Stade secures play-off spot
The Parisians ran in five tries to Leicester's three in a 36-21 victory that will likely see them face a trip to the Tigers in the last eight.
The victory means no Irish province has reached the quarter-finals for the first time since the 1997/98 season. Munster were eliminated two weeks ago when losing at Stade while Leinster had already bitten the dust before the turn of the year.
Tries from flyhalf Jules Plisson, Fijian wing Waisea Nayacalevu and prop Rabah Slimani before half-time had Stade in control leading 19-7. Back row forward Raphael Lakafia scored the crucial fourth try on 54 minutes while South African flyhalf Morne Steyn rounded off the tries in the final minute.
Leicester were first on the scoreboard through centre Manu Tuilagi but Stade already had their bonus point before lock Dominic Barrow and hooker Harry Thacker crossed the whitewash. Leicester had already won Pool Four but could have challenged Saracens for the top seeding with a bonus point victory.
Freddie Burns converted the Tuilagi try and the Tigers were great value for their lead having totally dominated the opening 20 minutes. But then the momentum shifted as Stade tightened their discipline and began to get their off-loading game going. Waisea Vuidarvuwalu crossed in the left corner on the overlap for the first try and then Jules Plisson dummied his way over for the second.
Slimani powered his way over for the third home try and Pisson's boot made it 19-7 at the break. The outside half converted the Lakafia score that brought up the bonus-point, but the Tiers then regrouped and hit back.
Dom Barrow used all of his frame to touch down at full arms length for a try at the posts and there could have been another, had the TMO not called up Sam Harrison's inside pass as forward. There was a third try from replacement hooker Harry Thacker to close the gap to eight points, but an interception score from replacement centre Geoffrey Doumayrou gave the French side a final flourish.
Scorers:
For Stade Français:
Tries: Plisson, Vuidarvuwalu, Slimani, Lakafia, Doumayrou
Cons: Plisson 4
Pen: Plisson
For Leicester Tigers:
Tries: Tuilagi, Barrow, Thacker
Cons: Burns, Bell 2
Yellow card: Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 52)
Teams:
Stade Français: 15 Hugo Bonneval, 14 Jérémy Sinzelle, 13 Waisea Vuidarvuwalu, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Djibril Camara, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Julien Dupuy, 8 Sergio Parisse (captain) 7 Raphael Lakafia, 6 Jonathan Ross, 5 Paul Gabrillagues, 4 Hugh Pyle, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Laurent Sempéré, 1 Zak Taulafo.
Replacements: 16 Laurent Panis, 17 Emmanuel Felsina, 18 Paul Alo Emile, 19 Pascal Papé, 20 Antoine Burban, 21 Julien Tomas, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Geoffrey Doumayrou.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Matthew Tait, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Matt Smith, 11 Telusa Veainu, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Lachlan McCaffrey, 7 Tom Croft, 6 Michael Fitzgerald, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Dom Barrow, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Logovii Mulipola, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Sebastian De Chaves, 20 Laurence Pearce, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Thomas Bell, 23 Peter Betham.
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
