ASM Clermont Auvergue booked their second European final in
three seasons thanks to an early second half try from Wesley Fofana but
Saracens can leave the Stade Geoffory – Guichard with their heads held high
having given the French side a real semi – final battle.
Sarries captain Brad Barrett led the dogged defensive
performance, saying “These big games are
always on a knife edge and we fell on the wrong side, but I am very impressed
with the guts we showed to come to place like this and I am sure we can come
back next year.”
It was a sea of noise and yellow in the St Etienne stadium
as both sides came out to arm wrestle for control with last year’s finalists
taking the lead.
The first points didn’t come till the 14th minute as Charlie
Hodgson scored a drop goal to make sure Saracens had something on the
scoresheet. Four minutes later Naipolioni Nalaga was denied the first try of
the match for Clemont as the ball went wide to the Fijian winger, but Chris
Ashton was there to make a try saving tackle.
The home side did get their first points of the game with
fly half Brock James scoring a penalty to bring the French side level. Then
with four minutes of the first half to go, Hodgson restored the lead for Mark
McCall’s men with a penalty to make it 6 – 3.
The English club would have hoped to be six points up, but
with the last kick of the half Hodgson’s penalty went wide.
Half – Time – Clermont 3 – 6 Saracens
Three minutes after the interval Clermont took the lead with
the only try of the game as a smart kick from James over the Sarries defences
for Fofana to pick up the bouncing ball to cross the whitewash as the Aussie
fly half added the extras to make it 10 – 6.
Owen Farrell came off the replacements bench to bring the
visitors back into the game slotting in a penalty from a difficult angle on 65
minutes. However, with eight minutes to go Saracens conceded a penalty in their
own half with James sealing a place in the final of the ‘Yellow Army’.
England fullback Nick Abendanon now believes this is
Clermont Auvergne’s year to win the European Cup after years of trying.
“It is another final
for Clermont and we honestly believe this is our year. We have worked so hard
to get that, hopefully, it will be our year.
“It has been a hell of
a ride in the Champions Cup this season. We have beaten Munster home and away,
Northampton Saints and now Saracens here in St Etienne.”
Abendanon described his experience of the ‘Yellow Army’
coming into the stadium, saying “I was
sitting next to Jonathan Davies on the bus coming to the stadium and I have
never heard anything like it before. The fans were fantastic and I just turned
to Jonathan and said this is why we came to France.
“The noise in the
stadium was deafening and you simply don’t experience anything like that kind
of atmosphere in English rugby.”
Finally, the fullback is now just looking forward to finding
out who his side will face in the final at Twickenham.
“Clermont and Toulon
are bitter rivals and it would make for a fantastic spectacle if we met them in
the final. But you can never write off Lenister.
“I’m just going to put
up my feet and watch the game with eager anticipation. Then roll on the final
in two weeks time.”
Scorecard
14 mins –
Hodgson (Drop Goal) – 0 – 3
25 mins –
James (Pen) – 3 – 3
36 mins –
Hodgson (Pen) – 3 – 6
43 mins –
Fofana (Try) – 8 – 6
44 mins –
James (Con) – 10 – 6
65 mins –
Farrell (Pen) – 10 – 9
72 mins –
James (Pen) – 13 – 9
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