Stade Francais steal it

Bath 27 Stade Francais 29

Julien Dupuy returned to ruin Bath’s Heineken Cup ambitions for a second successive season as Stade Francais stole a dramatic Recreation Ground victory.

The scrum-half’s seventh penalty a minute from time condemned Bath to their second successive Pool Four defeat.

No team has ever reached the quarter-finals after losing their opening two group games, but that is the colossal challenge now facing Bath.

Dupuy’s late try for Leicester last term sent Bath crashing out at the quarter-final stage, and he again ruthlessly punished them.

Home wing Matt Banahan had earlier run riot, the 6ft 7in England wing repeatedly blasting through Stade’s defence.

His line-breaking prowess from broken field play was showcased spectacularly as he warmed up for England’s autumn Test series that starts against Australia on November 7.

A second-half yellow card looked as though it would not spoil Banahan’s afternoon, given that Bath had already capitalised on his dynamic contribution through tries for fly-half Nicky Little and centre Matt Carraro.

Little also booted one conversion and five penalties for a 22-point haul, yet Bath were forced to desperately hang on before Stade substitute and England sevens star Ollie Phillips touched down after 76 minutes.

Dupuy then required only one more opportunity to nail the win and it duly arrived in the closing seconds of a gripping encounter.

Bath went into battle without two key forwards, who were casualties for totally different reasons of last week’s defeat against Ulster in Belfast.

England and Lions hooker Lee Mears was absent with a knee injury that is set to sideline him for until December, while flanker Andy Beattie has started a three-week ban following his red card for stamping at Ravenhill.

Pieter Dixon and Jonny Faamatuainu deputised in the front and back row respectively, and Stade’s first visit to Bath saw them field England international imports Tom Palmer and James Haskell up front.

Dixon was immediately in the wars, needing treatment for a cut mouth as Stade shunned a kickable penalty, such was their intention to make a statement.

A mammoth Lionel Beauxis drop goal gave Stade the lead and although Little landed a short-range penalty equaliser, Dupuy’s opening penalty made it 6-3.

Bath grew into the game, gaining momentum through Banahan’s powerful running which often meant three Stade defenders being required to haul him down.

The result was a 12-point burst in four minutes, started by Little’s swivel out of a tackle that saw him touch down, and finished when he converted an outstanding Carraro score.

Banahan embarked on a fourth juggernaut run at the heart of Stade’s defence, then drew two players towards him before rifling out a bullet pass to an unmarked Carraro.

Bath retained a nine-point lead after Little and Dupuy exchanged further penalties.

Little’s third successful penalty soon extended the advantage to 12, and although Dupuy completed his penalty hat-trick, Bath were good value for a 21-12 interval scoreline.

Another Little penalty saw Stade drift 12 points behind again and they faced a testing period when lock Pascal Pape was sin-binned by Irish referee George Clancy for kicking the ball out of Bath skipper Michael Claassens’ hands.

Bath desperately wanted to cash in but Dupuy’s fourth penalty meant Stade retained an outside chance, despite losing dangerous wing Julien Arias to a rib injury.

As Pape prepared to return, Banahan was harshly yellow-carded for what Clancy perceived to be a dangerous tackle on Mirco Bergamasco.

Dupuy kicked the resulting penalty but Little’s fifth penalty followed blatant obstruction by Haskell and Bath stormed upfield in pursuit of a game-clinching try.

But Phillips turned the match on its head by producing a devastating finish four minutes from time, setting the stage for Dupuy’s killer strike.