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Practice pays off for Evans

Image: Evans celebrates his match-winning conversion.

Nick Evans was delighted to kick Harlequins back into the Heineken Cup with his match-winning conversion.

Haskell admits he may have been at fault for match-winning try

Nick Evans was delighted to kick Harlequins back into the Heineken Cup after his late conversion from the touchline earned the Londoners a 19-18 victory over Stade Francais in the Amlin Challenge Cup final. The New Zealand fly-half told Sky Sports: "I'm paid to do it. All the kickers around the world do hours on the training pitch for moments like that. "Being in the Heineken Cup means everything - it's where we want to be, we feel we should be there." The success in Cardiff means Harlequins have now won the Amlin Challenge Cup three times, following victories in 2001 and 2004. Evans added: "It's a long time since 2004. I'm so pleased for the guys and the fans, so many of them came here. "We never give up and although it wasn't pretty, it shows the character (director of rugby) Conor O'Shea has brought to club." Quins number eight Nick Easter added: "I've been here a long time and we haven't won any tangible silverware, so this is massive. "We didn't play very well in the second half at all, they (Stade Francais) controlled the game. But credit to the guys, we never say die. "Nick was unbelievable. It was a tough one - but that's what we pay him for, I suppose."

Delighted

O'Shea said: "We didn't play well tonight but we've been on the end of some heartbreaking defeats this season, so we will take it... lose close games as we have and you begin to doubt yourself "But the supporters kept the guys going and I'm just delighted for them and the players. We've played enough good rugby to earn a big slice of luck. "In the first half we should have been six or nine points up but it didn't happen and in the second half it was our doggedness. "We've got nine fellas who are 25 and under, this will give them such a mental boost. "We didn't control the game very well and tried to offload stupidly rather than taking it into contact and getting a bit of territory. "But finally we got a bit of control. I was screaming when Danny Care kicked it (for Gonzalo Camacho's late try) - I didn't want him to... but it was a good one." Stade Francais' James Haskell admitted he may have been at fault for the match-winning try. He commented: "It's been a difficult season for us but we played some good rugby. "I've got the feeling when I watch the game it's my fault we lost it, I think I came out of the line when I shouldn't have (for Camacho's try)... but that's what happens in pressure games. "Realising you might be to blame is not good - I might not be sleeping too well tonight."