Russell gifts Stade win
Stade Francais reached the final of the Amlin Challenge Cup on Friday after beating Clermont Auvergne 29-25.
By Michael Wise
Last Updated: 29/04/11 10:01pm
Stade Francais reached the final of the Amlin Challenge Cup on Friday after beating Clermont Auvergne 29-25 at Stade Charlety.
Although the eventual winners were arguably second best in the rugby stakes, they did score two tries through Julien Arias and Guillaume Bousses.
However, both were gifted to Stade by stand-in Clermont fly-half Brent Russell. Although Russell touched down himself to complement Tusiata Pisi's opener, the 14 points he shipped proved insurmountable.
Clermont certainly gave it a go in a dramatic climax and scored a third through Jamie Cudmore. But it will be Stade who will play either Munster or Harlequins in the final.
Lionel Beauxis got the scoreboard ticking with a penalty in the 12th minute having missed a three-pointer four minutes earlier.
Rodrigo Roncero infringed against Morgan Parra almost immediately, though, and the Clermont scrum-half kicked to level.
The visitors then scored the evening's first try almost straight from the kick-off - a flowing move through the centre that ended in the left corner as quick hands from Parra and Russell set up Pisi.
Too comfortable
Parra converted and Clermont looked comfortable - too comfortable in the case of Russell, who threw a pass straight to Arias in the 22nd minute which the wing quickly converted into five points.
Beauxis then levelled and added another nine points courtesy of three penalties in the 28th, 32nd and 36th minutes.
His run was broken two minutes into the second half, with Parra kicking his second penalty of the evening four minutes later.
Russell then atoned for his earlier blemish - and in some style. Taking a quick pass off the back of the scrum from replacement Sione Lauaki, he kicked and ran to touch down, with Parra converting.
Clermont were therefore a point to the good and almost had another after 52 minutes when a break almost ended with Kini Murimurivalu sliding over in the left corner.
Arias was yellow carded for coming in at the side at the resulting ruck, although Parra could not make it count with the subsequent penalty.
Beauxis then kicked Stade two points ahead - yet it was Clermont who looked the more threatening as Russell and Wesley Fofana combined to go close again.
Howler
But Russell then committed his second howler of the evening as another stray pass was gratefully seized upon by Bousses, with Beauxis converting.
Russell was immediately replaced, with Parra missing a penalty with six minutes to go.
Clermont pressed constantly but Stade managed to slow down the play - that is until Cudmore appeared from nowhere to cross with four minutes left.
Parra missed the conversion but kicked to the corner with 90 seconds left on the clock when Juan Leguizamon came in at the side.
It was all over for them, however, when Lauaki fumbled the ball.
