Rugby: Toulouse French fry Stade

TOULOUSE won the all-French Heineken Cup quarter-final with a crushing 42-16 win over Stade Francais.

Yannick Jauzion, Patricio Albacete and Cedric Heymans scored tries as Guy Noves' men cut loose in the south of France.

But the three-time champions were made to work hard for their success in the opening period after Rodrigo Roncero crossed for Stade.

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However, the French giants rallied and the turning point came on the stroke of half-time when centre Jauzion burrowed over before Albacete and then Heymans struck late on to put the final nail in the coffin.

Now Toulouse will face defending champions Leinster in a mouth-watering semi-final clash with the prize a place in May's final in Paris. Leinster saw off Clermont Auvergne 29-28 in a nerve-jangling clash on Friday.

Guinness Premiership interest in the quarter-finals was extinguished when Northampton fell to a 33-19 defeat at Thomond Park.

Munster summoned up their vast European experience to set up a showdown at Biarritz who eliminated Ospreys 29-28 in the dying seconds in San Sebastian.

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