Leicester beat Cardiff in Heineken Cup shootout

LONDON (Reuters) - Twice Heineken Cup champions Leicester ousted Welsh side Cardiff Blues 7-6 in the competition's first place kick shootout at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday to reach a record-equalling fifth final.

Leicester number eight Jordan Crane slotted home the match-winning kick from the 22 after Cardiff flanker Martyn Williams had missed.

Each team had to nominate five kickers to take penalties from in front of the posts on the 22.

Cardiff had earlier mounted a stunning 14-point comeback to level the scores 26-26 after normal time. There was no score in extra time.

Leading 26-12 with just 20 minutes remaining, Leicester had flanker Craig Newby sin-binned and then Irish fullback Geordan Murphy was shown a yellow card just six minutes later, handing Cardiff a huge advantage.

Welsh centre Jamie Roberts found space outside the 22 and he was followed in by compatriot Tom James two minutes later.

Both tries were superbly converted from the touchline by New Zealand fullback Ben Blair.

Earlier, Leicester scrumhalf Julien Dupuy bagged 16 points with the boot, while tries either side of halftime from Kiwi wing Scott Hamilton and opposite wing Johne Murphy gave the English side a commanding position in the game.

Leicester will equal French club Toulouse's five final appearances when they take on Leinster in Edinburgh on May 23.

(Writing by Tom Pilcher, Editing by John Mehaffey)