With both sides unable to add any more points during the extra period, and having scored two tries each, it went to place kicks to decide the winner.

Cardiff and Tigers landed four kicks each to send the shoot-out into sudden-death and, after Martyn Williams had missed with his attempt, No8 Jordan Crane held his nerve to convert the decisive kick and put Leicester into their fifth Heineken Cup final against Leinster at Murrayfield on Saturday, May 23.

Tigers made one change in the backs with Scott Hamilton returning to the team on the wing. Prop Marcos Ayerza came into the front row alongside George Chuter and Martin Castrogiovanni. Craig Newby was named at blindside with Ben Woods and Jordan Crane completing the back row as Tom Croft and Ben Kay continue at lock.

Cardiff Blues made one change to their line-up with Richie Rees starting at scrum-half following injury to Jason Spice. Darren Allinson takes the place of Rees on the bench.

The game kicked off in a crackling atmosphere with both sets of fans making themselves heard. Cardiff were the first to show when Leigh Halfpenny made an early break down the left wing before he was dispossessed in the tackle by Newby.

Cardiff continued to press in the early moments and threatened when Martyn Williams claimed possession at the back of a line-out and chipped ahead, but Johne Murphy was alert to the danger and gathered the loose ball.

Tigers mounted their first attack when they turned over Cardiff possession inside their own half. Dupuy chipped ahead and when Halfpenny attempted to clean up under pressure from the Tigers’ scrum-half and Johne Murphy he was penalised for holding on. However, Dupuy pushed the penalty wide to the right.

Another long Cardiff throw had the Blues threatening again. Rees found Halfpenny on an inside line and it needed a brilliant covering tackle by Croft to stop the Cardiff wing. However, referee Alain Rolland whistled for an infringement and Blair kicked the resulting penalty to put Cardiff 3-0 ahead.

Tigers had the chance to strike back almost immediately when Cardiff were penalised at the breakdown, but Dupuy struck the left-hand upright with his kick and the ball bounced into Cardiff possession. The Frenchman was then off target with a third penalty attempt in the 20th minute as Tigers began to enjoy some possession and territory.

Tigers almost scored the first try of the game moments later when Vesty and Johne Murphy combined to make a clever break down the left. The ball was then switched inside to Geordan Murphy who was tackled just short of the line by Maama Molitika.

But they did score after 23 minutes through Hamilton. Vesty’s miss pass was brilliantly collected one-handed by Flood who off-loaded for All Black Hamilton to crash through, round Blair and score under the posts. Dupuy’s conversion put Tigers 7-3 ahead.

A high tackle on Croft by Faao Filise was punished by another three points for Dupuy who knocked over the penalty from close to the left touchline to put Tigers 10-3 up.

However, Halfpenny reduced that lead to 10-6 with a penalty from near halfway when Tigers were judged to have hands in the ruck.

Tigers put together a sustained period of pressure inside the Cardiff 22 but could not find a way through the Blues’ defence. Instead they were penalised for holding on and then when the ball was cleared, Johne Murphy committed a similar offence that allowed Blair to bring Cardiff back to 10-9.

Flood was then whistled for restarting the game from inside the Cardiff half and Halfpenny’s 55m penalty crept over to put Blues 12-10 up.

It was a pulsating game and Tigers hit back to reclaim the lead with three minutes of the half remaining. Nicky Robinson under pressure close to his own line held on in the tackle and Dupuy’s penalty gave Tigers a 13-12 lead at the break.

Tigers scored their second try of the game five minutes after the restart when Dupuy and Flood combined inside the Cardiff 22 and Geordan Murphy followed up to score under the posts. Dupuy’s conversion put Tigers 20-12 ahead.

Tigers further extended their lead when they put together a series of phases to take play into the Cardiff 22 and the Blues were penalised for going off their feet. Dupuy’s penalty from in front of the posts put Tigers 23-12 ahead.

Tigers scrum-half Dupuy continued to put the pressure on with a box kick behind the Cardiff defence which was knocked on by Blair before Martyn Williams fielded the ball as he ran back. Dupuy knocked over the penalty to put Tigers 26-12 ahead.

Cardiff looked to hit back by going through the phases to take them within 5m of the Tigers line before Newby was sent to the sin-bin for coming the ruck close to the posts. Tigers weathered the storm before hitting back, first through Crane's powerful burst and then Hamilton's drive.

The pace was relentless and play quickly switched to the other end where Xavier Rush drove his way into the Leicester 22. Cardiff recycled possession and Robinson looked to switch play right when referee Rolland adjudged Geordan Murphy had deliberately knocked on as he attempted to intercept the pass reducing Tigers to 13 men.

Tigers defended manfully but as Newby reentered the fray so Cardiff scored their first try of the game when Jamie Roberts angled run took him into the left-hand corner. Blair added the conversion to cut Tigers’ lead to 26-19 with six minutes remaining.

And two minutes later Cardiff broke the length of the field to score in the same corner. Roberts made the initial burst from his 22 and passed to Tom James, who ran down the left wing to touch down. Blair’s conversion from the left-hand touchline brought the scores level at 26-26. It proved the final score of the 80 minutes as the game went into extra-time.

The tempo slowed during the extra period with both sides defending well.

The first half was five minutes old when Johne Murphy collected Blair’s up-and-under and attempted a drop goal from halfway that went wide to the left. Aaron Mauger, who came on as a second-half replacement, attempted another drop at goal early in the second period of extra-time but his effort was blocked.

Tigers threatened the line one last time when Croft latched onto Johne Murphy’s kick in the final minute but he was scragged by Robinson just inside the Cardiff 22.

The game finished 26-26 which meant it would be decided by a place kick competition with both teams nominating five players to kick at goal from the 22.

Blair knocked over the first kick for Cardiff, while Dupuy was successful with his attempt for Tigers. Nicky Robinson and Halfpenny were then on the mark for Cardiff and were matched by Vesty and Geordan Murphy, who were also on target.

Ceri Sweeney then knocked over his before Tigers wing Johne Murphy put his effort to the left. At that stage, James could have put Cardiff into the final but the Blues wing was off-target with their last kick allowing Hamilton to draw Tigers level and send the shoot-out into sudden-death.

Tom Shanklin knocked over his effort before Mauger matched it with his kick. Rees then scuffed his kick, which crept over the bar, and Newby was on target with his effort.

The eighth round of kicks proved decisive. Cardiff flanker Martyn Williams pulled his kick to the left, which gave Crane the chance put Tigers in the final. The England international kept his composure to knock it over and end a dramatic game.