As an Everton fan, Austin Healey could have done without the headline in yesterday's L'Equipe seeking to put Leicester's treble achievement in perspective. With so many trophies safely gathered in, Healey will have to live with a few more "Le Liverpool du rugby" comparisons but Saturday's game, above all else, was a special triumph for a unique set of players.
Lifting the Heineken Cup was a feat in itself; the manner in which Leicester did so was unforgettable. It is hard to stress just how many obstacles the Tigers overcame, from a seething stadium full of Parisian believers to a Stade pack who, at times, threatened to bury their guests.
At 21-14 down and under suffocating pressure following the sinbinning of their captain Martin Johnson, the game looked all but up; 20 minutes later, Stade had been ripped apart by three tries to nil and most of the midlands was deleriously en fete.
Dean Richards, having leapt higher on witnessing Leon Lloyd's second try than he ever managed as a player, gave a galloping piggyback to Neil Back and the entire squad, water-carriers and all, sank into each others' arms to share the communal pride. "I don't think at any stage we doubted one another and that total trust is the secret to our success," said Healey. "Deano makes the players play for Leicester and each other, not for a pay packet."
Whatever the underlying forces involved, Stade will forever view this as the one that got away. One minute they were winning the allimportant territorial battle, the next the cornered Tigers had inflicted mortal wounds following a turnover deep in Leicester territory.
Pat Howard's lovely pass freed Lloyd and the centre displayed sufficient pace to worry even Christophe Dominici. The full back did get his man eventually, hauling him down fractionally late, but when Healey took the resultant quick tap from five metres out Back swiftly plunged over. Two extra points from Stimpson and, at 21-21, it was Stade who suddenly had cause to worry.
Richard Pool-Jones's trip on Stimpson soon yielded another three points, yet by the 78th minute the scores were level again at 27-27. In such circumstances, Diego Dominguez can make a cucumber look agitated and his calm drop-goal from 30 metres appeared almost certain to be the final dagger.
But a bouncing lineout ball Leicester's way and Healey carved a wonderful jagged line past David Venditti before cramp slowed his advance. Lloyd, alert to the possibilities, still had plenty to do but finished the move spectacularly in the same right-hand corner to leave Stimpson with the mother of all touchline conversions. A miss and the lethal Dominguez could still have sneaked it with another penalty or drop; instead, Stimpson found the sweet spot yet again to leave Stade sifting through their broken dreams.
Howard and Geordan Murphy also deserve recognition for their kick-and-catch routine which led to Lloyd's first try just 43 seconds into the second-half but, having switched to outhalf for the closing moments, it was Healey who ultimately seized the day more firmly than anyone.
Healey was stuffed with painkillers to ease the pain of a strained right knee which left him unable to jog on Thursday. "I had it in the back of my mind that if I played and someone hit me I wouldn't be able to go on the Lions tour but I owe Leicester more than they owe me. I had to play."
Scorers: Stade Francais: Penalties: Dominguez 9. Drop-goal: Dominguez. Leicester: Tries: Lloyd 2, Back. Conversions: Stimpson 2. Penalties: Stimpson 5.
STADE FRANCAIS: Dominici; Lombard, Comba, Mytton (Venditti, 76min), Gomes; Dominguez, Williams; Marconnet, Landreau, De Villiers, Auradou, James, Moni (Tabacco, 66), PoolJones, Juillet (capt).
LEICESTER: Stimpson; Murphy (Gelderbloom, 76), Lloyd, Howard, Stanley; Goode (Hamilton, 72), Healey; Rowntree, West, Garforth, M Johnson (capt), Kay, Corry, Back, W Johnson (Gustard, 36).
Referee: D McHugh (Ireland).
