Lancaster wary of Clermont "X-factor"

Stuart Lancaster says Leinster must be wary of Clermont's "X-factor" players during Sunday's European Champions Cup semi-final in Lyon.

Former England head coach Lancaster, who now works as Leinster's attack coach, believes the Top 14 side will give the Pro 12 leaders their toughest test of the season so far.

Clermont, beaten finalists in 2013 and 2015, lie second behind leaders La Rochelle in the Top 14 but were the top seeds in the Champions Cup quarter-finals after their 48-26 victory over Exeter Chiefs, and lived up to their star billing by progressing to the last four with a 29-9 win over Toulon at the start of April

"Clermont are a strong team across the board and their attacking threat is significantly higher than any other team we have faced so far this season," Lancaster told the Guardian. 

"They are probably the best coached team in the Top 14 in terms of organisation and structure and, with X-factor players all over the park, playing them in France is as tough a challenge as you are going to get in European rugby. 

"You only have to look at the way they beat Exeter, who are second in the Premiership and, despite being very good defensively, were blown away by a brand of attacking rugby they could not live with."

Clermont will be without backs Wesley Fofana, Noa Nakaitaci and Isaia Toeava for Sunday's game, and head coach Frank Azema says his side must be at their best to beat Leo Cullen's team.

"From time to time you find yourself representing the whole of France because other teams are eliminated," he said.

"But above all we represent the Auvergne in this semi-final. We go into this game with a lot of concentration and clarity with the quality of the opponent that we will meet."

Photo Inpho/Bryan Keane

Munster will face last year's winners Saracens in the European Champions Cup semi-final at the Aviva Stadium  on April 22 exclusively live on BT Sport, part of the eir Sport pack.