Cardiff 9 Toulouse 6: Ben Blair booted Cardiff Blues into the Heineken Cup semi-finals - and ended French interest in this season's competition. Blair's penalty hat-trick secured a last-four clash against previous tournament winners Leicester or Bath early next month.
And it means there will be no French semi-final representation for only a second time in the Heineken Cup’s 14-year history.
The Blues, transformed from a team smashed 41-17 by Toulouse at the same quarter-final stage last term, deserved their victory.
They kept their composure throughout a tryless, but gripping, encounter, inspired by towering performances from skipper Paul Tito, flanker Martyn Williams and prop Gethin Jenkins.
Former All Blacks fullback Blair decided it though, slotting three penalties from five attempts, while Frederic Michalak and David Skrela kicked a penalty apiece for Toulouse.
Toulouse, beaten by Munster in last season’s Millennium Stadium final, threw everything at Cardiff as the clock ticked down. But their stunning array of Test match talent drew a blank against a Blues outfit that collectively tackled itself to a virtual standstill.
And it proved a memorable day for Blues head coach, the former Wales and Lions prop David Young, who has masterminded his team’s emergence from consistent under-achievers to serious European title contenders.
