1
Clermont march into semis by ending Toulon hoodoo
Clermont Auvergne gained a measure of revenge over Toulon by beating their Top 14 rivals 29-9 on Sunday to secure the last semi-final berth in the European Champions Cup.
ADVERTISEMENT
Franck Azema’s men initially found it tough to pull clear of the team that had beaten them in the 2013 and 2015 finals, forging ahead three times through the left boot of Morgan Parra, only for Leigh Halfpenny to respond in kind on each occasion.
However, a 61st-minute try from France wing Noa Nakaitaci enabled Clermont to finally claim a significant advantage and Toulon looked to run out of steam as the match slipped away from them thereafter.
A late score from replacement Damian Penaud rubbed salt in the wound for the visitors to Stade Marcel Michelin, although Clermont were unarguably deserved winners after dominating the second period.
The top seeds from the pool stage will now face Leinster in Lyon for a place in the final, with Munster and reigning champions Saracens contesting the other last-four tie.
FULL TIME: A huge performance in the final quarter ensures that @ASMOfficiel take their place in the last four #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/LhtOcXpH2e
— Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 2, 2017
A bruising first half provided little in the way of free-flowing play, with both sides struggling to find rhythm going forward.
There was initial encouragement for the Clermont pack as they won a penalty at a scrum that enabled Parra to kick the first points of the match.
Both Parra and Toulon full-back Halfpenny then missed subsequent attempts at goal, before the latter levelled the score in the 22nd minute off the back of a driving maul forcing an infringement.
ADVERTISEMENT
Parra soon had his side back in front, but, although Halfpenny was guilty of a second wayward kick, the Wales international made no mistake with his next attempt when the hosts were caught offside.
However, Clermont were starting to build momentum as the interval loomed and they initially continued in the same vein after the break, Parra again splitting the posts after an attack involving Scott Spedding and Nakaitaci had almost resulted in a try.
Toulon refused to fold and Halfpenny again pulled them level with 22 minutes remaining, yet that was to be as good as things got for the men in red.
Nakaitaci was left with an easy finish after Toulon’s defence had been worn down by a powerful home attack and a Lopez drop-goal in the 71st minute effectively made the game safe.
ADVERTISEMENT
A collision with a leaping Bryan Habana led to Nakaitaci leaving the field late on, but his replacement, Penaud, had the final say when streaking clear down the left for a try Parra converted.
Victoire 29-9 face au RCT ! L ´ASM en demi finale ! pic.twitter.com/fE2sDgaVtg
— ASM Rugby (@ASMOfficiel) April 2, 2017
Comments on RugbyPass
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to comments