SCOTLAND captain Greig Laidlaw’s last game for Gloucester ended in Challenge Cup final defeat at a mist-shrouded Murrayfield last night, as the power and pace of Stade Francais proved too much for the English club.
The Parisians had already qualified for the play-offs to get into next season’s Champions Cup, and now play Cardiff in the semi-finals next weekend. Gloucester’s only hope of getting into the top European tournament had been to win the subsidiary event; with their season now at an end, Laidlaw will have a little more time to prepare for his move to Clermont Auvergne, who meet Saracens in the Champions Cup final today.
Stade, who only qualified for the knockout stages as runners-up to Edinburgh in their pool, were on top early on but went behind to a breakaway try by Jonny May from well inside his own half. Billy Burns converted, then added a penalty before Jules Plisson got the French team off the mark.
Stade eventually turned their territorial domination into more points towards the end of the half, when a Will Genia chip towards the posts was knocked back by Paul Gabrillagues straight into the arms of Sergio Parisse form an easy score. Plisson’s conversion made it 10-10, but although they then went a man up after Willi Heinz was sinbinned for a late barge on Plisson, Stade were unable to capitalise during an ill-tempered end to the half.
Laidlaw came on just after half-time once Heinz’s 10 minutes were up, and Gloucester thought they had taken the lead when Chris Marshall kicked ahead then got a hand on the ball in goal. But the TMO chalked the score off, and within a few minutes Jonathan Danty had Stade in front with an unconverted try.
Morne Steyn missed the chance to put his team more than a full score ahead with a penalty 10 minutes from time, but the coup de grace was only delayed, and came from a brilliant solo run by centre Geoffrey Doumayrou. This time Steyn was on target with the extra points, and in the closing minutes the substitute added a penalty. There was still time for Gloucester to score a second try through Ross Moriarty, but it was no more than a consolation.
Scorers: Gloucester: Tries: May, Moriarty. Cons: Burns 2. Pen: Burns.
Stade Francais: Tries: Parisse, Danty, Doumayrou. Cons: Plisson, Steyn. Pens: Plisson, Steyn.
Gloucester: T Marshall; C Sharples, M Scott (B Twelvetrees 62), M Atkinson (H Trinder 72), J May; B Burns, W Heinz (G Laidlaw 43); J Hohneck (Y Thomas 62), R Hibbard (D Dawidiuk 73), J Afoa (P McAlister 21), T Savage (M Galarza 60), J Thrush (F Clarke 76), R Moriarty, L Ludlow, B Morgan.
Stade Francais: H Bonneval; W Vuidarvuwalu, G Doumayrou, J Danty (J Sinzelle 73), D Camara; J Plisson (M Steyn 68), W Genia (J Dupuy 71); H van der Merwe (Z Zhvania 70), R Bonfils (L Panis 73), R Slimani (P Emile 41), H Pyle (W Alberts 68), P Gabrillagues, A Burban (R Lafakia 58), J Ross, S Parisse..
Referee: J Lacey (Ireland). Attendance: 24,594.
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