The 2001 Heineken Cup Final was the final match of the 2000–01 Heineken Cup, the sixth season of Europe's top club rugby union competition. The match was played on 19 May 2001 at the Parc des Princes in Paris. The match was contested by Stade Français of France and Leicester Tigers of England. Leicester Tigers won the match 34–30.
Going into the final stages of the game, the scores were level at 27–27. A drop goal from Diego Domínguez then put Stade three points ahead. Meanwhile, Leicester brought on replacement scrum-half Jamie Hamilton for starting fly-half Andy Goode, with starting scrum-half Austin Healey switching to fly-half. Glenn Gelderbloom was also brought on at outside centre, with Leon Lloyd switching from outside centre to wing.
Leicester won a penalty just inside their own half and kicked to the left-hand touchline. The resulting line-out throw was too high and but it was cleaned up by Neil Back at the back of the line. Back passed the ball to out to Healey, though the pass forced Healey to check his run to gather the ball. With the two sets of opposing backs 20 metres apart for the line-out, the Tigers backs executed a pre-called backs move. Healey would dummy scissors with inside centre Pat Howard, another dummy scissors with outside centre Glenn Gelderbloom before the ball would be passed to the big full back Tim Stimpson who would take the ball into contact. Howard drew Domínguez and Gelderbloom drew the Stade inside centre, but the Stade outside centre who had only been on the field a few minutes, drifted onto Stimpson. Healey broke the Stade defensive line through the gap, before drawing the full back and putting Leon Lloyd in the right hand corner.
Lloyd's second try of the game gave Leicester a two-point lead, with the conversion to come. If Stimpson missed, another goal would give Stade the lead. If he scored the conversion, however, Stade would need a try. The kick from the right-hand touchline was from the most difficult position on the field for a right-footed kicker. Stimpson however hit the conversion straight between the posts, and Leicester were able to hang on to their lead for victory.
Match details
FB 15 Christophe DominiciRW 14 Thomas LombardOC 13 Franck CombaIC 12 Cliff MyttonLW 11 Arthur GomesFH 10 Diego DomínguezSH 9 Morgan WilliamsN8 8 Christophe JuilletOF 7 Richard Pool-JonesBF 6 Christophe MoniRL 5 Mike JamesLL 4 David AuradouTP 3 Pieter de Villiers HK 2 Fabrice Landreau LP 1 Sylvain MarconnetReplacements:OC 16 David Venditti FL 17 Patrick TabaccoHK 18 Mathieu BlinN8 19 Pablo LemoineLK 20 Darren GeorgeLP 21 Julien BertheSH 22 Christophe LaussucqCoach: John Connolly FB 15 Tim StimpsonRW 14 Geordan Murphy OC 13 Leon LloydIC 12 Pat HowardLW 11 Winston StanleyFH 10 Andy Goode SH 9 Austin HealeyN8 8 Will Johnson OF 7 Neil BackBF 6 Martin CorryRL 5 Ben KayLL 4 Martin Johnson (c) TP 3 Darren GarforthHK 2 Dorian WestLP 1 Graham RowntreeReplacements:OC 16 Glenn Gelderbloom SH 17 Jamie Hamilton HK 18 Richard CockerillLP 19 Perry FreshwaterTP 20 Ricky NebbettN8 21 Paul Gustard FL 22 Lewis MoodyCoach: Dean Richards
See also 2000–01 Heineken Cup
References