English champions Leicester booked a Heineken Cup final appointment with
French giants Stade Francais in Paris next month after ending Gloucester's brave
European challenge at Vicarage Road.
Tim Stimpson inspired Tigers' nerve-racking semi-final success, kicking 14
points and creating a superb first-half try for centre Leon Lloyd.
But Leicester, who won the Premiership title in runaway fashion, were given a
major fright as Gloucester fought for every scrap of possession and territory.
The Tigers had their captain, England skipper Martin Johnson, sin-binned
following a 53rd-minute dust-up with Gloucester number eight Junior Paramore,
who was also yellow-carded, and then survived a torrid spell of Gloucester
pressure in injury time.
Gloucester managed to steal lineout ball on a Leicester throw just five metres
from the Tigers' line, but they could not capitalise and scrum-half Austin
Healey's 40-metre clearance to touch proved significant.
Gloucester, whose build-up had been overshadowed by speculation surrounding
the Kingsholm futures of star players like Jason Little and Ian Jones, relished
their underdog status.
Both Little and Jones, southern hemisphere giants of the game, produced
block-busting displays, yet in the end, five Simon Mannix penalties proved
agonisingly insufficient.
Leicester dug deep into their seemingly limitless resources of spirit and
commitment to prevail, securing a victory which keeps alive their bid for an
unprecedented trophy treble of Heineken Cup, Premiership title and domestic
play-off glory.
Leicester will be hell-bent on erasing memories of their previous Heineken Cup
final appearance when they were out-classed by French club Brive in Cardiff four
years ago, losing 28-9.
But even though Stade will effectively be on home soil in four weeks' time,
Leicester possess sufficient experience and match-winning pedigree to bring home
the silverware.
Gloucester, in their debut season of top-level European rugby, gave their
travelling army of supporters plenty to shout about in a five-figure crowd.
They looked to be down and out at half-time, trailing 16-9. They took the
second half spoils 6-3, yet just lacked vital poise and purpose when in sight of
the Leicester line.
Gloucester announced their intentions almost from the kick-off when Jones
secured a lineout ball and sparked a 15-metre forward rush that had the
Leicester pack back-pedalling.
Mannix kicked a resulting penalty when Leicester infringed, and although two
Stimpson strikes edged the Tigers ahead, Mannix hauled Gloucester level through
a 48-metre goal on 17 minutes.
The solitary try of a fast and furious semi-final arrived midway through the
first period, and there was a hint of controversy about it.
French referee Joel Dume appeared to notice Leicester prop Graham Rowntree's
knock on, and initially let play go on as Gloucester sought an advantage.
But when that did not materialise, he failed to blow his whistle, and Stimpson
set off on a weaving run from 10 metres inside his own half.
With the Gloucester defence suddenly stretched in all directions, Stimpson
chose exactly the right moment to cut back inside and the supporting Lloyd took
his scoring pass to touch down between the posts.
Stimpson's conversion gave Gloucester plenty to think about, yet they stayed
in contention through Mannix's boot, whose fourth penalty just after the break
made it 16-12.
Leicester grew visibly frustrated at their failure to keep Gloucester's
marauding players at bay, and that frustration boiled over midway though the
third quarter.
Paramore appeared to push Johnson in the back, and then both players fell to
the ground in a flailing heap of swinging arms and legs.
After consulting with his touch judge, Dume brandished the yellow card to both
players, but while Johnson was off kicking his heels, Stimpson landed another
penalty to restore a seven-point advantage.
Livewire Paramore then ludicrously became involved in another brawl just
seconds after he returned to the action following his 10-minute cooling-down
period.
Leicester's substitute hooker Richard Cockerill traded blows with the Samoan,
but no action was taken against either player when Dume would have been totally
justified in showing them red cards.
The closing minutes belonged to Gloucester as they went in search of a famous
triumph, but Leicester just about did enough to secure their expected victory
and march on towards Paris.
Gloucester, though, deserved their share of the plaudits, coach Philippe
Saint-Andre somehow managing to orchestrate a memorable team performance despite
off-field problems of transfer talk and unsettled players.
Teams:
Leicester: Murphy, Stanley, Lloyd,
Howard, Stimpson, Goode,
Healey, Rowntree, West, Garforth, M. Johnson, Kay, W. Johnson,Back, Corry.
Not Used: Hamilton, Gelderbloom, Gustard, Moody, Nebbett,Cockerill, Freshwater.
Sin Bin: M. Johnson (54).
Tries: Lloyd.
Cons: Stimpson.
Pens: Stimpson 4.
Gloucester: Hayward, Greenslade-Jones, Fanolua, Little,
Simpson-Daniel, Mannix, Gomarsall, Deacon, Azam, Vickery,
Fidler, I. Jones, Boer, K. Jones, Paramore.
Not Used: Moncrieff, Yates, Cox, Hazell, Fortey, Ojomoh,M. Cornwell.
Sin Bin: Paramore (54).
Pens: Mannix 5.
Att: 15,000
Ref: Joel Dume (France).
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