Ciarán Kennedy
Reports from the Stade Marcel-Michelin
Clermont Auvergne 23
Leinster 48
THE STADE MARCEL-MICHELIN isn’t quite the bear pit of old, but it still has its moments.
As Leinster applied the squeeze in their first Champions Cup outing of the season, the drums boomed and the whistles rang down from the steep stands. This wasn’t the Clermont experience of old, but Leinster navigated a potentially sticky tie with relative comfort, pulling clear in the second period to win with a bonus-point.
In a somewhat scrappy encounter, Leinster sprinkled in some moments of real quality, with Sam Prendergast impressing in the 10 shirt for the second week running and supplying the pick of the tries, which came between scores from Tadhg Furlong, a Dan Sheehan brace, Jack Conan, Tommy O’Brien and a penalty try.
A view of the Leinster team during a tribute to Hyron Andrews. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
The province trailed 16-15 at the break, scoring tries through Furlong and Sheehan, but kept at arm’s length by the boot of Harry Plummer.
The out-half kicked three first-half penalties and added a conversion from Bautista Delguy’s 32nd-minute try – a rare moment of attacking quality from the home side.
In the second half Leinster flexed their muscle with a more dominant 40 minutes.
It was a lively morning in Clermont-Ferrand, as hundreds of protesters gathered near the city’s main square, where they were met with tear gas long before the visiting Leinster supporters started to make their way out to the ground.
The disruption didn’t reach the streets around the stadium, which remains one of the great venues in European rugby, with the only fumes in the air the lingering smoke from the pre-game fireworks.
Clermont have been struggling to find their own spark recently, losing four of their opening six Top 14 games, and Christophe Urios’ men again lacked a cutting edge here, while in the first half even their more reliable areas of strength – setpiece – proved problematic. Some of the local media felt Leinster could win by 40 to 50 points, a prediction informed by concerns around Clermont’s issues as much it was the Test-quality stacked side fielded by Leo Cullen.
Leinster did look the more threatening in the early moments, Jimmy O’Brien going close after showing good acceleration in a kick-and-chase against Clermont winger Delguy, having been released by a smart Prendergast kick.
Inside 10 minutes they had their first score, Furlong finishing powerfully after Sheehan went sniping on the shortside from a line out, allowing the forwards win more ground under the posts before Fintan Gunne found the tighthead prop with a neat offload. Prendergast added the extras to take full advantage.
Clermont's Thibaud Lanen and Leinster’s Ryan Baird compete for a lineout. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Clermont responded with a quick double of Plummer penalties, the first following a high tackle from Robbie Henshaw, the second for offside.
Yet the home side handed Leinster opportunities to build pressure through their own sloppy discipline, Plummer pinged at the ruck before Darcy Swain needlessly held Prendergast on the ground following a borderline late tackle.
Just short of the half hour, a poorly-executed Clermont lineout handed Leinster their second try. Throwing on their 5-metre line, James Ryan got up to disrupt, as Killian Tixeront batted the ball back. Sheehan was onto the loose ball in a flash to touch down, with Prendergast snapping his conversation attempt wide on the near side.
Minutes later, it was Leinster rueing a succession of errors, Gunne blocked down inside his own 22 before Prendergast kicked the ball dead on the full.
The scrum invited Clermont to build pressure near the try line, before the ball was moved wide for Delguy to provide the finish. Plummer’s conversion pushed Clermont into a 13-12 lead.
Both sides then traded penalties, Prendergast nailing his first three-pointer of the day before Plummer responded from distance, the hosts one point clear at the break.
Clermont threatened straight after the restart before Prendergast turned on the style.
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Running the ball from deep, the out-half sliced through two defenders before executing a beautifully-measured low kick wide to Jimmy O’Brien. The winger did well to control the ball with his foot before carrying and playing it back inside to Prendergast, who finished the move he had started well inside the Leinster 22, and tapping over the conversion for good measure.
Leinster's Sam Prendergast celebrates with Fintan Gunne after scoring his sides third try. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Leinster were living in the Clermont half now, and the French outfit were creaking under the pressure. After a succession of infringements, Leinster forced a penalty try, with tighthead Nohem Ez Zahouany sent to the bin.
They followed with their first maul try of the season, Sheehan getting the ball down after a strong push from the Leinster pack. Prendergast’s conversion made it a 20-point game with just under 20 to play, pushing the contest beyond Clermont’s reach.
Yet with a string of changes, the game opened up, Mathys Belaubre making an immediate impact after running a smart line and finishing under the posts through Gunne and Josh van Der Flier.
Leinster hit back through an excellent play from Jack Conan, who left the field injured as Prendergast knocked over the extras.
In the 73rd minute, Joey Carbery replaced Sam Prendergast to make his second Leinster debut, and first appearance for his home province since 2018. He had few involvements, dragging a conversion wide after Jimmy O’Brien went over in the corner for Leinster’s seventh try in the closing moments.
With the first hurdle cleared in Europe, Cullen’s side can now look forward to an Aviva Stadium URC meeting with Munster next Saturday night.
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw (Jamie Osborne, 60), Jimmy O’Brien; Sam Prendergast (Joey Carbery, 73), Fintan Gunne (Oliver Coffey, 68) (Gunde 75 HIA); Andrew Porter (Alex Usanov, 70), Dan Sheehan (capt) (Ronan Kelleher, 66), Tadhg Furlong (Tom Clarkson, 66); Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (Conor O’Tighearnaigh, 65); Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (Scott Penny, 66).
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Second-half surge sees Leinster clear Clermont test
Clermont Auvergne 23
Leinster 48
THE STADE MARCEL-MICHELIN isn’t quite the bear pit of old, but it still has its moments.
As Leinster applied the squeeze in their first Champions Cup outing of the season, the drums boomed and the whistles rang down from the steep stands. This wasn’t the Clermont experience of old, but Leinster navigated a potentially sticky tie with relative comfort, pulling clear in the second period to win with a bonus-point.
In a somewhat scrappy encounter, Leinster sprinkled in some moments of real quality, with Sam Prendergast impressing in the 10 shirt for the second week running and supplying the pick of the tries, which came between scores from Tadhg Furlong, a Dan Sheehan brace, Jack Conan, Tommy O’Brien and a penalty try.
The province trailed 16-15 at the break, scoring tries through Furlong and Sheehan, but kept at arm’s length by the boot of Harry Plummer.
The out-half kicked three first-half penalties and added a conversion from Bautista Delguy’s 32nd-minute try – a rare moment of attacking quality from the home side.
In the second half Leinster flexed their muscle with a more dominant 40 minutes.
It was a lively morning in Clermont-Ferrand, as hundreds of protesters gathered near the city’s main square, where they were met with tear gas long before the visiting Leinster supporters started to make their way out to the ground.
The disruption didn’t reach the streets around the stadium, which remains one of the great venues in European rugby, with the only fumes in the air the lingering smoke from the pre-game fireworks.
Clermont have been struggling to find their own spark recently, losing four of their opening six Top 14 games, and Christophe Urios’ men again lacked a cutting edge here, while in the first half even their more reliable areas of strength – setpiece – proved problematic. Some of the local media felt Leinster could win by 40 to 50 points, a prediction informed by concerns around Clermont’s issues as much it was the Test-quality stacked side fielded by Leo Cullen.
Leinster did look the more threatening in the early moments, Jimmy O’Brien going close after showing good acceleration in a kick-and-chase against Clermont winger Delguy, having been released by a smart Prendergast kick.
Inside 10 minutes they had their first score, Furlong finishing powerfully after Sheehan went sniping on the shortside from a line out, allowing the forwards win more ground under the posts before Fintan Gunne found the tighthead prop with a neat offload. Prendergast added the extras to take full advantage.
Clermont responded with a quick double of Plummer penalties, the first following a high tackle from Robbie Henshaw, the second for offside.
Yet the home side handed Leinster opportunities to build pressure through their own sloppy discipline, Plummer pinged at the ruck before Darcy Swain needlessly held Prendergast on the ground following a borderline late tackle.
Just short of the half hour, a poorly-executed Clermont lineout handed Leinster their second try. Throwing on their 5-metre line, James Ryan got up to disrupt, as Killian Tixeront batted the ball back. Sheehan was onto the loose ball in a flash to touch down, with Prendergast snapping his conversation attempt wide on the near side.
Minutes later, it was Leinster rueing a succession of errors, Gunne blocked down inside his own 22 before Prendergast kicked the ball dead on the full.
The scrum invited Clermont to build pressure near the try line, before the ball was moved wide for Delguy to provide the finish. Plummer’s conversion pushed Clermont into a 13-12 lead.
Both sides then traded penalties, Prendergast nailing his first three-pointer of the day before Plummer responded from distance, the hosts one point clear at the break.
Clermont threatened straight after the restart before Prendergast turned on the style.
Running the ball from deep, the out-half sliced through two defenders before executing a beautifully-measured low kick wide to Jimmy O’Brien. The winger did well to control the ball with his foot before carrying and playing it back inside to Prendergast, who finished the move he had started well inside the Leinster 22, and tapping over the conversion for good measure.
Leinster were living in the Clermont half now, and the French outfit were creaking under the pressure. After a succession of infringements, Leinster forced a penalty try, with tighthead Nohem Ez Zahouany sent to the bin.
They followed with their first maul try of the season, Sheehan getting the ball down after a strong push from the Leinster pack. Prendergast’s conversion made it a 20-point game with just under 20 to play, pushing the contest beyond Clermont’s reach.
Yet with a string of changes, the game opened up, Mathys Belaubre making an immediate impact after running a smart line and finishing under the posts through Gunne and Josh van Der Flier.
Leinster hit back through an excellent play from Jack Conan, who left the field injured as Prendergast knocked over the extras.
In the 73rd minute, Joey Carbery replaced Sam Prendergast to make his second Leinster debut, and first appearance for his home province since 2018. He had few involvements, dragging a conversion wide after Jimmy O’Brien went over in the corner for Leinster’s seventh try in the closing moments.
With the first hurdle cleared in Europe, Cullen’s side can now look forward to an Aviva Stadium URC meeting with Munster next Saturday night.
Clermont scorers:
Tries – Delguy, Belaubre
Penalties – Plummer [3/3]
Conversions – Plummer [2/2]
Leinster scorers:
Tries – Furlong, Sheehan [2], Prendergast, Penalty Try, Conan, T O’Brien
Penalty – Prendergast [1/1]
Conversions – Prendergast [4/5], Carbery [0/1]
CLERMONT: Justin Bouraux; Bautista Delguy, AJ Lam (Mathys Belaubre, 62), Léon Darricarrere, Joris Jurand; Harry Plummer (capt), Baptiste Jauneau (Baptiste Germain, 66); Giorgi Akhaladze (Sacha Lotrian, 63), Barnabe Massa (Peniami Narisia, 57), Nohem Ez Zahouany (Matheo Frisach, 66); Thibaud Lanen (Leo Michaux Vargas, 19-30 HIA), Darcy Swain (Leo Michaux Vargas, 57); Killian Tixeront (Antoine Chalus-Cercy, 57), Anthime Hemery, Kevin Noah.
Yellow card: Nohem Ez Zahouany, 56
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw (Jamie Osborne, 60), Jimmy O’Brien; Sam Prendergast (Joey Carbery, 73), Fintan Gunne (Oliver Coffey, 68) (Gunde 75 HIA); Andrew Porter (Alex Usanov, 70), Dan Sheehan (capt) (Ronan Kelleher, 66), Tadhg Furlong (Tom Clarkson, 66); Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (Conor O’Tighearnaigh, 65); Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (Scott Penny, 66).
Yellow card: Joe McCarthy, 80
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
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Champions Cup Leinster Rugby Clermont Up and Running