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Stade beat Bath into semis

French Top 14 strugglers Stade Francais kept alive their hopes of qualifying for next year's European Cup by brushing aside outclassed Bath 36-20 at The Rec on Saturday to reach the Challenge Cup semifinals.

Stade have suffered a miserable season and currently sit 10th in the Top 14 table with no hope of finishing in the top six and making the end of season play-offs.

However, the winners of the Challenge Cup qualify for the European Cup next season and Stade's victory maintains their hopes of salvaging something from a troubled campaign.

The result was never in doubt as Stade ran in four tries with Fiji wing Waisea Vuidravuwalu and French Sevens international Hugo Bonneval both scoring a brace.

South African scrumhalf Michael Claassens and Scottish fullback Jack Cuthbert went over for Bath.

The result meant three French teams will take their place in the last four while all three English participants in the quarterfinals were beaten at home.

Stade will now play away at Perpignan, impressive 30-19 winners over reigning French champions Toulouse on Friday, in the semifinals.

Deposed European champions Leinster are the only non-French side in the last four after the Irish province won 48-28 at Wasps, also on Friday.

They will host Biarritz in the final four after the Basques romped to a 41-31 success at Gloucester on Thursday.

The scorers:

For Bath:

Tries: Penalty, Claassens, Cuthbert

Con: Donald

Pen: Donald

For Stade Français:

Tries: Vuidravuwalu 2, Bonneval 2

Cons: Fillol 2

Pens: Plisson, Fillol, Porical

DG: Plisson

Yellow cards: Rabah Slimani (Stade Francais, 36), Scott Lavalla (Stade Francais, 46)

Teams:

Bath: 15 Ollie Devoto, 14 Nick Abendanon, 13 Horacio Agulla, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Tom Biggs, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Ben Skirving, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Simon Taylor, 5 Dominic Day, 4 Stuart Hooper (c), 3 David Wilson, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Paul James.

Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Nathan Catt, 18 Anthony Perenise, 19 Will Spencer, 20 Nick Koster, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Tom Heathcote, 23 Jack Cuthbert.

Stade Français: 15 Hugo Bonneval, 14 Waisea Vuidravuwalu, 13 Geoffrey Doumayrou, 12 Paul Williams, 11 Jérémy Sinzelle, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Jerome Fillol, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 David Lyons, 6 Pierre Rabadan, 5 Gerhard Mostert, 4 Scott Lavalla, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Aled De Malmanche, 1 Stan Wright.

Replacements: 16 Remi Bonfils, 17 Jérémy Becasseau, 18 Zurabi Zhvania, 19 Anton van Zyl, 20 Antoine Burban, 21 Julien Dupuy, 22 Julien Arias, 23 Paul Warwick.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Assistant referees: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland), Ian Davies (Wales)

AFP

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