Stade stunned as Tigers roar back
Lock Louis Deacon and centre Dan Hipkiss scored tries during the final seven minutes to leave Tigers just one point away from reaching the last-eight.
Their final Pool Three game is away against Clermont Auvergne on Friday - Leicester coach Pat Howard’s former club - while Stade finish off against Paris visitors the Ospreys.
A losing bonus will be enough from Leicester’s trip to central France, yet for much of this Welford Road classic it looked as though the Tigers would be left fighting for Heineken Cup survival.
Stade appeared to have done enough when substitute Mirco Bergamasco claimed a second-half interception try, but Deacon and the Hipkiss - Leicester’s late match-winner against the Ospreys a week before Christmas - struck gold.
Andy Goode kicked 19 points for the home side, who trailed 22-12 after 63 minutes, while Stade centre David Skrela slotted three penalties and there were drop-goals from Juan Martin Hernandez and Ignacio Corleto.
Leicester boss Pat Howard hailed “a fabulous victory”, but warned that gaining a losing bonus point would not top Leicester’s agenda next week. He insisted his team would go flat out for victory against a side beaten only twice at home during their entire Heineken Cup history.
“There is an amazing amount of belief at the club, and the players showed great conviction. Stade are a quality team, one of the sides who are capable of winning the Heineken Cup.
“At 22-12 behind, I didn’t think the game was gone. We knew that 10 points was in our reach, and the players really believed in themselves.”
Leicester’s victory was not achieved without a price, though, as Howard confirmed an injury to Irish flanker Shane Jennings will keep him out of the Clermont clash, while wing Leon Lloyd is also struggling after going off because of a shoulder problem.
“It is very unfortunate that Lewis Moody (suspended) is not available for us at the moment,” added Howard.
“It is too short a turnaround between today and next Friday, and we will need to look at Leon’s shoulder as well. We will have to make some decisions.”
Hipkiss revealed the experience of seasoned internationals like Tigers captain Martin Corry and prop Graham Rowntree was crucial as Leicester set about retrieving what appeared to be a lost cause.
“At 22-15 behind, the crowd started to believe, as well as the players, and it was a fantastic atmosphere,” said Hipkiss.
“We were 10 points down with about 10 minutes to play, but we looked to people like Martin Corry and Graham Rowntree, and they thought we could come back.”
Meanwhile, Leeds Tykes’ Pool 2 match at Calvisano has been postponed again due to a frozen pitch.
The match was called off at the San Michele stadium on Saturday when Irish referee George Clancy deemed the surface unplayable but decided it could improve sufficiently within 24 hours. However, after a pitch inspection yesterday it was decided the game could not go ahead.
: Vesty, Lloyd, Smith, Hipkiss, Murphy, Goode, Healey, Rowntree, Chuter, White, L. Deacon, Kay, Johnson, Jennings, Corry.
: Varndell for Lloyd (35), Ellis for Healey (53), Cullen for L. Deacon (74).
: Corleto, Borges, Skrela, Martin Hernandez, Dominici, Penaud, Fillol, Marconnet, Szarzewski, De Villiers, Auradou, M. James, Parisse, Martin, Sowerby.
: M. Bergamasco for Borges (17), Marchois for M. James (80), Rabadan for Martin (80).
: A Lewis (Ireland).
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