Rugby Union: Healey times his blockbuster

A block tackle of JPR Williams proportions by Austin Healey in the second minute of injury time gave Leicester a famous victory at Les Sept-Deniers yesterday as last season's runners-up got their Heineken Cup show back on the road after the shock defeat by Leinster.

Leading by five points after five Joel Stransky penalties and a converted try by Eric Miller, Leicester seemed to have withstood everything Toulouse could throw at them when Romauld Paillat, a second-half replacement, took a pass at full tilt 20 metres out. The centre burst through to within a couple of steps of the line, but Healey - one of the smallest men in the Leicester side - stood his ground, knocking Paillat backwards when an equalising try by the posts seemed certain.

Healey, understandably, took a moment or two to recover, but when he did it was to see his team-mates, euphoric, celebrating a rare victory at the home of the French champions.

Toulouse, with two wins on the road behind them, had returned to a full house but Yann Delaigue, in for the injured Christophe Deylaud at stand- off, missed the opportunity to give them an early lead with a second-minute penalty, awarded after a storming run from the No 8 Fabien Pelous.

Instead it was Joel Stransky, much criticised after the Leinster defeat, who struck first in the 10th minute, Pelous this time the transgressor after wandering offside at a ruck 30 metres from the Toulouse line.

The South African hit the post with a similar effort a minute later, but Leicester had started brightly. Stuart Potter made one searing break after being released by Stransky, whose touch-finding along with Leicester's midfield tackling was giving the visitors a solid platform.

Two Stransky penalties to one from Stephane Ougier gave Leicester a six- point lead as half-time approached, but Toulouse, winners of the inaugural Heineken Trophy in 1996, rallied to apply concerted pressure and when Leicester collapsed a scrum five metres out, a penalty try was awarded.

Leicester responded immediately after the break when Ougier's kick was charged down by Tim Barlow. Neil Back picked up the pieces and fed Eric Miller, who burst through a gap 10 metres out to score.

Three more easy points for Stransky followed when Toulouse conceded a penalty under their own posts after Back had been impeded as he attempted to feed the ball out of a ruck. Then another fine break by Potter was stopped on the Toulouse 22 with a brave tackle from their captain Jerome Cazalbou, but Toulouse wereoffside at the ruck and Stransky did the necessary.

At 22-10 Leicester seemed in control but back came Toulouseand the try finally came when Cazalbou spun the ball out wide for the umpteenth time and Garbajosa flew in past Waisale Serevi. Marfaing, this time, kicked the conversion to bring Toulouse to within five points but, thanks to Healey, that was where they stayed.

Toulouse: S Ougier; X Garbajosa, N Martin (R Paillat, 64), P Bondouy, M Marfaing; Y Delaigue, J Cazalbou (capt); C Califano, P Soula, F Tournaire (J-L Jordana 39-40), H Miorin, F Belot, D Lacroix, F Pelous, S Dispagne.

Leicester: M Horak; W Serevi (L Lloyd, 78), C Joiner, S Potter, T Barlow; J Stransky, A Healey; G Rowntree (P Freshwater, 62-65), R Cockerill, D Garforth, M Johnson (capt), M Poole, M Corry (W Johnson, 78), E Miller, N Back.

Referee: K McCartney (Scot).