The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 26

The Guardian Monday December 22 1997 Sport Bath 20, Paul 4 conquer with belief and relief Toulouse 22, Brive 22 Brive win 2-1 on tries) Brive retain a hold Bath Robert Armstrong ATH showed that English club rugby is in rude health with an unrelenting display of courage and commitment that saw off the bold challenge of Pau in a bruising contest at the Ke creation Ground. Almost as important as earning a place in the final against Brive in Bordeaux on January 31 was their newly restored pride after some tame setbacks in the Premiership this season. It was not a classic encoun ter mutual tension and a high penalty count ensured that but after each side had scored a try of stunning qual ity the outcome always hung in the balance. In the end Bath, spurred on by last week's 50-point hammering by Saracens, appeared to be lieve they had more to prove, to themselves as much as to their supporters. Relief rather than euphoria was Bath's post-match mood, especially for the coaches Andv Robinson and Jonathan Callard, whose on-field role as the kicker of five penalty goals proved crucial.

Robinson, having issued jack-in-the-box commands from the stand throughout, declared that Bath would have to improve 50 per cent to stand a genuine chance of wearing the European crown. Whether they can break the French monopoly established in the past two years by Toulouse and Brive, who overran Leicester in last season's final, will depend on their ability to develop the expansive game they prefer. On Saturday they were wise to kick their penalties, occasionally against Robinson's shouted advice; in Bordeaux a spirit of boldness, ball in hand, is more likely to pay rich dividends. "I think there's still a long way to go." Robinson replied when he was asked whether the current Bath line-up bore comparison to the great sides that won 16 trophies in 12 seasons. "I have more to prove to the players and they have more to prove to me.

We need to dictate the pace of the game better but it's satisfying to win after people were trying to write us off." Though Pau attempted a comeback after Philippe Ber-nat-Salles, the most dangerous wing on view, scored a magnificent try on the hour, the French ultimately lost heart when every Bath player put his body on the line in uncompromising style. Phil de Glan-ville had to have stitches in a face wound, Dan Lyle finished with a wonky shoulder, and Mike Catt, who was concussed in England's Test against South Africa last month, took another fearful battering from the Pau forwards. In fact the carnival atmosphere created by a street percussion band, a barrage of balloons and hundreds of Pau fans wearing green bowler Premiership One: Grayson Ian Malin RICHMOND'S many young supporters may be forgiven for doubting the existence of Father Christmas this week. The Londoners outscored Northampton in tries by three to nil hut their unbeaten home league record, stretching back two years and 25 games, still disappeared in the fog that descended on the Athletic Ground. Irony of ironies, Paul Grayson, the England fly-half who has proved in the past month that he can play the running game with the best of them, reverted to his trusty right foot to deny Richmond the opportunity to leapfrog back Bath centre Matt Perry finds rugby can be a drag as his Pau opposite number David Dantiacq clings on at the Recreation Ground photograph: david jones Restraining influence the hats made a remarkable contrast with the hard, close-quarter exchanges in the light and the loose.

On the rare occasions the ball came their way the Pau backs showed signs of flair but generally trench warlare was the name of the game. Certainly the French pack did themselves no favours with the Welsh referee Derek Bevan, who was not prepared to countenance a succession of Ian Borthwick RIVE arrived in Toulouse both as European champions and as underdogs but, after a nail-biting semi-final of 110 minutes, earned the right to defend their title by outscoring Toulouse 2-1 on tries. Ultimately their superior fitness and discipline prevailed over Toulouse's better teamwork, and after a 22-22 draw yesterday they will meet Bath in Bordeaux in five weeks' time. It was nip and tuck all the way but Brive would have kicked themselves or their kicker Christophe Lamaison if they had not come through. The drama peaked at 80 minutes when Christophe Deylaud put Toulouse 16-il ahead with a penalty.

But in injury-time Brive struck back with a scorching break from Jerome Carrat. From broken play he flashed through the defence, only to be brought down metres short of the line. From the maul Brive had a gigantic overlap and Carrat went over 10 metres to the left of the posts. Unaccountably Lamaison missed the kick. Brive, if anything, looked the fresher in extra-time.

Lamaison missed a penalty, Li-sandro Arbizu an easy drop-goal, and when Lamaison finally kicked a penalty, Yann Delaigue cancelled it at once with one of his own. Then it was Toulouse who went ahead, through a Deylaud penalty. There were five minutes to go and that was enough for a brilliant break by Arbizu against the run of ptay, another penalty from 25 metres in front of the posts and no mistake this time from Lamaison. He had opened the scoring too, with a penalty that was quickly followed by Brive's other try a costly one as the scorer Olivier Magne, bursting round the front of a line-out, was carried off after a crunching tackle as he crashed over the line. Toulouse, the French champions, did not open their account for half an hour, when Pierre Bondouy scored a converted try from a five-metre scrum and skip-pass.

It was 8-7 at half-time and thereafter level pegging to the end. SCORERS: Toulouse: Try: Bondouy Conversion: Delaigue. PanallJou! Delaigue 3. Deylaud 2 Brlwot Trleai Magne, Carrat Penalties) Lamaison 4 Toirlouae; Ougier; Nlamack. Detaigua.

Uondouy, Lapoulrjo (Garba(Osa. 107miri, Deylaud 99). Cazalbou. Calitana. Soula.

Tournairc (Jorriana. H9). Miorm. Polous (Bellot. 57).

Lacfoi (Spanotioro. tOtl), Labil. Dispagne BrWe: Penaud, Carral Lamaison Vendilti, Carrat (Arbo. 95); Arbizu. Carbonneau.

Casadei. Travers (Vicard. 7G). Laperne. Allcgret.

Manhes. Van for Linden (Gouaillard, 107). Magno Mallier. 20). Duboisset Raforool McHugh llrpland) Although Newcastle had the breeze at their backs and took a 9-3 lead just on half-time, they never had control.

It was 38 minutes before Andrew kicked deep into Agen territory "We decided not to kick," said the coach Steven Biites. "because it just meant giving the ball back to the opposition" and only one decent scoring opportunity was created whereas Agen went close on four occasions, not including two missed penalties and two dubiously disallowed dropped-goal attempts. Agen, who meet Colomiers in the final in France, never managed to break through Newcastle's defence but drew level in the 52nd minute when a dropped goal by Guillaume Bouic was added to a second penally by Nicolas Mazas. The last quarter brought the 7,000 crowd finally to life. Alan Tatt's touch-kick saw Newcastle set up a line-out two metres from the Agen line but the tireless home pack powered the ensuing maul backwards into touch.

The throw-in went to Agen, Va'aiga Tuigamala was caught offside within the 10-metre mark and suddenly Newcastle were back in their own half. The final irony, eight minutes from time, was Mazas's third penalty from barely a foot inside Newcastle's half and to the left of the posts. The left-wing's kicking had been dodgy but this time he struck the ball sweetly. SCOItCnSt Agent Penalties: Mazas 3. Dropped goal: Bouic.

Newcastle: Penaltfeei Andrew 3. Agam Thomas. Heymans, Campan, Clslacq IProsper. 77mln, Mazas; Boulc, Sudre; Rodriguez, Fabre (Terle, 7G, Placentlnl. Mekkaoirl.

Porcu, Benolton. Trofidor (Bourdeilh. 64. Benazzi (capl). Newcastle: Lego; Bonlley, Tuigamala.

Ta It. Undorwood: Androw. Armstrong; Graham, Nofidale, Van Zandvllel, Archer. Weir (Motcallo, 53 Lam, Arnold (Walton, 49. Ryan (capt).

Referee: Smith (Ireland) linen was washed in public. I cannot put words on what it means to us. The Bath tradition lives on." SCORERS: Bath: Try: Ubogu Ponaltics: Callard 5. Pau: Try: Penalties: Aut.agna 3 Bath: Callard: Eans. do Glanvilla.

Perry. Adobayo; Catt. Nir.ol leapt). Yatos. Regan.

Ubogu. Llanos Redman. Thomas. Webster. Lyle (Peters.

81mm) Pau: Brusque: Bernat-Salles. Dantiacq. Leloir, Martin. Aucagne. Torossiari.

Triep-Capclevillo (Bna. 71). Roy icapu. Gonzalez. Lagouarde IMontioros.

64). Cleda, Koillr. Bacguo. Rolles (Vignolo. 55.

Referee: Bevan (Wales) perfect pass by David Dantiacq deceived Adedayo Ade-bayo into lunging for an interception and left the French wing with a free run to the right corner. When Callard landed his fifth penalty goal Pau needed a converted try to win but that proved a bridge too far. As the Bath full-back remarked; "This victory shows how far we've come in recent months, particularly after our dirty Richmond 21 Northampton 24 European Conference, semi-final Agen 12, Newcastle Falcons 9 Sir John counts the cost as Newcastle come up short boot a stocking-f back Nicholas Brusque said: "Bath exerted a lot more pressure than us in many areas. Maybe our tactics weren't quite right on the day, but Bath were deserved winners." Once Bath had scored the first try through the England prop Victor Ubogu they never relinquished the lead. Initially Pau's well organised defence was breached by a lancing run by Callard, who set up a ruck in front of the posts; when the iller for and instead go for touch ultimately cost Richmond dear in those dying moments.

Richmond had edged into a one-point lead by the interval. Scott Quinnell, their No. 8 who is also making claims for an international recall with Wales, was driven over from a line-out, and the left-wing Dominic Chapman scorched over for the best try of the game after excellent midfield work by Earl Va'a and Mike Hutton. But Grayson's kicks eased the Saints ahead and there was a pivotal moment midway through the second half when, from one of Richmond's many kick-offs, the Northampton forwards took the ball 60 yards back upfield with an old-fashioned rolling maul. scrum-half Andy Nicol swept the ball cleanly out to the right the No.

8 Lyle was on hand to send Ubogu over in the corner. It was fortunate though that Callard maintained his length and line with three penalty goals from 43, 25 and 37 metres respectively in the final half-hour because Ber-nat-Salles's well-worked try could easily have destroyed Bath's composure. An inch- Saints The psychological advantage was with the Northampton forwards but Jason Wright made sure the drama continued with a try five minutes from time. But Matt Pini, Richmond's Australian fullback, failed with all three conversions and this proved the difference between the sides, ensuring that Northampton will have the happier Christmas. SCORERS: Tr(s: Quinnell.

Chapman. Wright. Penalties: Plnl 2. Northampton: Penalties: Grayson 7. Dropped goal: Grayson.

Richmond: Plnl; Wright, Bateman, Hutton, Chapman: Va'a, Mooro: Crompton, Williams. Davles, Quinnell. Gillies. Martin (R Hutton, 56mln), Clarko (capt). Oulnnell.

Northampton: Bell: Sloighthoime, Townsond, Northey, Cohon: Grayson, Dawson: Pagol, Clarke. Stewart, Pnillips. Chandler, Mackinnon, Pountnoy, Rodber (capt). Referee: Piercey (Yorkshire). aim the ball at the referee in disgust at not being given the credit for the penalty try, kept the crowd amused but Keast was less inclined to enter into the festive spirit.

"At half-time we hadn't even started. The whole game was too slow," he said. "There were at least three or four players who had shockers but the same four players had crackers last week. I suppose it shows they're human." SCORERS: Leicester: Tries: Penally try. Greenwood, Back.

Conversions: Serevl 2, Horak. Penalties: Horak; Serevl. Hartaqutne: Panalty: Lacrolx. Leicester: Loeds; Joiner. Greenwood (Oyorend, 74mln).

Potter, Lloyd: Serevl, Hoaley: Rowntroo. Cockerill. Garlorlh, Johnson capt), Van Heerden, Moody (Gustard. 58), Back. Corry IWest.

801 Herlequlna: Williams; O'Leary (Liley. 30), Keyter, Ngauamo, Belllgol: Lacroix. Walsho (Harries. 45); Leonard, Billups, Mullins, Llewellyn (Cobannos, 58), Strudwick. Janklns, Davison (capt), Leach.

Referee: Paurson (Durham). ruck and maul infringements that destroyed continuity. When the score was tied at 3-3 Callard could afford to fail with two long-range penalties, safe in the knowledge that more chances would present themselves. "We should have given ourselves a home semi-final but losing at Llanelli and then away to Caledonia cost us everything," said the Pau lock Alain Lagouarde. Their full outstanding; it will be a major surprise if he does not join Grayson for England's Five Nations Championship campaign at some point.

After the match Grayson, who has taken a great deal of flak during his career, was happy now to take the plaudits. "Nine months of misery, after I picked up injuries last March and on the Lions tour, ended with that All Blacks game. As for Northampton, we're not quite the finished article but with two successive away wins we've turned the corner." They had to survive some ferocious pressure, however, in the final minutes when Richmond camped inside their 22. A decision not to attempt a very kickable penalty make a the clock. Van Heerden and Martin Johnson, in only three league games together, have formed a second-row partnership many Test sides would covet, and Leeds had a highly satisfactory return to big-time rugby union nine years after abandoning the Wallabies for rugby league.

The full-back originally came to Britain for a holiday with his wife but a canny professional always packs his boots. He is due back in Sydney in February to resume his rugby league career with Western Suburbs; by then Joel Stransky will be fit again and the Tigers' director of rugby Bob Dwyer's contingency plan will have served Its purpose. Dwyer, incidentally, can claim to be the only Premiership coach whose pursuit of the Welsh Cup Kiwi coach lays into humiliated Bridgend side Paul Rees THE village of Garndif-faith, perched on the side of a mountain 1,000 feet above the Pontypool to Blaenavon road, stands taller than ever this morning after their team knocked Bridgend out of the Swalec Cup. "Garndiffaith showed what rugby is all about," said the Premier Division side's Kiwi coach John Phillips. "Some of them are possibly unemployed and just happy to get a beer after the game, but we could not match them for pride and passion." The Fourth Division club have been struggling to avoid relegation this season and Saturday's 24-21 fourth-round victory thanks to an injury-time try by the wing Steve Cross was among the competition's biggest shocks ever.

Bridgend arrived with only two wins in 14 matches but they seemed to be safe turning round 12-0 up. A home revival with three second-half tries left Bridgend counting the cost in more ways than one. Bridgend are struggling financially and have only four home league games in the next five months whereas their conquerors earned a home tie against the First Division side Rumney. "This was the most embarrassing game of my life," said Phillips. "What was hardest to take was that.

even if we had won, it would have been an injustice. There is a problem with players at the top in Wales; many are overpaid, overrated and under-motivated." Leicester 27, Harlequins 3 over Leicester into third place in Premiership One. Grayson, whose penalty helped England share the spoils against the All Blacks up the road at Twickenham this month, kicked all Northampton's 24 points, with seven successful penalties and a dropped goal. There was not much seasonal goodwill from Richmond's older supporters as they booed Northampton off the pitch at the end, much of their ire being directed at the referee Stewart Piercey, who they felt penalised them for offside rather too often. But Northampton, though not Hinging the ball around as freely as their hosts, showed more control up front, where their captain Tim Rodber was Cuttitta were on Test duty in Bologna and the recent exertions of Jason Leonard, that pillar of the England establishment, finally told.

Andy Mullins, called up although retired from senior rugby, did remarkably well but a first-half penalty try was not the only triumph for Leicester's reunited ABC club of Darren Garforth, Richard Cockerill and Graham Rowntree. "Jason's still lying on the bench. I don't know whether it's because he can't move or won't move," said Keast. "He's in pieces. This international month has just caught up with him; he's absolutely shattered." In contrast Leicester's Fritz van Heerden and Andrew Leeds showed the value of players with fewer miles on SIR John Hall may have more of a back-seat role these days but Newcastle Falcons' chairman was outspoken again on Saturday with his call for the scrapping of the second-tier European Conference, writes Inn Borthwick.

"Everybody is losing a fortune in the Conference," he said after Newcastle narrowly failed to reach the final. "There is not enough money and the travelling is expensive. We're just totting up but coming here today has probably cost us 10.000. We get a bit back but there is not enough money in the Conference for English clubs." Rob Andrew, Newcastle's director of rugby who scored all their points with three first-half penalties, now has designs on the main event by switching his focus back to the Premiership, in which the Falcons have a 100 per cent record, and with it a place in next season's Heineken Cup. There were no tries here but the match was full of passion and tension, with both teams trying to play with the ball in hand.

There were sparks of aggression too, with flare-ups between the packs, and the referee showed three yellow cards to each side in the first half. Newcastle, the first English side to reach the semi-finals, threw everything they had at Agen but their hopes of taking the final to Headingley hit the wall of a remarkable display of physical commitment and defensive resolve. Agen's captain Abdelatif Benazzi and his France colleague Philippe Benetton in particular were colossal. The France selectors have ieft Benazzi out of their latest 37- man squad but the Moroccan-born No. 8 was outstanding, making thunderous charges with the ball in hand.

Bright-eyed Tigers meal of limp Lions title involves a half-time jog up to Leeds and Back. Saturday's first half, some of it mercifully obscured by fog, was a throwback to the grind-'em-down days of Dean Richards; the tempo lifted slightly after the interval to yield further tries for Will Greenwood and Neil Back but Dwyer is aware the task will be more severe against Saracens on Boxing Day and Newcastle four days later. "We've got to do more if we want to win away at Saracens," he said, "but what happens in the next few weeks will be significant. If we win our next two games we'll be extremely well placed as we round the turn." Waisale Serevi's skills and Austin Healey's temper, notably when he appeared to Robert Kitson A SEASONAL tale of weary Lions and fresh Tigers was acted out at Welford Road; less a rumble in the jungle than a relative stroll in the park at the end of a hectic week for Leicester, who are now back in Premiership contention. An explanation as to why Quins, 50-point winners over Wasps a week earlier, were restricted to a penalty goal against an injury-weakened Leicester team, soundly beaten by Richmond in midweek, was found by poking a head into the visitors' dressing room or listening to their coach Andy Keast.

Quins' front-row regulars Keith Wood and Massimo.