Toulouse defeated defending Heineken Cup champion Leinster 26-16 in the first of two France-Ireland semifinals Saturday through the power of their scrum and 21 points from flyhalf David Skrela. Skrela contributed a try, two conversions and four penalties with center Yannick Jauzion scoring Toulouse's other try. Jamie Heaslip scored Leinster's only try with flyhalf Shaun Berne, replacing Dave Sexton who was sidelined through a fractured jaw, adding two penalties and a conversion. Fullback Rob Kearney also kicked a penalty. Biarritz hosts Munster at the Estadio Anoeta in San Sebastian Sunday in the other semifinal. The final will be played at the Stade de France on May 22. Bulls maintain top spot In South Africa, the Bulls retained their position at the top of the Super 14 table with a 27-19 win over the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld Saturday. They head fellow South African side the Stormers by five points with two more rounds before the semifinals. The Bulls trailed 9-12 after a scrappy first half with four penalties to the Stormers' English flyhalf Andy Goode and three to his opposite number Morne Steyn. Steady rain also detracted from the spectacle in a match played before 50,000 people. Steyn drew the Bulls level with his fourth penalty in the 58th minute and the Bulls took control of the match in a telling period between the 60th and 70th minutes as they scored their two tries and built up a decisive 27-12 lead. Lions fall again In Johannesburg, South Africa's Lions equaled the worst losing run in Super rugby history with their 11 straight defeat when they were beaten 33-12 by the Western Force Saturday. Tries by Scott Staniforth, David Hill and Mark Bartholomeusz gave Australia's Force a comfortable win in the meeting of the two lowest-ranked teams in the Super 14. Hill tallied 23 points. Cheetahs beat Blues The Cheetahs dashed the Auckland Blues' Super 14 semifinal hopes with a 36-32 victory at the Free State Stadium Saturday. The New Zealanders, in 10th spot, needed to win their final three matches to stand any chance of reaching the final four. Brumbies edge Reds Prop Ben Alexander's second try of the night with seven minutes left clinched ACT Brumbies' 32-12 bonus-point win over Queensland in Super 14 rugby, continuing a historical hex over the Reds at Canberra Stadium. The Reds, enjoying a resurgent season to be in semifinal contention after finishing near or at the bottom of the standings for the past five years, lost for the ninth time in a row at Canberra. Hurricanes win All Blacks center Ma'a Nonu scored two tries, including the decider in the 74th minute, to give the Wellington Hurricanes a precarious 33-27 win over the Waikato Chiefs in Super 14 rugby in Wellington also Saturday. The Hurricanes kept alive their slight hopes of a semifinal place when All Blacks prop Neemia Tialata added a fourth, bonus-point try in stoppage time. Waikato scored four first-half tries to lead 24-8 at halftime but the Hurricanes battled back relentlessly through the second half to take the lead with Nonu's try, then sealed the win with Tialata's try inside the last six minutes.
