Leicester Tigers beat Stade Francais in Champions Cup thriller

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Leicester held on in Paris to make it two wins from two in this season’s Investec Champions Cup with a 27-24 win against winless Stade Francais. Hooker Archie Vanes scored two tries in the first half as Leicester led 14-10 at the break. But Leicester were pegged back immediately at the start of the second half through a try from winger Charles Laloi.
Vanes made it a hat-trick in the second half as Leicester pushed their lead out to seven points. Back came Stade through a stunning solo effort from Leo Barre who scored from his own 22. Jamie Shillcock landed a long-distance penalty to give Leicester a narrow lead and despite a late yellow card for Mike Brown and Stade wasting a great late opportunity, Leicester held on to claim a tense victory.
With that win Leicester are level on points with Leinster at the top of pool four whereas Stade sit bottom of the group as we hit the halfway stage of the group stages.
Pool one
Saracens 55 – 36 Connacht
Union Bordeaux Bègles 36 – 17 Bristol Bears
Lyon 29 – 28 Vodacom Bulls
Pool two
Cardiff 32 – 39 Bath
Ulster 31 – 15 Racing 
Harlequins 19 – 47 Stade Toulousain
Pool three
Northampton Saints 22 – 19 RC Toulon
Aviron Bayonnais 11 – 12 Glasgow Warriors
Exeter Chiefs 32 – 24 Munster
Pool four
DHL Stormers 21 – 20 Stade Rochelais
Leinster 37 – 27 Sale Sharks
Stade Français Paris 24 – 27 Leicester Tigers
Absolute scenes for the Tigers!! 🐯@LeicesterTigers hold on with 14 men to beat @SFParisRugby 27-24!#InvestecChampionsCup | #SFPvLEI pic.twitter.com/MDoyVzIHCs
With that win Leicester are second on nine points, level on points with Leinster. Stade are bottom of the group with just the one solitary bonus point.
Wells wins a penalty at the breakdown and Leicester win in Paris. The final score is 24-27.
Memories on the road, what a performance from these lads 👏🏻#SFPvLEI 🏉 #COYT 🐯 pic.twitter.com/DnVFlVADQ5
Two balls were on the pitch so the referee stops play and Stade will have a scrum. We are deep into the red now…
Brown is the culprit and the referee sends him to the sin-bin. Stade will therefore have a penalty inside the Leicester 22. They go to the corner. Will they win it at the death?
Leicester have a knock-on advantage and unfurl a cross-field kick. It is to perfection but Etien somehow drops it with the line beckoning. How did he drop that? That should have been a simple catch and he would have strolled in to give Stade the win. Stade have a scrum with second left but the TMO is looking at a potential knock-on by Leicester…
Into the final minute and Stade have the ball inside the Leicester 22…
Just two minutes to go and Stade have a line-out on halfway. Stade wanted a penalty for a trip but the referee does not see it that way.
None of the replays show a grounding so the on-field decision of held up stands.
Stade are over the line but did they get it down? The referee says no and that it was held up. Wells looks like he was lucky to escape punishment for his entry into the maul. I am not sure how legal he was there. The referee has sent it for a TMO review…
Big push from Stade and they win the penalty inside the Leicester 22. Will they opt for a kick at goal to bring them level or be aggressive and go for the corner? They need the win so they will go for the corner…
Stade feel they about to win a scrum penalty but the referee opts for a reset.
Stade get the maul going but Leicester are awarded a scrum after great work from Wells. That is now two Leicester substitutes who have made telling contributions inside their own 22.
Stade have a penalty just inside the Leicester half and they kick towards the corner. They have a line-out on the Leicester 22…
That is brilliant work from Ilione, who has only just come onto the pitch. He quickly gets away from the scrum and to the breakdown to win a penalty at the jackel.
Another coach-killer for Leicester like in the first half. They have just taken the lead and then knock on from the kick off on the edge of their 22…
From long distance Shillcock lands it and Leicester are back ahead.
Leicester win a penalty on halfway at the scrum. Shillcock will go for goal in an attempt to give Leicester the lead…
Leicester have made a few more changes as Vanes, Martin and Hatherall have been replaced by Theobald-Thomas, Wells and Ilione.
WHAT A TRY FROM BARRE! You will not see many better this season. From his own 22 he chips it over the on-rushing Leicester defence. He collects the ball, goes through a gap and goes through to score. It is an easy conversion in front of the posts to bring the game level.
WOW! Try of the weekend…? 😍A moment of magic from @SFParisRugby at the Stade Jean-Bouin. Léo Barré with the perfect kick chase try! 🤯#InvestecChampionsCup | #SFPvLEI pic.twitter.com/agJnRG8BnC
Leicester make a change at tighthead prop as Hurd replaces Heyes.
Stade are making a triple sub as Peyresblanques, Alo-Emile and van der Mescht all come onto the field.
Shillcock’s penalty is successful and Leicester extend their lead to seven points.
Big, big turnover from Kata. He gets over the ball really well and wins the penalty inside the Stade half. Shillcock points to the posts and this should be an easy three points from in front of the posts…
Stade stop the maul but Leicester keep going through the phases metres out from Stade’s line. Eventually it is hooker Vanes who goes over for his hat-trick. What a night for him. The conversion for Shillcock is an easy one and Leicester are back in the lead by 21-17.
Big mistake from Stade as they kick it out on the full. Leicester work it well out wide from the line-out and Brown makes the break down the left-hand touchline. Leicester go through the phases close to the line and are held up over the line. But the referee goes back for a penalty to Leicester. Shillcock goes for the corner and he does not miss it this time…
Leicester go through a number of phases but the referee comes back for a penalty to the visitors as Stade were offside. The penalty is in front of the posts but they will go for the corner. 
What a huge mistake from Shillcock though as he misses touch and it goes dead. That is a huge error.
Leicester have a penalty on the halfway line as Stade do not stay on their feet. They kick to the corner…
Play is stopped as Macalou is down receiving some medical attention. He is fine though to continue.
What a start to the second half for Stade! They get a rolling maul going towards the Leicester 22. Scrum-half Zabalza snipes down the blindside and Stade have a two-on-one. He feeds it out to winger Laloi who goes over for a try within two minutes of the start of the second half. The conversion is successful. Stade back into the lead.
One minute into the second half and @SFParisRugby are in 👌Charles Laloi shows too much speed on the outside and dives in for the try!#InvestecChampionsCup | #SFPvLEI pic.twitter.com/qtDavMeQHy
We are back under way in Paris. Will Leicester make it two wins from two or can Stade get their first win of the pool stages?
That is it for the first-half and Leicester lead 14-10 in Paris.
Vanes scores his second of the night. They win the line-out and get the maul going. Vanes gets himself over the line and Leicester will take a lead into the break. Shillcock’s conversion is a good one from near the touchline.
Archie Vanes rolls in for his second 💪@LeicesterTigers score just before half time to lead 14-10 at the break!Who do you think is winning it from here?#InvestecChampionsCup | #SFPvLEI pic.twitter.com/shpl2Liqsk
Leicester turn down a kick for goal and go to the corner…
Leicester are deep into Stade’s 22 deep into the red and they have a penalty. There is a stoppage in play due to an injury to Cronin.
It is a long way out and on an angle but Segonds gets it.
Kata concedes a penalty inside his own half and Stade will go for goal to take the lead for the first time tonight with just a few minutes to go in the first half.
But Leicester defend it really well and shove Stade into touch. Atkinson is now back on after his yellow card.
It looks like Laloi is going to score for Stade from a superb crossfield kick. But the bounce of the ball is not the kindest and Laloi has to check his stride. But Stade will have a line-out around five metres out from Leicester’s line…
Leicester are managing this sin-bin period really well. They have not conceded any points during this period and there is only a minute left.
Stade are penalised for obstruction and Leicester can clear their lines.
Stade go for the corner and they another penalty. There is concern for former Stade man and current Leicester captain Liebenberg, who is down receiving treatment but he is back on his feet. Stade to the corner again…
The referee adjudges that there was no head contact but it was an illegal act so Atkinson is sent to the bin. From all the replays we have seen that looks like the right call.
Yellow card for Atkinson 🟡@LeicesterTigers are down to 10 men in the first half after Charlie Atkinson is shown the yellow#InvestecChampionsCup | #SFPvLEI pic.twitter.com/D8rCJR9LI2
Hamdaoui chips the ball over Atkinson and the Leicester man makes unnecessary contact with the Stade winger. It looks like Atkinson could receive a card of some sort here.
This could be big trouble for Leicester full-back Atkinson. Time is off and a charge-down incident is being reviewed…
Stade score their first try of the night through Hirigoyen. They have yet another penalty advantage but this time they capitalise as Hirigoyen goes over. The conversion is successful and it is all square.
Stade win a penalty advantage at the scrum and after a number of phases Leicester intercept out wide so we go back for the scrum. Stade elect to scrum again. Worrying times for Leicester. Their front-row will be close to a warning and then a yellow card.
Stade have a penalty advantage for a no-arms tackle but cannot use it. They elect to go for the scrum five metres out in front of the posts.
That is a real coach-killer. Just after they score a try to make the perfect start, Leicester now concede a penalty and Stade go to the corner…
Leicester have the first try of the night. They win the line-out, set the maul going and it is hooker Vanes who burrows his way over. That decision to go for the corner vindicated. The conversion is successful. Leicester lead 7-0.
Leicester are awarded a penalty advantage at the scrum and they cannot take advantage of it so the referee goes back to the scrum penalty. Leicester turn down three points and go for the corner. The aggressive option…
This will present an early opportunity for Leicester as Stade knock on on the edge of their own 22.
The first scrum of the night will be Leicester’s as Stade knock on just outside the Leicester 22. How will the Leicester front-row cope? There is no Montoya or Cole in their front-row. It looks like Stade have the ascendancy but Leicester are awarded a penalty.
We are under way in Paris.
Both sides have emerged from the tunnel and kick-off is just moments away.
Stade Francais: Barre; Hamdaoui, Marchant, Jeremy Ward, Laloi, Segonds, Zabalza; Castets, Ivaldi, Alo-Emile, Gabrillagues, Pesenti, Macalou, Briatte, Hirigoyen.
Replacements: Peyresblanques, Alo-Emile, Kodela, Azagoh, Ahmed, Gimbert, Chapuis, Van der Mescht.
Leicester Tigers: Atkinson; Watson, Kelly, Kata, Brown; Shillcock, Whiteley; Cronin, Vanes, Heyes, Martin, Carter, Liebenberg, Rogerson, Hatherell.
Replacements: Theobald-Thomas, Whitcombe, Hurd, Wells, Ilione, Powell, Wilkinson, Cokanasiga.
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Welcome @LeicesterTigers 👋Welcome back Hanro 🙌#SFPvLEU pic.twitter.com/0zDgZtE0jr
Tigers fans turning the noise 🆙!#SFPvLEI 🏉 #COYT 🐯 pic.twitter.com/mQ0aC9PW1p
In the house 🏟️ #SFPvLEI 🏉 #COYT 🐯 pic.twitter.com/czt4g8F3E0
🆕👔Une entrée en @ChampionsCup_FR avec classe ✨🤝 @DanielHechter #SFPvLEI pic.twitter.com/CuXmCU8VS7
Leicester have been forced in to a few late changes as Ollie Hassell-Collins, who was set to start, and Harry Simmons have been ruled out due to injury. That has meant Charlie Atkinson has come in to start at 15, Mike Brown switches to the wing and Kieran Wilkinson and Phil Cokanasiga come onto the bench.
Leicester Tigers: Atkinson; Watson, Kelly, Kata, Brown; Shillcock, Whiteley; Cronin, Vanes, Heyes, Martin, Carter, Liebenberg, Rogerson, Hatherell.
Replacements: Theobald-Thomas, Whitcombe, Hurd, Wells, Ilione, Powell, Wilkinson, Cokanasiga.
Stade Francais: Barre; Hamdaoui, Marchant, Jeremy Ward, Laloi, Segonds, Zabalza; Castets, Ivaldi, Alo-Emile, Gabrillagues, Pesenti, Macalou, Briatte, Hirigoyen.
Replacements: Peyresblanques, Alo-Emile, Kodela, Azagoh, Ahmed, Gimbert, Chapuis, Van der Mescht.
Leicester number eight Jasper Wiese will leave Leicester at the end of the season. The World Cup-winning Springbok joined the club in 2020 and is set to move overseas, potentially to either Japan or France. Wiese has loved being a Tiger for the past few seasons.
“I’ve loved every minute of my time at the club and will continue to give my all for my team and my teammates.”
“This is a special place for me and my family, and we have a lot more memories to create this season.”
Leicester Tigers General Manager Richard Wilks has paid tribute to Wiese.
“We’re immensely proud of Jasper and the player and person he’s become at Leicester Tigers. Jasper joined us as a relatively unknown back rower from the Cheetahs and will leave us a 27-times-capped Springbok and a Rugby World Cup winner. This is testament to the hard work by Jasper but also the coaches and staff at Tigers who deserve huge credit.
“Jasper is a popular member of our group, and we’ll miss him at the club, but the nature of professional sport and our global game means players grow and seek new opportunities and he’ll leave us with our best wishes and he and his family will always be welcome at the club.
“Our squad is in a healthy place for beyond this season and our focus, and Jasper’s, is on making this a special year for Leicester Tigers.”
Leicester Tigers kicked off their Investec Champions Cup campaign with a 35-26 win last weekend against the Stormers. Stade Francais lost their opening game of the pool stages 28-5 away at Sale Sharks last Sunday.
Two games have already been played in pool four this weekend. In Cape Town the Stormers, who lost to Leicester in their opening match, beat the defending champions La Rochelle 21-20. The Stormers scored a try in the corner with a minute left and Manie Libbok stepped up to land a conversion from the touchline with the clock in the red to seal the victory. 
Meanwhile in Dublin Leinster beat Sale 37-27 to make it two wins from two and they currently top the group. Leicester have the opportunity this afternoon in Paris to leapfrog Leinster at the top of pool four.