Toulouse 19 Try: Maka Con: Delaigue Pens: Delaigue (3) Drop: Delaigue Biarritz 11 Try: Bidabe Pens: Yachvili (2)

The kicking of Yann Delaigue, who scored 14 points, and a solitary try from second-half replacement Isitolo Maka proved enough for the victory.

Biarritz scored a try of their own through Philippe Bidabe but were let down by Dmitri Yachvili's spot-kicking.

The defending champions now face either Wasps or Munster, who meet in the second semi-final on Sunday.

A flurry of free-flowing rugby had been anticipated from the outset but failed to materialise in the first half.

Instead, it was left to Yachvili and Delaigue, who slotted one and three penalties respectively.

In fact, there was only one clear-cut chance of a still entertaining half which Toulouse edged 9-3.

We were fine after we scored our try but Maka's arrival turned the game round Biarritz coach Patrice Lagisquet

Frederic Michalak broke clear in the final minute of the half, leaving his fellow runners in plenty of space as the ball was recycled. But prop Patrice Collazo chipped ahead rather than using the two men outside him and missed a certain try.

Biarritz suffered a similar fate after the re-start, Yachvili opening up Toulouse's defence as his half-break sent David Couzinet on his way. But Couzinet's final pass was knocked on by Jimmy Marlu.

Biarritz finally found their way across the opposition line in the 51st minute through Bidabe. Julien Peyrelongue's mini-break unsettled Biarritz and, as Martin Gaitan laid back the ball, Nicolas Brusque found himself clear.

Unselfishly, he passed to Bidabe, who slid into the corner, only for Yachvili to miss the conversion.

We're having a great season given the circumstances Toulouse coach Guy Noves, who lost a host of players to the 2003 World Cup

The game's defining moment, however, was the introduction of Maka into Toulouse's ranks. First, he bulldozed French flanker Serge Betsen before forcing his way over the try line with similar ferocity on the hour mark after a period of sustained pressure.

That moved Toulouse 16-11 ahead but failed to deter their French rivals, who continued to push for the line until the final whistle.

Delaigue, though, had the final word with a last-minute drop goal.

Toulouse: C Poitrenaud; V Clerc, C Desbrosse, Y Jauzion, C Heymans; Y Delaigue, F Michalak; P Collazo, W Servat, J Poux; F Pelous, T Brennan; Bouihlou, F Maka, C Labit
Replacements: Y Bru, J Fiorini, R Millochlusky, I Maka, D Gerard, N Jeanjean, S Dupuy

Biarritz: N Brusque; P Bidabe, M Gaitan, T Lacroix, J Marlu; J Peyrelongue, D Yachvili; P Balan, J Gonzalez, D Avril; H Manent, D Couzinet; S Betsen, O Tonita, T Lievremont (capt)
Replacements: J Campo, M Fitzgerald, S Puleoto, O Nauroy, D Chouchan, L Mazas, P Bernat-Salles

Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)