Sunday 29 April 2012

Leinster Win Close Clermont Contest



Leinster remain on course for their third Heineken Cup success in four years after beating Clermont in a closely contested semi-final in France.

Brock James kicked four penalties to two by Jonathan Sexton to give Clermont a 12-6 lead at half-time.

Cian Healy scored a try early in the second half, while Rob Kearney landed a drop-goal and Sexton added five points.

A James penalty was Clermont's only score of the second half and Leinster will now play Ulster at Twickenham.

Sexton scored the first points of the game with an eighth-minute penalty but James levelled with his first kick from in front of the posts 10 minutes later.

Sitiveni Sivavatu set up an attack for Clermont on the right wing but referee Wayne Barnes blew up for a forward pass by Nathan Hines as the French side made ground towards the line.

Soon after, Leinster lock Leo Cullen was fortunate not to receive a yellow card after raising his hand against prop Davit Zirakashvili.

The home side looked increasingly likely to score the first try of the game as Sivavatu, James and Jean-Marcel Buttin showed good hands to move to within metres of Leinster's line, before the ball was eventually turned over.

Leinster's scrum then went backwards under their posts but referee Barnes gave Leinster a penalty and Sexton's clearance kick eased the pressure.

James nudged Clermont in front with his second penalty of the game in the 32nd minute as Isa Nacewa was pulled up for joining a ruck from the side.

Sexton restored parity two minutes later with a close-range penalty after Sivavatu took out Nacewa.

Leinster were penalised for coming in at the side and James maintained his 100 per cent record with the boot.

With a minute of the first half remaining, the Clermont fly-half then knocked the ball between the posts again to secure his side a six-point advantage at the break.

The cup holders began the second half in barnstorming fashion as prop Cian Healy crossed the line for a 42nd-minute try.

Kearney took an inside ball and made a break to open up the Clermont defence, before passing to Healy, who showed a good turn of pace to touch down.

Sexton added the conversion to put Leinster one point ahead.

Four minutes later, Kearney landed a long-range drop-goal from the left touchline to increase his side's lead while James showed the first signs of pressure when he missed with a penalty attempt for the first time in the game.

The Australian made amends by successfully converting his next penalty effort to reduce his side's deficit to one point, but Sexton replied with his third penalty of the game.

Ireland international Sexton was just off-target with another penalty, which was adjudged to have flown just wide of the posts by the Televsion Match Official (TMO).

Clermont piled on the pressure late on as they laid siege on the Leinster line in a bid to snatch victory from the visitors.

Wesley Fofana thought he had scored a matchwinning try for the French outfit but the TMO adjudged that he had not grounded the ball over the line.

Leinster saw out the closing moments with some stubborn defence to seal their place in the 19 May decider.

Clermont Auvergne: Lee Byrne; Sitiveni Sivivatu, Aurelien Rougerie (capt), Wesley Fofana, Julien Malzieu; Brock James, Morgan Parra; Lionel Faure, Benjamin Kayser, Davit Zirakashvili; Jamie Cudmore, Nathan Hines; Julien Bonnaire, Alexandre Lapandry, Elvis Vermeulen.
Replacements: Ti'i Paulo, Vincent Debaty, Daniel Kotzen, Julien Pierre, Julien Bardy, Ludovic Radosavljevic, Regan King, Jean-Marcel Buttin.

Leinster: Rob Kearney; Isa Nacewa, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Jonathan Sexton, Isaac Boss; Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross; Leo Cullen (capt), Brad Thorn; Sean O'Brien, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Heinke van der Merwe, Nathan White, Devin Toner, Kevin McLaughlin, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

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