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Bizarre two-ball ending to Leicester's 'game to remember' in Paris

Confusion as two balls suddenly appear in the dying stages of the Champions Cup in Paris

Leicester Tigers made it two from two in Europe in the Investec Champions Cup as they held on for a dramatic 27-24 pool 4 win over Stade Francais at the Stade Jean Boiun in Paris on Sunday night.

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Archie Vanes, in his first Champions Cup start, picked up a hat-trick before home full-back Leo Barre scored one of the individual tries of the season, but it was the visitors that held on late under immense pressure from the home side.

A pin-point cross-kick with time practically up should have snatched a late win for Stade Francais, but replacement winger Lester Etien failed to collect the sitter out wide with the try line in front begging.

There was a twist though, as Mike Brown was adjudged to have knocked the ball on deliberately in the lead up to the kick, earning him a yellow card and another chance for Stade Francais from the penalty.

Rather than settle for a 27-27 draw, they opted to kick for the corner, but the kick went high up in the stands and while the resultant lineout took place, sideline staff could be seen trying to retrieve the ball from the crowd.

With time up and Leicester a man down, the lineout evolved into a fiercely competitive maul, just as the ball finally got tossed down from the stands and awkwardly bounced onto the field, directly into the maul.

The result was a comical situation that meant there were two balls on the field, and with Tigers players so focussed on defence, they pounced when a ball suddenly became visible.

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The Leicester players thought the game should be over, as they now had the ball, but referee Nika Amashukeli had to step in once again, awarding a scrum and stopping the game to explain to the players exactly what had just happened.

“We’ve got two balls on the field. Somebody’s thrown the ball in, so we can’t end up like this,” the Georgian explained.

“There’s two balls on the pitch, it’s quite a unique situation now, so we need to restart with a scrum. It’s not fair to end up like this.”

Hanro Liebenburg protested that it was “their [Stade Francais] guys that threw the ball on…”, suggesting that it’s possibly their fault, but the referee stuck to his guns.

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“I can’t do anything. It’s a unique situation,” repeated Amashukeli.

The Tigers hung on, withstanding even more pressure before eventually getting a Harry Wells turnover with the clock deep into added time.

“It was a Leicester Tigers performance, full of fight and commitment to your mate beside you. That’s what the club’s always been built on,” head coach Dan McKellar said.

“We came here with a plan and belief that we could win if we stuck to it, and we did that.

“It’s a game I will remember for as long as I live. Winning in that fashion, away from home in tough place to come it’s special.”

Leicester will travel to Exeter when they return to Gallagher Premiership action next weekend, before hosting Bath Rugby on New Year’s Eve at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

“These are the memories you take with you and we’re building momentum now. Exeter away will be a big game and then a massive fixture at home against Bath.”

Investec Champions Cup

Pool 1
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Bordeaux
2
2
0
0
10
2
Lyon
2
1
1
0
7
3
Bulls
2
1
1
0
5
4
Saracens
2
1
1
0
5
5
Bristol
2
1
1
0
5
6
Connacht
2
0
2
0
1
Pool 2
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Toulouse
2
2
0
0
10
2
Bath
2
2
0
0
10
3
Ulster
2
1
1
0
5
4
Harlequins
2
1
1
0
5
5
Racing 92
2
0
2
0
2
6
Cardiff Rugby
2
0
2
0
2
Pool 3
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Northampton
2
2
0
0
9
2
Exeter Chiefs
2
2
0
0
9
3
Glasgow
2
1
1
0
4
4
Bayonne
2
0
1
1
3
5
Munster
2
0
1
1
3
6
Toulon
2
0
2
0
2
Pool 4
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Leinster
2
2
0
0
9
2
Leicester
2
2
0
0
9
3
Sale
2
1
1
0
4
4
Stormers
2
1
1
0
4
5
La Rochelle
2
0
2
0
2
6
Stade Francais
2
0
2
0
1
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R
RedWarrior 21 minutes ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

1 Go to comments
G
GS 1 hour ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The key is realising this AB side is not what they are now but what they will be in 2025/26.


You can already see a Power bench forming, and I would highlight that people watch the AB XV game vs Munster and watch Fabian Holland - he, in the next 24 months, will be WC and bring some huge physicality to the team.


Then, aligned with Peter Lakai, probably at 7, another WC talent, the AB pack by 2026 will probably both be starting and on the bench - be rated as No 1 or 2 packs in the world.


Then, there is the usual WC talent around the backline, and the missing link is Mo'unga. Unlike in last year's WC, the coming forward pack for the ABs, is similar to the Bok pack, It will be packed full of power, and the key to this is a realitively young pack.


So I think we will lose to Ireland and France in the coming weeks, but watch out as this pack builds into - I mean, look at the tight five and loose forwards that are coming for the ABs - De Groot, Lomax, Williams, Tosi, Taylor, Ofa T, Samson T, Aumua, Patrick T, Barrett, Vai, Fabian H, Setiti, Lakai, Savea, Frizzell (understand they are attempting to get him and Mo'unga back), Blackadder, Papalii and bar Barrett, Savea, Patrick T, Taylor - pretty young in international terms.


Huge front row starting and on bench, Power locks and usual class in loose forwards - only missing ingredient is a WC 10 and with Mo'unga back probably in 2026, these ABs are trending in a very healthy direction.

89 Go to comments
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