Toulouse humble Stade
Toulouse set up a semi-final against holders Leinster after crushing French rivals Stade Francais.
Last Updated: 11/04/10 9:11pm
Toulouse set up a semi-final against holders Leinster after crushing French rivals Stade Francais.
Yannick Jauzion, Patricio Albacete and Cedric Heymans all scored tries as Guy Noves' men finally cut loose in the south of France.
But the three-time Heineken Cup champions were made to work hard in the opening period, after Rodrigo Roncero crossed for Stade.
However, the French giants rallied and the turning point came on the stroke of half-time when centre Jauzion burrowed over. Albacete and Heymans then struck late on to finally settle the clash between the Top 14 giants.
Toulouse had the opportunity to open the scoring in the eighth minute but Florian Fritz saw his penalty attempt from the halfway fall to the right of the posts.
And the home side were shocked early on when they fell behind at the end of a hard-fought opening quarter to a try from Stade skipper Roncero.
Scotland full-back Hugo Southwell was held up in the left corner but quick ball from half backs Noel Herman Oelschig and Lionel Beauxis found Roncero 10 metres out.
The Argentina prop brushed aside Toulouse number eight Louis Picamoles with ease to score under the posts.
Beauxis converted but the home side responded in the 25th minute when David Skrela slotted a close-range penalty.
Beauxis added his second successful kick at goal two minutes later to restore Stade's seven-point lead.
Telling blow
Skrela scored his second penalty before the hosts struck a telling blow on the stroke of half-time.
Jauzion squeezed under the tackle of Stade scrum-half Oelschig to touch down and Skrela added the extras to hand Toulouse a narrow 13-10 interval lead.
Beauxis and Skrela added six points each in the opening exchanges of the second half and Skrela missed the chance to add to the home side's lead, but they made no mistake on the hour mark.
The classy Jauzion, Byron Kelleher and Clement Poitrenaud combined to free Yoann Maestri on the left flank.
Kelleher was involved again as the attackers surged towards the line and Albacete crashed over.
Skrela converted and then added another penalty to allow the home supporters to start the celebrations.
Just to rule out any prospect of a Stade revival, replacement Simon Taylor was yellow-carded for killing the ball under the posts with nine minutes remaining.
Heymans touched down with a routine score in the left corner, while Skrela added the conversion and knocked over two more penalties to complete his 27-point tally.
Sky Bet - Heineken Cup - Toulouse to win 11/8
