CONNACHT WILL FACE Northampton Saints in a Champions Cup play-off after Stade Francais triumphed in tonight’s Challenge Cup final in Edinburgh.
Stade Francais won their first European trophy as they beat Gloucester 25-17.
The Paris club had previously lost four European finals — two in the premier European Cup and two in the second-tier Challenge Cup.
But having gone in at half-time all square at 10-10, they pulled away after the break to deny English Premiership side Gloucester a third Challenge Cup title.
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JJ Hanrahan will be a doubt to feature for Saints after missing the last game of the Premiership season with a shoulder injury. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The Champions Cup play-offs provide the last chance of qualification for Europe’s top club rugby competition as four teams enter semi-finals hoping to make themselves the 20th team in next season’s tournament.
Cardiff Blues and Connacht took play-off places as the Pro12′s eighth and ninth ranked teams (after Treviso secured the seventh automatic qualification place by finishing above Zebre). The Welsh outfit will meet Stade Francais in next Friday’s first semi-final in Stade Jean Bouin before Connacht travel to Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.
Along with sustaining their hope of a Champions Cup place, victory for Connacht would also give Pro12 title-winning head coach Pat Lam a final match in the Sportsground before his departure for Bristol, as it has been decided that the winner of Connacht’s semi-final will have home advantage.
Friday 19 May
Stade Français Paris v Cardiff Blues, Stade Jean Bouin (19.00)
Saturday 20 May
Northampton Saints v Connacht Rugby, Franklin’s Gardens (16.00)
Friday 26 May
Play-off Final (19.45)
Additional reporting by AFP
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Connacht to face Northampton in Champions Cup play-off after Stade Francais triumph
CONNACHT WILL FACE Northampton Saints in a Champions Cup play-off after Stade Francais triumphed in tonight’s Challenge Cup final in Edinburgh.
Stade Francais won their first European trophy as they beat Gloucester 25-17.
The Paris club had previously lost four European finals — two in the premier European Cup and two in the second-tier Challenge Cup.
But having gone in at half-time all square at 10-10, they pulled away after the break to deny English Premiership side Gloucester a third Challenge Cup title.
The Champions Cup play-offs provide the last chance of qualification for Europe’s top club rugby competition as four teams enter semi-finals hoping to make themselves the 20th team in next season’s tournament.
Cardiff Blues and Connacht took play-off places as the Pro12′s eighth and ninth ranked teams (after Treviso secured the seventh automatic qualification place by finishing above Zebre). The Welsh outfit will meet Stade Francais in next Friday’s first semi-final in Stade Jean Bouin before Connacht travel to Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.
Along with sustaining their hope of a Champions Cup place, victory for Connacht would also give Pro12 title-winning head coach Pat Lam a final match in the Sportsground before his departure for Bristol, as it has been decided that the winner of Connacht’s semi-final will have home advantage.
Friday 19 May
Stade Français Paris v Cardiff Blues, Stade Jean Bouin (19.00)
Saturday 20 May
Northampton Saints v Connacht Rugby, Franklin’s Gardens (16.00)
Friday 26 May
Play-off Final (19.45)
Additional reporting by AFP
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