Leicester Tigers and Stade Francais renewed their Heineken Cup rivalry in Paris – scene of Leicester’s 34-30 Cup final win in 2001, but this time it was the French side that ran in victorious.

This was the fifth Heineken Cup meeting between the two sides, and the French ground their fourth win over the two-times winners thanks to four penalties from the boot of Jerome Fillol.


The goal-kicking scrum-half held his nerve to sail over four successful kicks to save the day for his side. His efforts earned him the Heineken Man-Of-The-Match award.

In the first minute of the match Fillol missed an easy penalty but Leicester looked like scoring a try. They won a turn-over and Olly Smith stuck a splendid grubber down to Stade Français’s left cornerflag where Mirco Bergamasco was forced to carry over to concede a five-metre scrum. Stade Français produced a huge scrum at which the Tigers were penalised.

The Tigers also had line-out opportunities close in. Three times they turned penalties into five-metre line-outs and three times the Parisians kept them out with strong control.
Fillol missed again after eight minutes when Moody evoked a talking-to.

Brian Liebenberg, back from injury and the best three-quarter on the day, then chipped and collected but Leicester snuffed out the promising move.

Just before half-time Goode, who had missed a kick at goal, landed a penalty for an air tackle in a line-out.

Stade Français came close to scoring just before the break when a great run by Bergamasco was carried on by Pieter de Villiers but ended when Goode and two others tackled Bergamasco out at the corner.

Sarramea had a long kick at goal early in the second half, and missed. Liebenberg had a strong run and suddenly, for the only time in the match, Stade Français polayed with a spasm of speed. The spasm died out but Fillol scored from an off-side powered penalty. 6-3.

Moody went in at the side and Fillol made it 9-3. A repeat of the dose made it 12-3. Hooker Dimitri Szarzewski, punched Moody and Goode was able to goal. 12-6

After this Kay went to the sin-bin but the Tigers could have scored as Geordan Murphy ripped through a gap but, isolated, he tried to chip and Stade Français managed to knock it away.

Then they made a penalty into a five-metre line-out on their left. They had a maul and brought some backs in to help the forwards. The backs made no obvious impact. Austin

Healey and Corry got together to concede a scrum for accidental off-side and from the scrum the home side kicked the ball out.

Leicester managed none of the attacking zest that saw them rack up 57 points against Clermont Auvergne last week, but remain top of Pool Three after collecting a bonus point.