Heineken Cup 1/4F - Clermont v Leiceister

[Big Ewis]

k, ASM Clermont team vs Tigers:




What to say ?...
very glad to see Cudmore and Bonnaire back. Love them both, huge warriors on the ground, will add so much physicality. Chouly's been playing much better as of 2014 and Fritz Lee is a Pac. Isl third rower at its near best. With Lapandry also on a high after a couple of very good games for France (Scotland, Ireland) off the bench.

"Ze littel général" at 9 and Brock James guiding the way, but Sivivatu missing very unfortunately...but Rougerie+Fofana with Nalaga and Fijian-French Nakaitaci looks brilliant too, and I love they're giving a highly talented J.M. Buttin a starting role here.

Tight 3 looks fine and hopefully Kayser and Domingo are really recovered from injury, and this is a big test and confirmation for the latter in the scrum after issues at test level.

Debaty always a huge plus off the bench and a much more stable scrummager these days, with Clément Ric currently heralded as France's next good tighthead. Julien Pierre to add some more combativity to the pack in the 2nd half.

So individually looking fine on paper. Now they need to play some pure ASM Clermont Rugby and make soon-to-be-departed Vern Cotter proud in the untakable volcano.

 

[TheSaffycen]

That team looks ****ing amazing !!!!! sad to see no Sivivatu but Nakaitaci is the next best thing. The bench seems weird to me having a 10 and a 12, what happens if there is an injury at 15 or can Delany cover there ? Anyway Tigers need to announce what they have.

 

[TheSaffycen]

LEICESTER TIGERS
15 Mathew Tait
14 Blaine Scully
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi
12 Anthony Allen
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Owen Williams
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Tom Youngs
3 Logovi'i Mulipola
4 Louis Deacon
5 Ed Slater (c)
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Julian Salvi
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements
16 Rob Hawkins
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Fraser Balmain
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Thomas Waldrom
21 David Mele
22 Toby Flood
23 Scott Hamilton

 

[Jaguares]

C'mon Leicester!!!!! They will wear the black jersey again?

 

[jaunard06]

I apologise if there is a Clermont fan who wants to do this but I don't know if there is one, I will try to be one-eyed to the Clermont team I don't know who is injured but I have seen the recent line-ups they've had so this is my go at it.
1. Domingo (Possibly the best Loose Head in the world)

Not more. Referees decided he was Evil - despite pushing all his opponents away he's been more sanctioned in three weeks than since the beginning of his career. No doubt than in HC, Clermont will be even more penalized, as all french clubs.

7. Bonnaire (French legend, who may be going back to Les Blues, is still a lineout weapon and tackling machine)

Don't get me wrong I love Bonnaire more than anybody else here but like for Dusautoir retirement would be an option, he was very disciplined player but this is not more the case, and he has just no more impact in the rucks.

9. Parra (In the top 2 or 3 scrum halves in the world, the petit general is world class and will make sure his pack is going forward)

Parra did a lot of stupid things even before being injured this year, he's far from his best and also lost a part of his kicking ability, For Clermont James kicks more and more, but both men miss easy penalties sometimes.

12. Fofana (the best centre in the world, he plays in the most elegant fashion but has pace and power, the best player France have produced in years)

You probably didn't follow the Top 14 this year, the real Fofana disappeared from radars, he was seen last year and was realistically one of the best centers in the world, but as well for France as for ASM he's anonymous now.

I have a bad feeling about that match, ASM this year tend to completely miss some matches away like if they were not concerned, even againt Top14 newcomers. At home we barely keep our invincibility, last year all teams were slaughtered as well in Top 14 than in HC, I believe that losing the final last year broke something, mentally we are not as strong as before. Adding to this the "special" refereeing in HC, if the match is tense and we don't do the job early in the game, we may lose confidence.

 

[Goodey]

Good to see Scully back.

Parra is a beaut ftr and the matchup between him and Youngs will be a key point of the game. I don't think we'll be the side to break Clermont's home streak but I'm pretty damn stoked for this game.

 

[Big Ewis]

you can't say Fofana has been anonymous. We haven't seen him much in yellow and blue this year it's true, but he's been excellent for France. He plays a more discreet game these days, although he'll still make the clean breaks and intercepts and all that, but saying he's "anonymous" is so bizarre.

As for Parra he's had some excellent performances this year, it's been mixed. One couldn't say he's just off-form, that's just reductive of the truth.

And Bonnaire may not be as aggressive in the rucks because of age, but he sure tackles like a motherfker still.

And jaunard if you're suggesting in any way Clermont winning this is anything of a surprise you're lying to yourself to better protect yourself in case the worst happens. The Tigers are a very good club, but this is Clermont Auvergne. This is Stade Marcel Michelin. Although it is possible (unlike Japan beating South Africa for e.g.), the Tigers winning this would be a big surprise and nothing short of it.

 

[TheSaffycen]

And jaunard if you're suggesting in any way Clermont winning this is anything of a surprise you're lying to yourself to better protect yourself in case the worst happens. The Tigers are a very good club, but this is Clermont Auvergne. This is Stade Marcel Michelin. Although it is possible (unlike Japan beating South Africa for e.g.), the Tigers winning this would be a big surprise and nothing short of it.

It's because fans always try too look humble so they don't get labelled as arrogant, it's a weird one where you can't be too supportive of your team because it's arrogant or brash instead of being proud of your team. The other thing is Clermont areMASSIVE chokers and I think that Clermont fans know this so I bet they wouldn't be so surprised if they ended up ****ing this one up. Imagine Parra gets injured, Brock James will be kicking !! He must handle pressure worse than a dyslexic on countdown.

 

[Big Ewis]

"It's been five long years since Vern Cotter's Clermont have lost at Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin. An incredible 74 straight victories cloak Saturday's hosts in an aura of invincibility, sitting pretty at the heart of what seems an impregnable fortress. On the face of it, it's a daunting prospect for the Tigers 23 tasked with storming Château Clermont."
(...)
continue reading preview article heaahh
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_9248062,00.html

 

[gaston le gaff]

Not quite 5 years yet, but will be in 6/7 months, the No 75's may give Clermont a good game and may even come close, but knowing several of the Clermont players and Staff, it is something that is unique to Clermont, i have personally never encountered this attitude before, they will not lose, bodies will be put on the line before that record goes, and when one day it does it will stand for many many years.
After visiting Clermont you may understand a little better why!!!!!!!! just listen to the suppporters, in Marcel Michelin there are no spectateurs just supporters, 98 % full capacity all year round on average!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The guy who wrote the article has obviously never been to Clermont, he states...
"in the Top 14 and the Premiership, neither is well-liked outwith their own rugby-mad bubbles. These are tough teams to play, hostile places to travel to - areas of France and England you'd probably never visit but for sport.
It's a case of "No-one likes us, we don't care." And since fans often reserve their deepest hatred for teams who frequently get the better of their own, perhaps that is the greatest compliment that can be paid to either. "
Clermont is one of the best if not the best away games of the season and i have been royally treated at Leicester this season when we played them. The Saffycen quotes "they are massive Chokers, obviously just reads of years gone and knows nothing of todays Clermont (10 Final lost but since they have one) and now the monkey is off the back. the feline types will become No.75 shortly.

 

[Big Ewis]

haha, gaston
But although everything you're saying seems true and I believe you, Clermont may have the strictest attitude and culture possible but they've come close before at home. Just look at some weeks ago against a starless Toulon squad in Michelin.

As for the chokers thing, it's well documented and all that but I think ppl push it a bit too hard.
Anyways, seeing what happened to Toulouse at Munster, I sure hope Clermont avenges the French name. With class.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Leicester have been massively on the back foot since the whistle went.


Great crossfield from Williams!

Deacon, Gibson and Crane are really not up to the power that Clermont are offering up from their forwards. Seems strange that a team like Tigers, who pride themselves on their forwards, have such average players in Crane/Deacon (I know that Gibson wouldn't be in the 23 but for Croft and Mafi being out).

 

[jonny24]

Come on tigers! In liking the comeback

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Tom Youngs is an absolute tool. Two penalties in 60 seconds which might have costed Tigers any chance of success in this game.

 

[Aristodemus]

Tom Youngs has given alot of penalties away today.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

And that was an idiotic call from Rolland. Great catch from Scully but he was holding on the floor for a full 2 seconds before help arrived.

 

[ruggabee]

And that was an idiotic call from Rolland. Great catch from Scully but he was holding on the floor for a full 2 seconds before help arrived.

It looked like the 2 Clermont players were over Scully but the ball was free so he couldn't have been done for holding on.

 

[Jaguares]

Very difficult game to Tigers

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

How did Rolland miss that knock on? A small but costly thing to miss.

 

[Jaguares]

C'mon Tigers! Push push push!