Archie Vanes scores hat-trick as Leicester edge out Stade Francais
Archie Vanes crossed for a hat-trick as Leicester withstood late pressure from Stade Francais to seal a battling 27-24 victory at Stade Francais in the Investec Champions Cup.
The win, which came via a 66th-minute penalty from Jamie Shillcock, helped the Tigers extend their unbeaten record in Pool Four of the competition.
Shillcock finished with 12 points with the boot, while the Paris side’s tries came from Mathieu Hirigoyen, Charles Laloi and Leo Barre.
Leicester had fashioned a 14-7 advantage at half-time through Vane’s first two tries which were both converted by Shillcock.
And that lead was cut, despite the visitors’ temporary reduction to 14 men due a yellow card for Charlie Atkinson.
The hosts seized the momentum at the start of the second half, with Laloi crossing in the corner within one minute of the restart.
Vanes’ third try of the night helped Leicester hold their nerve and edge back in front in the contest with 54 minutes on the clock.
But once again Stade Francais fought back and appeared to have wrested the momentum when they scored to level the match with 20 minutes to go.
Shillcock’s 66th-minute penalty nudged Leicester back in front and they withstood some fierce pressure from the home side in the closing stages.
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> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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