BRIVE beat Cardiff 26-13 yesterday to qualify for the European Cup final against Leicester in three weeks time in Cardiff. However, Cardiff hooker Jonathan Humphreys was sent off and banned for seven days, and will miss next weekend's international against the US Eagles in Cardiff.

After a close first half which Brive shaded 9-3, the hosts went into overdrive. Tries from centre David Venditti and number eight Francois Duboisset, plus the sending off of Humphreys, helped Brive cruise to victory.

Humphreys committed a technical infringement as Brive's forwards laid siege to Cardiff's try-line to earn his dismissal.

The Welsh side, reduced to seven forwards, immediately brought on substitute hooker Paul Young, taking off 6ft 10in lock Derwyn Jones.

Cardiff, bidding to reach the final for a second successive season, trailed 16-6 when Humphreys departed, but from the ensuing scrum, Duboisset crashed over to increase Brive's lead.

Venditti also scored and in the space of 13 minutes, they turned a 9-3 interval lead into an unassailable 26-6 advantage.

Meanwhile Cardiff have lodged an appeal against Humphreys' suspension, imposed by a specially-appointed match commissioner.

Humphreys, who has led his country 13 times, was sent off in the 53rd minute for tackling Brive scrum half Philippe Carbonneau after not retreating 10 metres from a tap penalty - effectively a professional foul. Irish referee Brian Stirling had earlier cautioned Humphreys following a first half flare-up involving both sets of forwards.

But the 26-year-old will be available for Wales' Five Nations Championship opener against Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday week as the ban takes immediate effect.

Cardiff coach Terry Holmes commented: "I have no argument with the sending-off decision but I am not happy with Jonathan's first yellow card. He was trying to release himself from two or three of their players and we felt their driving maul was illegal."

However, he added: "They spoilt our line-out and were worthy winners in the end. We lost it in the third quarter when we fell off the pace against a very powerful side."

Hemi Taylor, the Cardiff captain, said: "I have no complaints about the refereeing, but perhaps a penalty try would have been fairer than the sending-off.

Venditti said afterwards: "I never had any doubts during the match. They were getting tired so we decided to step up the tempo. We had several chances and I was. sure we would come through."