Leinster 15
Clermont Auvergne 7
LEINSTER ARE TWO from two in the Champions Cup but for the second week running the province will have frustrations around many elements of their performance.
In Bristol last weekend Leo Cullen’s side recovered from an error-ridden first half to finish strongly and while they had to work hard to see off Clermont Auvergne on a chilly Dublin night, this round two victory was far from convincing, with a Christmas bonus point never looking likely for the hosts.
Two first half tries, courtesy of Garry Ringrose and Jordie Barrett, alongside a second-half Sam Prendergast penalty proved enough for the province but they made life difficult for themselves in front of almost 35,000 supporters at the Aviva.
For large periods Leinster’s attack struggled for cohesion while their lineout work was messy throughout – losing seven across the 80 minutes.
After a fractured start to the game Clermont struck first. They pinched a lineout in the Leinster 22 and built some territory before Irae Simone – the 29-year-old centre starting at out-half for the first time – went to the boot. His kick bounced fortuitously for Pierre Fouyssac. Clermont got quick ball and as Leinster scrambled back Alivereti Raka went over the top to score from close range, with Baptiste Jauneau adding the conversion.
Leinster’s inaccurate start continued with the home side also losing their next two lineouts. First, Clermont got up to steal the ball after an excellent Prendergast kick gave his side an opportunity from the 5m line.
A few minutes later Leinster were set up on the opposite side near the 22, but Rónan Kelleher’s deep throw was crooked.
In between, the province worked their way into a promising position in the 22 before Andrew Porter was pinged for not releasing.
A lively opening period was full of incident with no return for Leinster, as home debutant Jordie Barrett experienced a few difficult moments at fullback.
In the 22nd minute they finally made their possession count. Attacking from a lineout, this time Kelleher’s throw was clean and Leinster quickly worked the ball across the posts. Prendergast linked beautifully with Deegan before hitting Ringrose, who ran a sweet line to score. Prendergast’s conversion levelled the scores.
Clermont almost immediately hit back. Prendergast couldn’t gather a dropping ball, setting the French side racing for the line after Simone did well to scoop up possession. A clinical counter looked inevitable but the final pass was slightly behind Alex Newsome. The fullback couldn’t get his hands on the ball and Barrett was on hand to clear the danger.
The New Zealander’s intervention sparked an end-to-end Leinster move, with James Ryan breaking away from a cluster of Clermont bodies in midfield. Liam Turner added momentum after cleverly avoiding a tackle out wide, and a breathless burst of play ended with a Leinter penalty near the Clermont posts. What followed was clinical, the ball moving hands between Jamison Gibson-Park, Deegan, Prendergast and Barrett, who muscled through two defenders to score. Prendergast’s conversion struck the post but his team led by five following two tries in four devastating minutes.
That was as good as it got in the opening period as the game became increasingly fractured, with the home support voicing their displeasure at some of Luke Pearce’s decisions. A spirited, physical Clermont side will have felt they should have had more to show to for their efforts at half-time.
Leinster carried their own frustrations into the second half – within a minute of the restart Kelleher was watching another lineout throw end up in Clermont hands. It was their fifth lost lineout of the night.
Another superb Prendergast penalty put Leinster back on the 5m, and while they executed the lineout the ball was lost on the ground and Clermont survived.
Prendergast was having a fine game and an attempted chip over the top saw the out-half clattered to the ground in the process, resulting in a yellow card for Clermont second row Peceli Yato. As Prendergast dusted himself down to add three points from the tee, Leo Cullen sent in RG Snyman, Jack Conan, Rabah Slimani and Gus McCarthy.
In Bristol Leinster’s changes had immediately lifted things but here they found themselves on the backfoot as the errors began to pile up. Two Prendergast kicks failed to find touch in quick succession before the 21-year-old knocked on while trying to police a Clermont kick along the touchline.
On the hour mark Leinster moved into a promising attack but saw it stopped as Barrett fired a close pass at Snyman’s head. There was little the South African lock could do as the ball was knocked-on.
A booming Barrett kick then put Clermont under pressure on the edge of their 22. Leinster got up to disrupt the lineout but Barnabe Massa still managed to peel out with the ball. Clermont broke down the wing and the try looked on, but Porter worked hard to scramble back and make an important intervention. The French side came away with a scrum but Leinster won a pressure-relieving penalty as the rain picked up.
The pace of the game was now far removed from the flowing first half but Leinster were doing enough to keep their visitors at arm’s length – another scrum ending with Slimani winning Leinster’s second scrum penalty on the bounce. Ross Byrne sent his team into the 22 but Leinster’s accuracy let them down at the lineout again.
Leinster spent the closing minutes into the Clermont 22 while failing to punch a hole. Conan had the tryline in his sights but knocked-on at the posts. Leinster followed up with a penalty, but Pearce correctly spotted that Fintan Gunne didn’t tap the ball off his boot as he attempted a quick-tap.
It was a sloppy end to a largely forgettable encounter. Leinster dug deep to avoid an upset but have plenty to address before they return to this competition after the Christmas interpos.
Leinster scorers:
Tries – Ringrose, Barrett
Conversion – Prendergast [1/2]
Penalty – Prendergast [1/1]
Clermont scorers:
Try – Raka
Conversion – Jauneau [1/1]
LEINSTER: Jordie Barrett; Liam Turner (Andrew Osborne, 53), Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien; Sam Prendergast (Ross Byrne, 65), Jamison Gibson-Park (Fintan Gunne, 65); Andrew Porter (Cian Healy, 76), Rónan Kelleher (Gus McCarthy, 48), Tom Clarkson (Rabah Slimani, 48); Joe McCarthy (RG Snyman, 48), James Ryan; Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier (Jack Conan, 48), Caelan Doris (capt).
CLERMONT: Alex Newsome; Lucas Tauzin, Pierre Fouyssac (Theo Giral, 28), George Moala (Ben Urdapilleta, 17 HIA), Alivereti Raka; Irae Simone, Baptiste Jauneau (Sebastien Bezy, 68); Etienne Falgoux (Barnabe Massa, 52), Etienne Fourcade (Giorgi Akhaladze, 52), Michael Ala’alatoa (Cristian Ojovan, HT); Peceli Yato, Rob Simmons; Killian Tixeront, Alexandre Fischer (Antoine Chalus-Cercy,, 68), Fritz Lee (capt).
Yellow card: Peceli Yato 48
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Eddie howe seems to get a very easy ride from the media
Julen Lopetegui you footballing genius COYI