Clermont 37 – Northampton 5
Clermont were equal leaders in the Top 14 but had been toweled the week before in Paris by Stade Français.
The Northampton Saints had a huge win over Wasps the previous weekend and were leading the English Premiership by a lazy ten points.
The Englanders must have fancied their chances but Stade Marcel-Michelin was a formidable arena for visitors and the Yellow Peril put them away by the interval with some brilliant play that looked like Super Rugby at its best.
First half
First-string halves Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez were absent from Clermont, as was rain-maker winger, George North from Northampton. But 12 Wesley Fofana was back in the saddle for the home team and had an influence of the game.
Fofana weaved his way through traffic after 8 Fritz Lee had busted the defence, and when big bopper winger Noah Nakaitaci received the ball he should have passed, but swatted Saints’ players away instead to score. Aussie Brock James added the extras; he had already kicked a penalty goal, so Clermont led 10-0 at 13 minutes.
Nick Abendanon – has rejuvenated his career at Clermont .
After a long time playing for Bath, fullback Nick Abendanon rejuvenated his career at Clermont who played a style of rugby suitable to his elusive talents. In the Quarter-Final he weaved his way through the Saints on several occasions and near the end of the half he nabbed a ricochet from a bomb.
He offloaded to Fofana, who stayed on his feet in traffic and slipped the ball to winger Napolioni Nalaga. After the breakdown, five metres out, James threw the perfect wide ball to Nakaitaci who wandered over for his second try. It was a wonderful ensemble movement that the Hurricanes or Waratahs would have been proud of.
The James’ pass was good but his conversion from touch was admirable also. He had kicked a penalty earlier and Clermont led 18-0 with eight minutes to go in the half.
Abendanon struck again minutes later when he stepped inside Tom Wood before passing to Fofana, who had passed him the ball seconds before. The France centre dotted down and the conversion made the score at half time 27-0.
This was against Northampton, the England champions of last season and the current leaders, but they played English rugby and kicked the ball way too much and not well either.
As commentator Stuart Barnes said about the half of rugby Northampton had experienced:
It was 40 minutes of sporting catastrophe.
Noah Nakaitaci – second try – part of the catastrophe .
Second half
Northampton looked like a decent team after the break with only a penalty goal from a ruck infringement to blot their copybook at one stage; but 15 minutes into the half Abendanon struck again.
With Northampton near the Clermont goal line and having their best attack of the day, 13 George Pisi picked up a bounced pass and the next thing he knew the Clermont fullback stripped the ball from his grasp and ran 90 metres to score under the posts.
The game was well-lost by that stage but the Saints got one moment of enjoyment. At 65 minutes when Clermont flanker Julien Bonnaire was binned and Lee was on the ground injured, Saints scored their first points of the game, against 13 men. Reserve forward Alex Waller went over following a lineout maul, though he seemed to drop the ball.
Final score: Clermont 37 – Northampton 5.
Fritz Lee – top game for Clermont .
Clermont were in their pomp, but it was a poor effort from the England champions: they were beaten in all aspects of rugby, especially in the first half. It was reminiscent of their abject display after half-time in their pool game against Racing Métro in January.
The man of the match was Nick Abendanon but 10 Brock James and 8 Fritz Lee would have been on the podium if they gave out silver and bronze medals,
Scoring
Clermont 37 (N. Nakaitaci 2, W. Fofana, N. Abdendanon tries; B. James 4 cons, 3 pens) def. Northampton 5 (A. Waller try)
