David Skrela orchestrated an unprecedented fourth European Cup title for Toulouse after overseeing his club's 21-19 victory over Biarritz at the Stade de France last night. The outside-half kicked three penalties and two drop-goals, and masterminded Toulouse's mean midfield defence and probing flat-ball attacks. Florian Fritz also scored a long-range penalty and a drop-goal for Toulouse, while Dimitri Yachvili, the scrum-half, kicked four penalties for Biarritz, for whom Karmichael Hunt scored a late try converted by Valentin Courrent.
Biarritz, who failed to even make it to France's domestic Top 14 play-offs so patchy has their domestic form been, looked leaden-footed for much of the match. And it was only in the closing quarter when they brought the likes of Hunt and Takudzwa Ngwenya, the American winger, into action that they looked like scoring as Toulouse proved to be a class apart in the end. The game opened at an electric pace, Toulouse almost scoring after a Skrela pass found Thierry Dusautoir, his captain, in space.
Yachvili kicked two early penalties and, after a Skrela miss, Fritz opened Toulouse's account in the 22nd minute with a 55-metre penalty after Imanol Harinordoquy was penalised for a high tackle on Vincent Clerc. Yachvili kicked a third penalty after Fritz took out Iain Balshaw, but Skrela responded with the same after the Biarritz scrum folded. Toulouse continued to ramp up the pressure and force mistakes from Biarritz, and Skrela kicked his second penalty and Fritz added a drop-goal just before half-time to put them ahead. Toulouse were briefly on the back foot in the second period as Patricio Albacete, the Argentine lock, was sin-binned for a deliberate foul, and Yachvili levelled the scores at 12-12 with a penalty. But despite their numerical disadvantage Toulouse did not miss a step as two drop-goals from Skrela and a penalty stretched their lead to nine points.
Though Hunt crashed over for a late converted try at the death, it was not enough to deny Toulouse their historic triumph. Meanwhile in the Super 14 play-off semi-finals, the Pretoria Bulls, the defending champions, booked their place in the final with a 39-24 victory over the Canterbury Crusaders. Both sides scored three tries but the kicking of Morne Steyn, the Bulls fly-half, who contributed 24 points for the hosts, proved the difference.
The South African side never looked like losing control of the game from the moment Pierre Spies's try gave them a third-minute lead. Steyn added the conversation to put the Crusaders on the back foot. The No 10 slotted over a penalty as the Bulls moved 10-0 in front, but Richie McCaw, the Crusaders captain, dragged the visitors back into the game with a try, converted by Dan Carter. Within three minutes, though, the Bulls had their second try, Zane Kirchner kicking ahead to touch down. Steyn added the conversion and another penalty to put the home side 20-7 in front after 19 minutes.
Sean Maitland's converted try got the Crusaders to within six points of the Bulls, but a third try for the Bulls from Fourie du Preez, the scrum-half, just after the hour mark all but sealed the victory. Sam Whitlock's last-minute try for the Crusaders proved to be nothing more than a consolation. * Compiled by Graham Caygill, with agencies