Stimpson comes clean on that vital semi kick

Apr 21 2007 Simon Thomas, Western Mail

THE man who broke Scarlet hearts in their last Heineken Cup semi-final has revealed the full story behind his match-winning kick, writes Simon Thomas.

It was back in April 2002 when Tim Stimpson landed a freakish 58-metre penalty in the dying seconds at the City Ground, Nottingham, to earn Leicester a 13-12 victory.

But he's admitted it should never have been a Tigers penalty in the first place and that he didn't have his captain Martin Johnson's permission to go for goal.

It was Llanelli prop Martyn Madden who was penalised, but Stimpson now acknowledges it was Madden's opposite number Darren Garforth who brought the offending scrum down.

"It was one of those tight games where it wasn't a classic," he said. "It wasn't a nice day, it was a very gusty wind. It had been a game of penalties with Stephen Jones and me having pots at goal.

"Then Darren collapsed the scrum and I knocked it over, end of story. I had been on the pitch the day before practising from about that area and I'd been knocking them over.

"So when the referee gave the penalty it was my decision to go for goal before Johnno decided what line-out he wanted.

"I made the call without his authority. It was too late by the time he got across so he said, 'I'll love you for life if you get it.'

"It would have been a clip round the ear and a good deal worse if I missed, so it had to go over. It was one of those decisions where I would either be a hero or a villain.

"I was very confident when I struck the ball and I thought it was great until it hit the bar, at which point I felt sick, like it had cost us the match.

"But then somehow it went backwards and blew over off the post. It was ridiculous really. Unfortunately, I've never been allowed back into Llanelli since!

"I've heard the stories down there that if we'd had proper goalposts it wouldn't have gone over and it should never have been given a penalty. But that's one of those things in sport."

Looking ahead to today's semi-final rematch, Stimpson said, "I wish I was playing, but I'm a bit too old.

"Both teams are on cracking form. Leicester have just won their first trophy for five years, which is going to be good for their confidence.

"But Llanelli have been exceeding all expectations all year.

"I know having worked with Phil Davies up at Leeds that he's a great motivator and

it's going to be a classic."