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Romain Ntamack masters kicking game as Toulouse see off Clermont Auvergne

By PA
Romain Ntamack /PA

Romain Ntamack kicked all of his side’s points as Toulouse beat Clermont Auvergne 21-12 to secure their place in the Heineken Champions Cup semi-finals.

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Clermont struggled in the absence of their captain Camille Lopez, who was forced off in the fifth minute with a shoulder injury, with the more disciplined Toulouse side securing a meeting with fellow French club Bordeaux-Begles in the semi-final.

The game took place in heavy rain, with the kicking of Ntamack guiding his side to victory, scoring seven penalties during the game.

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Dan Biggar chats to Big Jim:

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Dan Biggar chats to Big Jim:

His opposite number, Morgan Parra, was also successful with his kicking, with four penalties, but it was not enough to beat Toulouse.

The game itself was evenly matched, with both clubs exchanging penalties, until the 62nd minute, when Ntamack kicked his fifth of the match to edge Toulouse in front.

Clermont committed a number of offsides during the game and it was that which allowed the visitors to stretch their lead.

Ntamack secured his side’s victory when he successfully mastered a long-range kick from over 45 metres out to give Toulouse a nine-point lead with less than 10 minutes left to play.

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cw 6 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Thanks JW for clarifying your point and totally agree. The ABs are still trying to find their mojo” - that spark of power that binds and defines them. Man the Boks certainly found theirs in Wellington! But I think it cannot be far off for ABs - my comment about two coaches was a bit glib. The key point for me is that they need first a coach or coaches that can unlock that power and for me that starts at getting the set piece right and especially the scrum and second a coach that can simplify the game plans. I am fortified in this view by NBs comment that most of the ABs tries come from the scrum or lineout - this is the structured power game we have been seeing all year. But it cannot work while the scrum is backpeddling. That has to be fixed ASAP if Robertson is going to stick to this formula. I also think it is too late in the cycle to reverse course and revert to a game based on speed and continuity. The second is just as important - keep it simple! Complex movements that require 196 cm 144 kg props to run around like 95kg flankers is never going to work over a sustained period. The 2024 Blues showed what a powerful yet simple formula can do. The 2025 Blues, with Beauden at 10 tried to be more expansive / complicated - and struggled for most of the season.

I also think that the split bench needs to reflect the game they “want” to play not follow some rote formula. For example the ABs impact bench has the biggest front row in the World with two props 195cm / 140 kg plus. But that bulk cannot succeed without the right power based second row (7, 4, 5, 6). That bulk becomes a disadvantage if they don’t have a rock solid base behind them - as both Boks showed at Eden Park and the English in London. Fresh powerful legs need to come on with them - thats why we need a 6-2 bench. And teams with this split can have players focused only on 40 minutes max of super high intensity play. Hence Robertson needs to design his team to accord with these basic physics.



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