Leinster lose epic semi-final battle with Clermont

Clermont overcame Leinster 27-22 in a titanic Champions Cup semi-final at Stade de Gerland to claim their spot in the final against Saracens.

The French side stormed into a 15-3 half-time lead with tries from Peceli Yato and David Strettle and the boot of Morgan Parra putting them firmly in charge. 

A Johnny Sexton penalty had kept Leinster in touch and the likely Lions outhalf added three more after the break to edge Leinster right back into contention. 

But Clermont weren’t for turning as a further Parra penalty and Camille Lopez drop goal ensured they maintained control heading into the final quarter. A stunning solo try from Garry Ringrose, converted by Sexton, kept the tie alive before further six kicked points from Lopez put the game virtually beyond doubt. Sexton added one more spot kick, but it wasn’t too be enough as Leinster came up just short in an enthralling game of rugby.

The dream start came for the hosts. The ball was spun wide right to Strettle on the right wing, where the former Harlequins man chipped over the line of defence for bruising Fijian openside Yato to chase the kick, collect and crash over the whitewash for the opening score. An exceptionally difficult kick from the right touchline was slotted over by Parra’s boot as the French opened the tie to maximum effect. 

Clermont continued to attempt to exploit that right flank as they once more spun to Strettle with the winger accelerating past fullback Joey Carbery and looking to pass back inside to the onrushing Scott Spedding; however, Leinster’s Isa Nacewa, also seeing the move about to transpire, tugged on Strettle’s jersey, impeding his movement, which was spotted by the officials, with the Leinster captain sent to the bin for ten minutes. Parra opted to go for goal and from a similar position to his first kick at the sticks, again bisected the posts for ten points in ten minutes. 

The 20 degree heat, ferocious away crowd, and occasion seemed to be getting to the Irish side, with two lost lineouts in that opening quarter, as well as a number of spilled balls, as Leo Cullen’s side stuttered into action; their dire start was further punished. A third lost lineout was turned over and once more moved right where Strettle burnt both Dan Leavy and Carbery to glide in with ease for a second Clermont try. Parra this time ever so slightly got the kick wrong, as he put it just right from the right with the slightest of miscalculations. 

When Leinster finally had a chance to break themselves, 25 minutes into the tie, and off a Clermont turnover in the Leinster 22, they shifted the ball to the opposition 22, with Ringrose carrying to the gainline, before attempting to offload to Carbery on his shoulder, with a sublime cover tackle from the back peddling Strettle forcing the knock-on. 

The break did, however, mark the commencement of a period of parity between the sides for 13 minutes, where neither side carved any clearcut opportunities. That was ended by a penalty for Clermont when Rhys Ruddock was pinged for a high tackle on Parra. The scrumhalf opted for goal, but from distance on the left of the park, he again got the kick ever so slightly wrong, pulling to the left; from that reprieve Leinster were given a let-off as they went downfield with ball in hand, forcing a penalty in front of the sticks, which Johnny Sexton slotted, to leave Leinster trailing by 12 at the interval, and just about in touch after a 40 minutes where Clermont were very much the dominant side. 

Immediately after the resumption Leinster pulled back another three. Clermont were pinged at the breakdown after a Devin Toner rumble with ball in hand and Sexton slotted his second of the day to put a very different slant on the scoreline. Eight minutes into the second period Leinster moved to within a converted try. The creaking breakdown and poor ball retention of the first half were gone with Leinster going hammer and tongs at Clermont and expertly retaining possession in contact. Another Clermont infringement saw Sexton slot a third penalty to take them to 15-9 and within striking distance. 

All the momentum was with Leinster as they surged forward in numbers. A fourth penalty came at the breakdown and Sexton made it a three-point game with an easy kick from in front of the uprights. 

The comeback appeared to be in Ultra HD moments later as Fergus McFadden broke from inside his own 22, scorching into the Clermont half before feeding Sexton inside to carry the baton and then feed outside to Henshaw, who set the breakdown for Leavy to pick and crash over. However, the try was ruled out for an infringement by Leavy at the outset of the move, with the openside pulling Aurelien Rougerie’s leg and as such preventing the centre from making the tackle on Henshaw for the initial break. It was spotted by the TV match official, with a penalty awarded the other way, and Parra slotting a crucial kick to extend Clermont’s lead. 

With that score, Clermont regained their nerve and once more began to dominate the tie, as they returned to their retention game, and put Lopez in the pocket just inside the Leinster 10, where the outhalf hit a sublime drop goal, to make it a nine-point game once more. 

Leinster had to score next to keep the tie alive and that necessary score came from a moment of magic from Ringrose. The second centre received just inside halfway, before cutting inside replacement Damian Penaud and taking a line from right to left, which saw him glide past three other defenders to dot down in a moment of incredible individual skill. From wide right Sexton added the extras to keep the game very much alive with ten to play. 

It was toe to toe from two European heavyweights now and Clermont were next to land a body blow. Fritz Lee forced a penalty at the breakdown with Lopez adding three more from the tee. With six left on the clock Clermont could have made it a two-score game with Lopez just angling a penalty wide left. Only for the outhalf to make amends a minute later as he dropped into the pocket for a second time to slot the drop goal and leave Leinster needing a miracle. 

With two to go, Leinster won a penalty kick of their own wide left, which ice-cold Sexton slotted to reduce it to a one-score game and ensure a grandstand finish only for Clermont to kill the game in perfect fashion. Winning the restart they stiffled Leinster by keeping the ball in possession in the pack, grinding down the clock in ruthless fashion, and booting to touch, to book their spot in the decider.