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Le Stade Français se déplace dimanche à 16h dans l'antre des London Irish
Stade Francais head to Portugal knowing that a victory of any sorts would see them secure a quarter-final spot.
Stade have won four of their five pool games and currently have 19 points to their name, the same number as London Irish. The French giants top Pool 5 courtesy of a better match points tally in their back-to-back games with the Exiles in December and will reach the last eight unless Irish better their result this weekend.
And anything other than a bonus-point win for last season’s beaten finalists would be a huge shock given Stade’s superb season so far and Lusitanos’ inexperience on the European stage.
Stade sit second in the Top 14, just three points adrift of leaders and Heineken Cup quarter-finalists ASM Clermont Auvergne, and they have a super record in the Amlin Challenge Cup over the past few seasons. They reached the final of last year’s tournament before losing to Leinster in Dublin in what was their second showpiece appearance in three years after they were beaten by Harlequins in Cardiff in 2011. They were semi-finalists two years ago and have only once failed to reach the knockout stages in this tournament and that was way back in 2003.
They left it late to ensure their destiny is in their own hands this week, though, after they came within two minutes of handing the initiative back to London Irish with a far from perfect performance at home to I Cavalieri Prato. Stade needed a Anton Van Zyl try in the dying stages to claim maximum points, although it is unlikely there will be quite such drama in Thursday’s fixture.
Lusitanos have handled themselves admirably both on and off the field in their debut continental campaign, with London Irish boss Brian Smith praising their attitude and work ethic after the recent Round 5 clash in Reading. But they are yet to pick up a point and were well beaten at the Madejski Stadium last time out.
Stade were handsome 61-3 winners when the two teams met in Paris in October, with Lusitanos conceding nine tries on that occasion and in their Round 2 encounter with Irish. They shipped 13 scores last week and Stade will be heavy favourites to run up a big tally in Lisbon as they attempt to secure the bonus-point success that would guarantee a home quarter-final.
Comme prévu
Stade Français Paris overcame a nervous first-half performance to ultimately claim their place in the Amlin Cup quarter-finals with a seven try triumph in Portugal.
But last season’s runners-up were given a scare by the game Lusitanos XV who ended the first-half on a high with a try by centre Pedro Bettencourt Avila which Pedro Bettencourt Avila converted to make it 10-10 at the break.
At that stage things were looking good for Stade’s rivals for top spot in Pool 5, London Irish, who were hoping for an upset to give them a chance to bid for quarter-finals in Italy against I Cavalieri Prato tomorrow.
But within two minutes of the re-start the Parisian nerves were settled when Jerome Porical crossed for the first of six second half tries. Zurabi Zhvania grabbed a third four minutes later and the bonus point try came from Penalty Try after 54 minutes.
Porical converted that score to make it 27-10 and the final quarter turned into a romp. Remi Bonfils, Richad Kingi and Antoini Burban completed he try scoring and Porical added three conversions to end the game with a 18 points.
The Portuguese side ended the second half on a similar high to the first when Diogo Miranda crossed for their second try of the night. Penha e Costa converted.
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