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Lionel Beauxis scored 19 points
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade Francais beat
Clermont Auvergne 29-25 on Friday night as they booked
themselves into the ACC final, and simultaneously kept alive
their hopes of qualifying for next season's Heineken Cup.
The Paris outfit were
indebted to 19 points from Toulouse-bound fly-half Lionel
Beauxis, while Julian Arias and Guillaume Boussés each
grabbed interception tries.
Michael Cheika's side
will now take on Harlequins (surprise 20-12 winners in
Munster) in the ACC
final at Cardiff City Stadium on May 30, with the winner
guaranteed a precious Heineken Cup berth.
2010/11 ACC tables, fixtures & results
It wasn't all plain
sailing for the hosts - indeed they were outscored by three
tries to two - but the result was justified, and it keeps
alive an otherwise hugely disappointing season.
Clermont had reflected
their priorities when naming their starting XV - opting to
rest several players for next weekend's Top 14 clash with
Stade Toulousain - but 'Les Jaunards' still left ruing what
might have been after an absorbing encounter which saw the
lead change hands five times.
Their frustration will
be heightened by the fact both of Stade's tries were
opportunistic interceptions, with fly-half Brent Russell the
guilty party on both occasions. But to blame the former
Saracens man would be harsh as he was only a late call-up to
the starting XV following injuries to Brock James and Tasesa
Lavea.
The 31-year-old did
make partial amends with an individual try of his own as
Clermont regained the lead early in the second half, but his
lack of recent first-team action proved telling.
The opening quarter of
an hour saw both sides land one out of two penalty attempts
- For Beauxis and Morgan Parra respectively - but it was
Clermont who claimed the evening's first try when George
Pisi went over on 16 minutes following a powerful 50m break
by captain Aurélien Rougerie. Parra's conversion made it
10-3 to the visitors, but Stade were back on level terms
within six minutes after Julien Arias latched on to
Russell's wayward attempted pass to his skipper.
Beauxis landed the
conversion and then went on to kick three penalties in seven
minutes as the Paris outfit moved into a 19-10 half-time
lead.
The 25-year-old missed with his next attempt, two minutes
after the restart, and Clermont once more took advantage to
regain the lead. First Parra slotted his own penalty
attempt, and then Russell broke from his own 22, kicked over
the top and had enough speed to complete an excellent
breakaway try.
Parra's conversion put
the visitors one point ahead at 20-19, and Clermont
momentarily dominated proceedings. Fijian youngster Kini
Murimurivalu was only denied a further try by Arias'
desperate tackle, and the Stade winger was subsequently
yellow carded two minutes for a professional foul which
again denied Clermont.
Parra had the
opportunity to extend their lead with the resultant penalty
attempt, but the France scrum-half was wayward on this
occasion, and it proved costly. Three minutes later Beauxis
showed Parra how to do it and put Stade back in the lead,
while Russell's mistimed pass to Murimurivalu was
intercepted soon after by Boussés for Stade's second try of
the evening. With Beauxis adding the extras the hosts were
suddenly nine points clear with only 14 minutes to play, and
it remained like that until mounting Clermont pressure
eventually earned them a try through Canadian international
Jamie Cudmore with three minutes still on the clock.
Parra had missed a
penalty attempt just three minutes earlier, and the Clermont
scrum-half was off target again with the conversion, meaning
the visitors had to go in search of another try. They gave
it all they had, but in the end it just wasn't enough and
they were left to reflect on a night of what might have
been.
Their attention will
now switch back to defending their Top 14 title, but for
Stade this competition is everything and they will now ready
themselves for one final push.
Stade coach Cheika paid
tribute to Beauxis after the match, saying his goal-kicking
play-maker had been the difference between the two sides.
"When he's on song he's unstoppable," said Cheika.
"That's with his
kicking game and his running game. And his goal-kicking was
absolutely out of this world. He's just so natural. He's a
great player and Toulouse are lucky to be getting him
because he's class," added the Stade Francais coach.
Stade Francais team:
Southwell, Arias, Bastareaud, Tiesi, Boussés, Beauxis,
Dupuy, Roncero, Sempere, Attoub, Palmer, Papé, Haskell,
Burban, Parisse (capt). Subs: Bonfils, Slimani,
Weber, Marchois, Rabadan, Leguizamon, Oelschig, Phillips.
Clermont Auvergne
team: Pisi, Fofana, Rougerie (capt), Joubert,
Murimurivalu, Russell, Parra, Debaty, Wepener, Zirakashvili,
Pierre, Privat, Cudmore, Bardy, Vermeulen. Subs:
Ledesma, Faure, Scelzo, Audebert, Lauaki, Senio, Canale,
Floch.
Referee: Nigel
Owens (Wales)
