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Wednesday April 24, 2024

Stade Francais out of Challenge Cup

By AFP
April 01, 2018

PARIS: Stade Francais’ miserable season continued Friday when fellow French side Pau ended the defence of their European Challenge Cup title with a tight 35-32 quarter-final victory. Paris giants Stade, struggling to stave off relegation in the Top 14, squandered a golden opportunity to make the semi-finals when star kicker Jules Plisson missed a penalty as well as a conversion in the last five minutes. Brive, second from bottom of the Top 14, were also eliminated, going down 25-10 at Newcastle for whom winger Alex Tait crossed for two tries in the last 20 minutes. Saturday’s other quarter-finals see Connacht host Gloucester while Edinburgh welcome Cardiff.