Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Clermont outscore Leinster to set up mouth watering return game

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Clermont outscore Leinster to set up mouth watering return game

Leinster were beaten 20-13 by Clermont Auvergne on the weekend but managed to salvage a losing bonus point ahead of their return Heineken Cup meeting in Dublin. The Irish side remain top of Pool two.

Wing Shane Horgan scored early on for the visitors before Julien Malzieu crossed for a try that was converted by Morgan Parra. Penalties followed, with the halftime scored locked t 10-10 after a tense first forty.

A second Clermont try was scored by Anthony Floch. Jonathan Sexton and Parra then exchanged penalties, but Leinster couldn’t get close enough to take the win. Coach Joe Schmidt has said that his side were ‘absolutely gutted’ at the result, but they did okay.

"I'm proud of them. Sometimes you don't get what you set out to try to achieve and it is frustrating but you can keep your head up when you try to your maximum. They deserved it.

"We feel we didn't quite get the rub of the green - a few things didn't quite go our way.

"We do, at the same time, take our hats off to Clermont. You know once they get momentum - and they got two very good tries - that they will be hard to stop."

The two sides meet again this coming weekend at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

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Elsewhere, Paul O’Connell has been handed a four week suspension after he lashed out at Jonathan Thomas in Munster’s game against Ospreys this past weekend.

They have the right to appeal, but team manager Shaun Payne has said they will wait for the written statement before assessing the situation further.

Time: 05:50

First

By sylvain, at December 16, 2010 2:05 pm
By the way, i can't wait for the next round

By sylvain, at December 16, 2010 2:05 pm
Best game of the weekend, both teams played really well.
The next round will be enormous in Ireland but i reckon Leinster will be too good with home advantage.

By Oli, at December 16, 2010 2:33 pm
Cheers RD,
I've looked at your website for a few years now, always a very good quality of posts! This is my first comment though.

Can you show highlights on the Quins v Connacht game? Tom Guest was brilliant in it and after the WC i'd love to see him get a chance for England.

He scored a cracking try and set up the other with style!

By Anonymous, at December 16, 2010 2:47 pm
This game was just further proof that Sexton has no business trying to kick from hand. He's great at getting it between the posts, but he's also great at putting it out on the full.

McFadden is great to watch - he's like the roadrunner. His little legs get spinning at 100 mph and he takes off deceptively fast. Also, was that McLaughlin at 6 with the scrumcap? He had a pretty good game, too.

Unfortunate for Leinster, but Clermont kept their head on straight and came out the stronger side, so they deserved to win for sure.

By Mr. Pink, at December 16, 2010 3:25 pm
sean obrien, shane jennings and heaslip at 8. dominic ryan came on for heaslip and obrien moved in to 8

By Anonymous, at December 16, 2010 3:52 pm
The game is quite physical but lacks real pace and intensity that is seen in southern hemisphere competitions.

By Anonymous, at December 16, 2010 4:27 pm
Leinster needs to take lessons on offloading, maybe watch some SBW footage.
Kept losing the ball from bad passes.

Intense looking game.

By Stubby, at December 16, 2010 4:29 pm
maybe put the POC update in the POC post?

sylvain you wanker

By Anonymous, at December 16, 2010 4:32 pm
1.30

sexton being taken out off the ball.typical dirty french team

By Leeners93, at December 16, 2010 4:47 pm
a good match between 2 great teams.
the next match in dublin will be a classic!

By Flooz, at December 16, 2010 5:05 pm
@leeners93, you are a typical idiot.

By Anonymous, at December 16, 2010 5:23 pm
what a shame paulo left the crusaders. he's such a battering ram!

By opfazonk, at December 16, 2010 5:28 pm
@Anonymous:
i'm agree with you Leeners93 is a typical idiot.

By Anonymous, at December 16, 2010 5:41 pm
great game, leinster could have won it but its never easy against a team of clermont's quality. Most impressive tho has to be how they managed to do that without half their backline (BOD, Kearney and Fitzgerald) and without their best player in heaslip for the 2nd half and a wounded O'Brien. McFadden has been knocking on the door for a while now and i wouldnt be shocked to actuall see him retain his place with kearney going to the bench and fitzy at 15. Think we'd be more dangerous that way, kearney needs to play like he did when he first appeared. These days all he does is run towards tacklers, stop, spin and go nowhere. He has the talent, he just doesn't always use it. I worry though about next week, full strength I think we would win by over 7 points but if O'Malley isn't fit and BOD, Heaslip et al are still out i dont see us winning this one. Pity because when fully fit they are a top 4 side in europe.

By james, at December 16, 2010 5:54 pm
Couldn't believe how good O' Malley did. Can't wait him to take the green 13 shirt from BOD when the days comes. He's a perfect replacement.

I agree that Leinster need an offloading game. They rely too much on their BOD, set plays and set pieces. If you combine that back line with offloading, they'd be very very difficult to beat.

By KG, at December 16, 2010 6:42 pm
"1.30

sexton being taken out off the ball.typical dirty french team"

Bit of a cheap shot. And high. But the game was clean for the most part, but very physical.

By KG, at December 16, 2010 6:43 pm
James,

You sound a bit negative for the return. Almost thought you were French for a while.... ;-)

In france, the news were that Heaslip is going to play, and only some uncertainties remain for BOD.

This was indeed a great game, and I agree that both teams could have won it.

Lauaki is rising his game since a few weeks and making a difference for Clermont. Also good to see Malzieu slowly coming back to his international level (still no there but going the right way).

I was really impressed by Leinster quality of play. For me, they are currently the best in Europe. Still hope Clermont will make me eat my words.

Meanwhile, I heard 41,000 seats sold for a group game...

More than 7 points with a full squad for Leinster..... I am willing to bet a bunch of Kilkenny or Guiness for more than 14 points....:-)

By Flipje, at December 16, 2010 6:44 pm
without o'mally drico heaslip fitz and kearny going to be tough :( if that team was still fit we could easily win o'mally adds a great spark in centre bit like fitz does the few times he played there if mc fadden was at any other club he would be a well known player in europe just is abit hidden from the lime light with darcy and bod in the squad but after world cup he will shine pity he got injured in the ba bas match last summer could of got some game time..
finally how is declan kidney ignoring the likes of ross look at our scrum strong and secure against one of the best units in french club rugby remember 2 weeks ago that team was ontop of Toulouse's scrum but not ours cum on mike ross!!!!!

By Anonymous, at December 16, 2010 7:33 pm
"if that team was still fit we could easily win" ... I doubt about the "easily" thing. Just remember last year quarterfinal.

By numéro 8, at December 16, 2010 7:46 pm
better team this year tho stronger front row with our new South african loose head pro, with jennings heaslip
and o brien one of the best back row in europe!! onform darcy! better cover in ruddock and ryan for back row and tonner for second row healy impact prop then if we had mc fadden and o'mally on the bench with a choice of berne to join as well and still a fight for winger fullback between isa fitz kearny and shaggy! some team i know that clermont our a serious team but leinster backs and forwards our playin really direct under joes guidance

By Anonymous, at December 16, 2010 7:59 pm
O'Malley offered a different option at outside centre, and complemented (an of-late reformed) D'arcy in the middle. His pace is massive, and key to a functioning Leinster attack. The two stalwards of D'arcy and O'Driscoll tend to slow down any backline moves, in spite of their obvious nous and, in the latter's case, skill with ball in hand.

Similarly with McFadden, he has found a comfort zone on the wing, and as a small stepper who is hard to tackle, is a wonderful foil to big ol' Shaggy and the pivotal Nacewa, who Liam Toland rightly declared as the best attacking fullback in the country. That backline which lined out in Clermont-Ferrand seemed to breathe life into one another; since the days of Hickie and Dempsey, such synergy has been rare at Leinster. I'll stop there, not to get carried away with this once off. McFadden's ascendancy to centre is still a work in progress, and though I'm sure we'll one day flourish there, it's super to see him prove influential out on the wing.

Not enough can be said of O'Brien. He is Ireland's number one ball carrier, and on the back of that underwhelming November series, it is evident his skills are near crucial for Ireland to get a front foot in future internationals. Indeed, I feel his majestic ability to power through the gain line probably takes away from his other attributes, so to spell it out: he can tackle, he can snatch, he's an excellent openside (who just so happens to perform anywhere in the backrow). Again, bringing this to the national side, a backrow of

6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip

19. Leamy / Wallace

would storm next year's 6 Nations. Here's hoping opportunity knocks on SOB's door in the spring.

The endeavours of Mike Ross at tighthead should not be overlooked. During his maiden season in a blue shirt, he did fail to take the bull by the horns (proverbial, not southern variety) and criticism of his play around the park was merited. However, on the back of poor Stan's injury, he has returned to the level of performance that had them raving at The Stoop. He's now turning up in the loose, secure in the tight and monstrous in the scrum. His latest accomplishments against the awesome pack of Les Jaunards are proof of his prowess. Considering Tom Court's continued efforts up in Ulster, Declan Kidney may well miss a trick in sticking with Healy and Buckley.

All this said, I'm none too confident of any kind of win for the home team this Saturday. I do expect a clinical display from ASM, or at least hope for one (in full stride, is there a better team in the Northern hemisphere?) The French outfit left points behind at the Parc des Sports, and they'll be charged after the disappointment of last year's quarter final exit. On top of all that, Thornley of the Times makes a fine point with regard to the venue; the less intimate nature of the Avi-...Lansdowne Road could negate from Leinster's home advantage. Fans will want to be in good form!

Whatever way the result goes, here's hoping for some fireworks this weekend!!

...except without the fireworks, please.

By Brian, at December 16, 2010 8:31 pm
This comment has been removed by the author.

By Brian, at December 16, 2010 8:31 pm
My mouth was not the only thing that was dribbling when I watched this game...

mmm yum yum

By Flooz, at December 16, 2010 8:57 pm
Flooz, i doubt you are the real Flooz

RD i think you can't cancel this comment
some people become very pathetic here...

Heaslip will be fit for the match

By Gavin, at December 16, 2010 9:27 pm
^^ Stop impersonating me please.

Great try by Horgan he has really grown in stature this year along side his No. 9 which was a great effort really out of his own 22. always exciting to watch youngsters come into their own. Shame about Leinster though pretty disappointed.

By Gavin, at December 16, 2010 11:03 pm
Looked a very good game.

Clermont are just an absolute bulldozer, massive team, not that Leinster are small but Clermont's pack is big enough, not to mention some of those backs.

Lauaki is probably loving the French cuisine!

By John F, at December 16, 2010 11:34 pm
That last tackle by, Dominic Ryan I think, was the probably the best thing I've ever seen. It could not have been better or done to a bigger or stronger player. Simply magnificent.

By Kearney for bench, at December 17, 2010 2:07 am
8==o _/\_I_o

By Leinster got, at December 17, 2010 2:58 am
1:57 definitely the most uncoordinated take iv seen on a rugby field this year :-)

By Noma, at December 17, 2010 3:01 am
I also agree, Leeners93 is a typical idiot.

Lauaki is a beast.

By Anonymous, at December 17, 2010 3:06 am
Um it was me actually, I'm just saying the game got me very excited, I was 'up' all day when watching it. I mean I started watching the game and I was a bit down but things literally picked up when I got into it, I couldn't control my body or my actions!!!!

And yeh like I said my mouth was watering with anticipation and it wasn't the only thing dribbling!!!

Mmmmmmmmm agree with some of you guys I'd imagine Lauaki does seem like a beast. I'd love to get a good besting from him.....I gotta go on that thought, (things are picking up again)

By Flooz, at December 17, 2010 5:44 am
Morgan Parra showed why he's my favorite 9 in the game :) SUCH vision...

By Chambo, at December 17, 2010 7:49 am
Great game from two excellent teams. Really impressed with Malzieu (spelling?). The game was like a boxing match - the two teams beat each other up in the first half, and I think Clearmont with home advantage were just stronger in the second half.

By Mike, at December 17, 2010 10:51 am
Agree with Mike, Malzieu had quite an impressive game. Kinda makes one wonder how wingers like Palisson and Andreu can be playing international rugby while Médard and Malzieu are not...

By Manuel, at December 17, 2010 2:27 pm
bod fit for the match gives us a chance to win the match!! think leinster are going to try and out tempo clermont this week with the team thats been picked healy and reddan the 2 unforced changes! just look at clermonts defence lot of space when we ran at them the mc fadden break for instance!!!!!!

every one keeps talkin about the quality of clermont and there budget irish rugby is in great shape with young talent like o mally mc fadden obrien and ryan standing up to big budget world recognized players!! so here please can i start the call to get the ultra negative irish rugby is in doom depressing commentary from george hook that he speaks of our air ways and papers pure shite!!!!

By Anonymous, at December 17, 2010 3:18 pm
lol it was nice to see Heaslip get bashed around ALL game, he had quite a shocker of a game, especially in defense. Took some tips from ROG a couple times. Great game tho, go ASM

By a couple knees to the head, at December 17, 2010 5:45 pm
a couple of knees to the head!!! heaslip was injured for the majority of that match!!! he,s one of the best 8's in the world and if he is fully fit we will see who gets bashed around sat!!!
amas=zing thing about him tho is this is one of his first injury as a professional he's like feckin iron man!!!!

By Anonymous, at December 18, 2010 12:43 am
having watched the whole match, and the highlights here i think the offloading was pretty good actually.

I remember at the time thinking that the offloading by these two clubs seemed better than by most of the NH clubs in the recent autumn internationals.

There is the odd missed one here, but that one from sexton to Nascewa that didn't come off was v cheeky in the first place (esp if u see a few replays of it, not available here)
May not be at the top top level of the SH but not a negative part of the game of wither of these two clubs IMO.

By Mise, at December 18, 2010 1:56 am
24 - 8...nice comeback!

By Jack78, at December 19, 2010 10:38 am
yep couple of knees to the head; you aint so chirpy now lol!! you dick

By Kenny, at December 20, 2010 11:33 am