Home comforts help Stade seize initiative

STADE FRANCAIS seized the initiative in Heineken Cup Pool Four with victory over Ulster at Stade Jean Bouin.

The contest had been scheduled to take place in Brussels on Saturday but snow forced the postponement and the fixture was switched to Stade’s Paris home.

The hosts thrived on home turf as Dimitri Szarzewski and Benjamin Kayser rounded off forward efforts with tries and France fly-half Lionel Beauxis was unerringly accurate with the boot – kicking 19 points, seven from seven attempts – to put Stade clear of Ulster and Edinburgh at the top of the standings.