Stade reach Euro final

ByPA Sport

Updated 29/04/2011 at 21:37 GMT

Stade Francais secured their place in the Amlin Challenge Cup final with a hard-fought 29-25 win over fellow French side Clermont Auvergne.

Stade Francais' scrum-half Julien Dupuy passes the ball during the European Challenge Cup semi final rugby union match Stade Francais vs. Clermont at the Charlety stadium in Paris

Image credit: AFP

Having led by nine points at half-time, Stade were given a late fright by Clermont who did everything bar peg their hosts back. Lionel Beauxis and Morgan Parra traded early penalties, before Clermont's George Pisi stole in for the first try.

Julien Arias then crossed for Stade and Beauxis nailed three penalties as they took a stranglehold on the match, before Brian Russell got Clermont back in it.

Guillaume Bousses then scored another Stade try that left Jamie Cudmore's late effort for Clermont too little, too late.

Challenge Cup