Leinster Rugby are bidding to be able to win a fourth European title while Stade Francais Paris hope it truly is fourth time lucky in their search for a first European crown. Joe Schmidt's Leinster - the 2009, 2011 and 2012 Heineken Cup champions - are targeting some sort of fourth European title in five seasons and they are contesting a third ERC final in successive seasons.
By distinction, Sergio Parisse and his team-mates suffered heartbreak within the 2011 tournament final in Cardiff when Harlequins edged them out 19-18. Of which followed the agony of a couple of Heineken Cup final defeats, 34-30 to Leicester Tigers with 2001 and 18-12 after more time to Toulouse in 2005.
Schmidt is going to take over the reins of the Irish national squad following the end of Leinster's season, consisting of European and domestic finals upon successive weekends, and would adore to leave after guiding Leo Cullen's squad into a rare European double.
So far 3 clubs - all English - have inked the Euro double, Northampton Saints joining Bath Rugby as well as London Wasps in winning both the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup.
Leinster are the sole survivors on the three Heineken Cup Pool runners-up who qualified for the knock-out stages of the Amlin Challenge Cup and have beaten 2 former tournament champions on their way to this Dublin showpiece contest.
London Wasps were beaten 48-28 with Adams Park with outside half Ian Madigan contributing 28 points, including one of their five tries, before 2012 champions Biarritz Olympique saw their hopes of defending the actual title and going a step closer to 2013 Heineken Cup qualification mesmerised.
Leinster turned on the style in the 44-16 RDS win that booked them a quick-fire resume their Dublin headquarters this Fri. There were five more tries - Amlin Man with the Match Jamie Heaslip - crossing twice to present them this shot at some sort of 4th European title.
Standing inside their way is a Stade Francais Paris squad desperate to produce that European breakthrough. They do Pool 5 doubles over London Welsh and I Cavalieri Prato, shedding their away tie at Grenoble, to succeed in the knock-out stages as party winners.
They showed their intent having a commanding 36-20 win at Bath Rugby, Waisea Vuidarvuwalu and Hugo Bonneval just about every crossing twice, to earn some sort of semi-final showdown at Perpignan. These people won that all-French tie 25-22, the boot of full returning Jerome Porical contributing 20 of these points, and will be banking upon him packing his kicking boots for the big one on Friday.
Rugby Match Details:
Competition: Amlin Challenge Cup Final 2013
Teams Name: Leinster Rugby vs Stade Francais Paris
Kick off: 20:00 local, 19:00 GMT
Date: Friday, May 17, 2013
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Venue: RDS Arena, Dublin, Ballsbridge, Ireland.
Live Streaming Link: Leinster vs Stade Francais Amlin Challenge Cup Final!
Leinster Rugby are classified as the only survivors from the three Heineken Cup pool runners-up who qualified for that knockout stage of the Amlin Challenge Cup. Stade Francais Paris will probably be playing in their second Amlin Challenge Cup final having lost to Harlequins (19-18) from the 2011 decider. Leinster will be appearing in a very first Amlin Challenge Cup final and since former Heineken Cup champions will probably be bidding to become the last club (after London Wasps, Bath Rugby and Northampton Saints) to help win both ERC tournaments.
Stade Francais Paris are certainly one of six French clubs to have played in the Amlin Challenge Cup final in addition to ASM Clermont Auvergne (2004 finalists in addition to 2007 winners), Pau (2005 finalists), Bourgoin (2009 finalists), Toulon (2010 finalists) in addition to Biarritz Olympique (2012 winners). Leinster are classified as the first Irish club to get an Amlin Challenge Cup final. The only other non-French or non-English clubs that are fitted with appeared in a tournament final are classified as the 2010 winners, Cardiff Blues, and Pontypridd who had been defeated by Sale Sharks inside 2002.
Just 4 of 16 Amlin Challenge Cup finals since 1997 haven't featured a French club. Regardless of regularly reaching finals, previous season's all-French Amlin Challenge Cup final produced the 1st French winner of the trophy (Biarritz Olympique) given that 2007 when ASM Clermont Auvergne conquer Bath Rugby. The tournament is guaranteed a whole new winner this season, and there were 12 different winners of your trophy since 1997.
Source:/ content: ercrugby.com, uk.eurosport.yahoo.com, image: hospitalitypartnership.ie
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