalties at the start before Clermont full back Tusiata Pisi rounded off a near length of the field move with the game’s first try. Parra added the conversion and Clermont were ahead.
But then came the first interception try as Brent Russell missed his back line and handed straight to Arias 60 metres out. Beauxis added the conversion to level matters at 10-10, but the home side were nine points ahead at the interval thanks to three more penalties from their outside half.
But Clermont hit back after the break with a Parra penalty and a thrilling kick and chase try from Russell which his half-back partner converted. That gave Clermont the lead at 20-19 after 50 minutes, but moments later Beauxis knocked over another penalty to put Stade back in front.
Then disaster struck for Clermont, and Russell, once again as his pass went to ground and Bousses picked up and raced 45 metres to score at the posts. The conversion from Beauxis was a formality and it was uphill from there on in.
Jamie Cudmore romped over for a Clermont try with four minutes to go, but the visitors failed to find the finish they were looking for.
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