Sports
LEINSTER made it two from two in this season’s Champions Cup but were made to work for their 15-7 victory over Clermont in the Aviva Stadium.
The French visitors had taken an early lead through Alivereti Raka but would not score again after Baptiste Jauneau converted that fourth-minute score.
Leinster swung the game in their favour with two tries in the space of four first-half minutes through Garry Ringrose and Jordie Barrett, although they themselves would provide just one Sam Prendergast penalty from the 24th minute on.
Leo Cullen’s side could not take full advantage of Peceli Yato’s yellow card in the second-half and ultimately had to settle for the just the four match-points on a night they never found close to their top level.
The two sides came into the game in fine form with Leinster unbeaten in the United Rugby Championship and off the back of an away victory in Bristol to start their European campaign.
Clermont, meanwhile, had enjoyed a bonus-point win against Benetton seven days prior and sat third in the Top 14.
Both rolled the dice in the selection of inside centres in new positions.
Short-term signing Barrett made his first Leinster start as a fullback, a position familiar to the 67-times capped All Black from earlier in his career but he had not worn the 15 jersey in two years.
For Clermont, Australian Irae Simone had never started a professional game at fly-half but was wearing 10 in Dublin.
The newcomer to the jersey had a hand in the game’s opening try.
It was his grubber through that came off the boot of Max Deegan and was gathered Pierre Fouyssac. After the centre was hauled down short of the line, Raka crashed over from close range.
Across the opening quarter, a frustrated Leinster saw line-outs lost and passes both drift forward and go to ground.
It was not until the 21st minute when things really clicked, Garry Ringrose the beneficiary as he went over one pass after Deegan produced a brilliant offload out the back for Prendergast.
Clermont were foiled in their attempts to strike back immediately when a thrilling move ended when Alex Newsome lost the ball charging for the line and Leinster went straight up the other end to score.
This time, it was from a clever tap and go penalty five metres out with Barrett’s second try in as many appearances for Leinster popular among the Dublin crowd.
Despite taking some time to move through the gears, Leinster would likely have felt that with a stronger line-out, they could have been further ahead at the turn.
Second half fails to catch fire
The four-time European champions have made a habit of overpowering teams in the second half recently having used their dynamic bench to great effect against both Ulster and Bristol in their past two matches.
When, just as Peceli Yato was sent to the sin bin for a late hit on Prendergast, Cullen called on two-time World Cup winner RG Snyman as well as Irish internationals Jack Conan and Gus McCarthy, they would have expected to take control of the game.
Beyond the penalty for the initial tackle however, they would not score again before Yato returned with Prendergast twice having missed touch during the period.
Indeed, the expected push would never arrive and ultimately Leinster were thankful for their dominant scrum and one timely Deegan breakdown turnover to maintain their eight-point buffer.
One of the favourites for this competition, the hosts may have won two from two but there will remain a sense they have yet to hit top stride.
Line-ups
Leinster: Barrett; Turner, Ringrose, Henshaw, O’Brien; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Clarkson; McCarthy, Ryan; Deegan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).
Replacements: McCarthy, Healy, Slimani, Snyman, Conan, Gunne, Byrne, Osborne.
Clermont: Newsome; Tauzin, Fouyssac, Moala, Raka; Simone, Jauneau; Falgoux, Fourcade, Ala’alatoa; Yato, Simmons; Tixeront, Fischer, Lee (capt).
Replacements: Massa, Akhaladze, Ojovan, Rixen, Chalus-Cercy, Bezy, Urdapileta, Giral.
bbcsport
A.I
Dec. 14, 2024
Tags: Akhaladze Alivereti Raka Bezy Chalus-Cercy Giral. Massa Ojovan Rixen Urdapileta
