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Someone's 100 per cent start to the Amlin Challenge Cup has got to go on Saturday when Stade Francais Paris host Grenoble at Stade Océane. - 19/10/2012 11:15
Stade Francais Paris missed the chance to qualify for the quarter-finals with a match to spare when they went down 15-9 at Grenoble in Round 5.
That meant they still need a point from their home tie against European newcomers London Welsh to book their place in the last eight.
They gave the Exiles a torrid introduction to European rugby when they swept them aside 68-19 at the Kassam Stadium with hooker Remi Bonfils collecting two of their tries.
Paris went within touching distance of a European title when they were beaten 19-18 by Harlequins in the 2011 tournament final and will be keen to make another challenge come May.
Match Facts
- Francis Fainifo has crossed for five tries in five games this season in the Amlin Challenge Cup – only two players have crossed for more.
- Stade Francais have won 16 of their last 18 home games in this competition, their only two losses in this run coming against London Wasps and London Irish.
- Stade’s only two defeats in their last 13 Amlin Challenge Cup games have come against French clubs.
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London Welsh’s win against Cavalieri in the last round ended a run of four consecutive defeats in all competitions.
Stade Francais Paris booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 39-17 victory over tournament newcomers London Welsh at Stade du Hainaut
Stade Francais Paris booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 39-17 victory over tournament newcomers London Welsh at Stade du Hainaut, ending fellow Top 14 and Pool challengers Grenoble’s hopes of making the last eight.
Stade, the 2011 tournament finalists, went into the final group match needing just a point against a team they had beaten 68-19 in Round 1 to go through.
In the end they got the maximum five and although London Welsh will be all the better for their European experiences the huge cross border experience of the French capital club allied to their star-studded squad was always going to be decisive.
Lock Pascal Pape, recently announced as French captain for the RBS 6 Nations, got their second try to help them into a 15 point half time advantage, left wing Julien Arias getting their first try after just nine minutes while the Exiles’ only response was an Alex Davies penalty.
Centre Geoffrey Doumayrou got the third for Stade after the break and a penalty try clinched the bonus point before free-scoring hooker Remi Bonfils crossed the London Welsh line.
But Lyn Jones’ team refused to buckle and a brace of tries from wing Phillip Mackenzie in the space of four minutes reminded Stade they still had work to do, Francis Fainifo doing just that with their sixth.
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