Rugby: Edinburgh teach Tykes a lesson

Leeds 0 Edinburgh 23

Two dramatic interception tries smashed the Tykes' dream of progressing and paved the way for a section showdown with champions Toulouse in France a week on Saturday.

Gunners set the tone from the start, surging into attack and forcing the Tykes back into their 22 with a series of telling raids, and it was no surprise when the visitors edged in front with a Brendan Laney penalty.

Then just as Leeds began to look threatening, Edinburgh got the big break. The alert Simon Taylor pounced to snatch Tim Walsh's floated pass and cleverly released wing Simon Webster.

With the Leeds backline committed, Webster was uncatchable as he gleefully glided 70 metres to touch down, setting up a simple conversion for Laney.

It was no shock when Leeds reappeared for the restart with Scotland ace Gordon Ross at stand-off in place of the jittery Walsh. Ross and his team-mates knew they needed quick points to stay in the contest, but they were rocked by another double blow.

Laney banged over an opportunist drop-goal from 30 metres and Marcus Di Rollo then snapped up the second interception score.

This time it was Dan Hyde's speculative inside pass that was ripe for the picking and Di Rollo's stroll provided Laney with another kicking formality.

The plight of the Tykes grew even deeper when Hyde was yellow-carded for an off-the-ball incident. Edinburgh continued to run the show, but they had to rely on a second Laney penalty to rule out any chance of a home fightback.

Stade Francais put their Heineken Cup campaign back on track with a decisive 37-0 victory over Gwent Dragons at the Parc Jean Bouin.

The Paris club had been shocked by the new Welsh region in Newport last week but hit back in emphatic form to expose the Dragons' weaknesses.

Diego Dominguez converted two early shots at goal, but missed a third as the penalty count rocketed against the under-pressure Welsh side.

And it was not long before he converted the game's first try after Christophe Dominici's delightful one-handed pass released full-back Ignacio Corleto to score on 26 minutes for a 13-0 lead.

Last week's confrontation at Rodney Parade, won 20-12 by the Dragons, was marred by several outbreaks of violence which saw Stade prop Pablo Lemoine sent off, and three more shown the yellow card.

And after little more than half an hour, both sets of forwards resumed relations with Gwent flanker Jason Forster sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle on Brian Liebenburg.

Dominguez nudged the subsequent penalty into the corner from which Stade's pack used their numerical advantage to drive over from close range, number eight Pierre Rabadan getting the touchdown after 33 minutes.

And Gwent's misfortune worsened when Stade scored an almost identical try a minute before the break, this time hooker Mathieu Blin heading the drive over the line. Dominguez's conversion left the Dragons facing an uphill task.

Matters did not get any easier for Gwent after the break as Stade took only four minutes to secure a bonus point with a fourth try.

Corleto was once again the instigator with a bursting run which was followed up by Dominguez before the ball was spread wide for Dominici to stroll over in the corner. Then the Dragons were again reduced to 14 men when centre Hal Luscombe was sin-binned for involvement in a fracas.

Meanwhile, Lawrence Dallaglio is the clear favourite to captain England in their 2004 Six Nations Championship campaign following Martin Johnson's retirement.

The Wasps back-row forward, who has won 65 caps, last led his country more than four years ago.

Dallaglio, England boss Sir Clive Woodward's first skipper when he took over the coaching reins in 1997, stepped down as captain after 14 games in charge following newspaper allegations about his private life that he vehemently denied.

Johnson believes Woodward is spoilt for choice over the eventual appointment of his successor.

"Matt Dawson, Neil Back, Richard Hill can do it. Lawrence (Dallaglio) would be a great captain. It's a great squad they want to win for each other," Johnson said.