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The first of three Anglo-French battles in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals kicks-off on Thursday night at Stade Charlety with last season's runners-up Stade Francais Paris looking to book their Heineken Cup ticket by going one better this year. - 04/04/2012 13:08
The first of three Anglo-French battles in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals kicks-off on Thursday night at Stade Charlety with last season’s runners-up Stade Francais Paris looking to book their Heineken Cup ticket by going one better this year.
Michael Cheika’s men cruised past Worcester Warriors, Bucharest Wolves and Banca Monte Crociati to remain unbeaten in Pool 1 and take the top seeding. But they couldn’t have asked for a tougher quarter-final assignment than Exeter Chiefs.
In only their second season in the top-flight in England, and their second attempt in the Amlin Challenge Cup, Tom Hayes side managed to emerge from the ‘Pool of Death’ and beat Perpignan and Newport Gwent Dragons to the top spot
Add to that they are on a roll in the English Premiership with six wins in their last seven games and they will be relishing, rather than fearing, their trip to Paris. Hayes and co scent an upset and they will have more than 1,000 ‘Braves’ travelling with them looking to apply a knock-out ‘Tomahawk Chop’ to the Parisians.
Stade warmed up for their European showdown with a narrow 22-18 defeat at the hands of Heineken Cup quarter-finalists Toulouse at Stade de France last weekend, while the Chiefs overpowered London Irish at home
The home side boast a host of international stars including Sergio Parisse, Felipe Contepomi and George Smith, but they will be without French prop David Attoub after he broke his hand. They have huge fire-power in their ranks and scored an amazing 33 tries in qualifying.
Contepomi has pulled the strings at fly-half for Stade this season, following his switch from 2009 Amlin Challenge Cup finalists Toulon. The Argentinean star will go head-to-head with fellow countryman Ignacio Mieres in an intriguing battle of the No10s. Mieres is, of course, a former Stade player..
The Chiefs will also be able to call on another Puma in Gonzalo Camacho, who grabbed the last-gasp, match-winning try for Harlequins in last season's thrilling final against the same opposition. The live-wire wing has fond memories of the 19-18 victory at the Cardiff City Stadium last May and aims to continue his try-scoring exploits against Stade, this time in Chiefs colours.
“I was lucky enough to score against Stade in last year's final. It was a good team effort – Danny Care kicked through and I managed to collect the ball to score. Everyone remembers that moment and I will be looking to do it again. But it's important that we take every chance and play as a team not individuals,” said Camacho.
“Stade are a big team with loads of international players. They have great experience but you never know what will happen. We are a very ambitious club and with that hunger we can win any game.”
The Devon club have developed a tag as giant killers in the English game this season and last and notched up impressive wins over Saracens, Northampton and Harlequins in their debut season in the Aviva Premiership.
They have already completed the double over two-time Heineken Cup winners Leicester Tigers this campaign and are fighting for qualification for the elite European competition on two fronts – currently placed fifth in the Aviva Premiership.
Hayes has described this weekend’s game as “the biggest in his club’s history” as they attempt to stay in the hunt for a major European title.
Le ton est donné. Le quart de finale d'ouverture de la Amlin Cup a offert une opposition acharnée et un suspense haletant. C'est finalement le Stade Français qui a le premier validé son billet pour le dernier carré (22-17). Il se déplacera le dernier week-end d'avril soit à Toulon
Samoan international centre Paul Williams turned into a 79th minute match-winner as he ran the try that broke the hearts of Exeter Chiefs at Stade Charlety and earned Stade Francias Paris a trip to either Toulon or Harlequins in the Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals.
A storming try from giant Fijian centre Sireli Naqelevuki levelled the scores at 17-17 on 68 minutes and the Chiefs were on a roll. They had a conversion to regain the lead, but Ignacio Mieres pushed his kick wide.
It had been his boot that had given the Chiefs a deserved 9-6 interval lead with three penalties from four attempts and he added fourth after the break. But a magical few minutes at the start of the second half got Stade back into contention and gave them the belief to go on and clinch a place in the last four.
A neat grub kick through by Felipe Contepomi, who spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin for throwing a punch in the first-half, caused problems for the Chiefs and full back Djbril Camara nipped in to cross at the left corner. Two minutes later man of the match Julien Dupuy kicked the first of his two long range penalties of the half and all of a sudden the home side had 14-9 lead.
Dupuy and Mieres swapped penalties to leave the game hanging in the balance in the final quarter at 17-12, but it was the visitors, in only their second season in European competition, who stepped up their game and went looking for the score to keep their hopes alive of reaching the semi-finals.
Naqelevuki ran through five players to cross for his try and at that stage the chiefs looked the most likely to go on and win. They dominated territory and when replacement scrum half Kevin Barrett broke through to the foot of the Stade posts, the scene seemed set for Mieres to win the game on the eve of his 25th birthday.
He dropped back in the pocket, waited for the pass, but then pushed his drop goal attempt wide with two minutes left on the clock. That let Stade off the hook and their determined defence kept them in the game.
With the game seemingly heading for extra-time, Stade mounted one last assault and Dupuy created space in the Chiefs’ 22 with a log, cut-out pass and Williams cantered over to break Exeter hearts in the 79th minute.
Stade, who lost the Amlin Challenge Cup final to a last minute try from Gonzalo Camacho for Harlequins, live to fight another round. They will travel to face the winners of Good Friday’s second quarter-final between Toulon and Harlequins.
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