2001 Heineken Cup Final
Encyclopedia
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 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.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
competition. The match was played on 19 May 2001 at the Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The match was contested by Stade Français of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. 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
Diego Dominguez
Diego Dominguez is a former Argentine rugby union fly-half who played for Argentina and Italy, winning 74 caps for the latter....
then put Stade three points ahead. Meanwhile, Leicester brought on replacement scrum-half Jamie Hamilton
Jamie Hamilton
Jamie Hamilton may refer to:*Jamie Hamilton , British book publisher, rower and Olympic medalist*Jamie Hamilton , Northern Irish motorcycle racer* Jamie Lee Hamilton , Canadian politician...
for starting fly-half Andy Goode
Andy Goode
Andrew James Goode is a rugby union footballer who plays fly-half for Worcester and England.-Career:...
, with starting scrum-half Austin Healey
Austin Healey
Austin Sean Healey is a former English rugby union player, who played as a utility back for Leicester Tigers, and has represented the England national rugby union team and the British Lions....
switching to fly-half. Glenn Gelderbloom was also brought on at outside centre, with Leon Lloyd
Leon Lloyd
Leon David Lloyd is a retired English rugby union footballer who played wing or outside centre for Leicester Tigers between 1997 and 2007, spending his final 2007/8 season at Gloucester....
switching from outside centre to wing.
Leicester won a penalty
Penalty (rugby union)
A penalty in rugby union is the main disciplinary sanction available to the referee to penalise a team who commit deliberate infringements. The team who did not commit the infringement are given possession of the ball and they may either kick it towards touch , attempt a place kick at goal, or tap...
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
Neil Back
Neil Antony Back is a former international rugby union footballer for England, who also played for Leicester Tigers, and captained both England and Leicester during his career....
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
Pat Howard
Patrick William Howard, usually known as Pat Howard or Paddy Howard is an ex-head coach at Leicester Tigers and a former Australian rugby union international who played centre or fly-half. He was educated at Queensland University.He was born in Sydney...
, another dummy scissors with outside centre Glenn Gelderbloom before the ball would be passed to the big full back Tim Stimpson
Tim Stimpson
Timothy Richard George Stimpson is a former rugby union international full back . During his career he played for Wakefield, West Hartlepool, Newcastle Falcons, Leicester Tigers, Perpignan, Leeds Tykes and Nottingham, England and the British Lions...
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 in the right hand corner.
Lloyd's second try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
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.