By Darraghgirl
January 26 2015

  This was our 2nd visit to the Auvergne. The first was in 2010 in the mellow autumn sunshine, this time it was a cold and misty January. As before, we flew to Lyon guided by the majestic sight of Mont Blanc, rising above the clouds like an iceberg in a sea of candyfloss.  

As before we drove to Clermont (although this time along the new A89 which had been hewn out of the rocks and ice of the Massif Central). As before we stayed at the Hotel des Puys (risking their memory of an unfortunate incident with the garage door) – the lift was fine this time King Zak, in fact they are building another one! As before we ascended the Puy du Dome, this time on board a brand new Swiss train, last time on our own 2 feet but on both occasions with zero visibility at the top (although we did get to chuck a few snowballs!). Plus ca change!

Well actually it does change. In October, the narrow streets of Old Clermont were festooned with bunting in “le jaune et le bleu”, flags flew everywhere, even from Vercingetorix himself. We dined al Fresco in a city that was full of life. In January everything seemed to be closed. Many of the shops were boarded up, there was hardly a mention of ASM and where they found the 18,000-odd people who turned up at Stade Marcel Michelin on Sunday afternoon, god only knows! Until then, we didn’t see more than a few hundred living souls in all of Clermont Ferrand – and most of them flew down with us from Luton!

We ate well. The Fleur du Sel proved delightful and is run by the lovely Emma, English born and bred, francophobe to the core, married to a Frenchman and mother to a lad who trains with ASM but dreams of wearing the Red Rose. Emma directed us to Le Cave – a real gem of a restaurant almost under the vaults of the cathedral and behind an unprepossessing metal door where they served Truffade to die for and Entrecote large enough to keep Jamie George happy.

We visited Vichy (don’t bother, it was closed) and thanks to Wheresmelunch took a free brewery tour of a little known micro-brewery in the Avenue de la Liberation known as Plan B of which more later…..

And so to Sunday afternoon. Replete from an excellent lunch, we crammed into the tram to the amusement of the ASM supporters already inside. Yet again we admired the magnificent Stade Marcel Michelin – but not with the green eyes of yesteryear, we have our own home now! We took our seats to soak up the atmosphere – of which there was plenty! The announcer only had to do half the job. He said the first name and the crowd completed the surname. This was particularly impressive given that Clermont included the likes of Davit ZIRAKASHVILI and Sebastien VAHAAMAHNA. ASM warmed up in front of us and their scrum practice did nothing for the state of the turf which despite the ministrations of the ground staff, looked more like a ploughed field when the game started!

This was a weekend when the Gods of sport got up to mischief. The FA Cup had already thrown up all sorts of weird and wonderful results as did the Rugby Champions Cup and we should be eternally grateful to the deities for smiling on Montpelier. Who would have thought it?

At this point I should say we had no knowledge of the miracle going on down on the Mediterranean. I really hope the team didn’t either. If they did it might explain their performance – afterall if you have to run for your European life you usually find a gear you didn’t know you had!

And so to the match. The game started with a lot of kicking as the 2 sides weighed each other up. Actually there was a lot of kicking throughout the match! ASM found the first chink in the armour winning a penalty from a lineout infringement which Lopez duly kicked to put the Frenchmen in the lead. Almost at once Sarries won a scrum penalty and a chance to level but the kick was right in the middle of the damaged turf and Owen clearly didn’t trust the footing and the penalty sailed wide.

By now things were starting to warm up. Alex Goode was being severely tested by the high ball – one which he passed with flying colours – as did Nick Abendanon at the other end. Saracens were starting to get the upper hand at the set piece and could have scored from a Wyles kick through but Ashton was just too close to the touchline and ran out of space. Most of the play continues between the Clermont 10 and 22 metre lines with Sarries finding it hard to get any further. At last they managed it only for Ashton & Farrell to end up in a pile on the floor. Ashton rejoined the action but Farrell didn’t and on came “Shar-lee Odd-son”. Despite his fluency in Georgian and Fijian, he struggled with our Charlie. So did ASM for a while. A chip from Charlie forced Abendanon into one of his few mistakes when he skewed a clearance and a high tackle at the subsequent line out led to another Sarries’ penalty in almost the same place as the first –right in the middle of the ploughed field! Charlie didn’t like the footing any more than Faz did with the same result! A 3^rd penalty followed almost immediately, a bit further back but still in the potato patch and Charlie opted for the corner. Sarries set up the catch and drive which had worked so well against Munster but ASM were a different kettle of fish. The maul went nowhere and ASM forced a knock-on. Sarries were besting ASM at the scrum and won another penalty which went back in the corner and here we were at Groundhog day with exactly the same outcome.

Sarries had been camped in the ASM half for almost 20 minutes with nothing to show for it and inevitably, from a penalty, ASM showed how it was done. The lineout ball came out to Parra who found Abendanon running from deep and under the posts. The easy conversion gave the French side a 10-0 lead and they could have scored again almost at once but for a careless knock on.

Sarries won a couple of penalties and got themselves back in the ASM half. Handbags and another penalty, this one kickable and on solid ground. Hodgson split the posts and made life hard once again for the announcer. As the teams departed for half time, Sarries needed the break more than ASM. Despite plenty of territory and possession they had little to show for their efforts. Kicking away possession seemed counter-productive and the rolling maul was going nowhere. We needed Plan B. We hoped for Plan B. Where was Plan B?

Now as you will remember, Plan B is a micro-brewery in the Avenue de la Liberation in Clermont Ferrand. They use local cereals to brew 5 very pleasant bieres. We tried them all, from Blanche to Blonde, Ambree, Brune and a special Christmas edition. The beers mature and ferment in the bottle. The brewery adapt to market forces and brew whatever is in demand.

As for Sarries, their Plan B was stuck on Blanche. The second half saw exactly the same tactics which hadn’t worked in the first half. Almost immediately, Vahaamahna was sent to the bin for an attempt to violate Burger (silly boy). Surely Sarries could take advantage of the extra man. Their best attack of the match followed when Wigglesworth found Ashton to his right and Ash flipped the ball out to Goode who over-ran the pass at the ball went harmlessly into touch.

Sarries continued to attack but ASM formed an impermeable barrier on their 22. More rolling mauls went nowhere. Finally ASM went offside in front of goal and Charlie made the announcer’s afternoon even worse by kicking the points for 10-6. With ASM back to 15 the window of opportunity closed and was firmly bolted when Strettle was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on Abendanon (apparently at the insistence of the TMO. Is it in their contract that they have to give us a hard time?) ASM took their chance as Sarries had spurned theirs. The penalty went into the corner and ASM showed how it’s done with a rolling maul which stumbled once or twice then plonked itself over the line. For once Lopez missed the conversion but at 15-6 ASM were looking good.

Johnston came on for Du Plessis and sad to say, the scrum dominance was lost. Du Plessis really is on top of his game at the moment. Abendanon left the Sarries’ midfield standing but ASM didn’t prosper from the resulting penalty. Strettle returned and Sarries finally defended a rolling maul and won a turnover. Then the moment of controversy. Parra kicked a penalty towards the corner flag, right in front of the Sarries’ fans. The ball seemed to go into touch beyond the flag. There was much debate as to whether it should be a Sarries 22 drop out or a Clermont 5m lineout. I’m sure someone out there knows but the referee went with Clermont and one would hope he did! Fortunately Clermont messed up the lineout and Sarries cleared.

ASM were in the ascendancy now and only their profligacy with conceding penalties in the Sarries’ 22 stopped them adding to the score. Whenever Sarries won the ball at the breakdown Charlie or De Kock or Goodey kicked the ball away and the French barrage began again. Where was Plan B? (Avenue de la Liberation in Clermont!)

Into the last 10 minutes and a penalty chance to clear their lines and set up a Sarries attack. Charlie took pity on the stadium announcer and missed touch and the ball was back in French hands. Not only that, they won a penalty in front of the posts which Brock James, on for Camille Lopez, duly converted to put ASM 18-6 ahead with just 5 minutes left. Clermont were unassailable but still, as we thought, a try would give us that elusive loosing bonus point and the chance to continue our European journey. Which made the substitution of Jamie George, who had tackled and carried like a Trojan, for the rather flakey Sharman rather strange (but we weren’t in the know). Mr Clancy helped Sarries even more by sending Fritz Lee to the bin. Surely we could take advantage of Plan B? The attack went the way of all the others with poor passing allowing a Clermont turnover and Rado booted the ball into the stand.

To be fair, the team looked pretty distraught after the game so maybe they didn’t know. As we left the stadium the rumour was that we were through. Hard to believe, surely, but no, once back at the hotel it was confirmed. We had sneaked into the quarter finals in 8^th place ahead of Toulouse on Points difference by the skin of our teeth! April in Paris! An Easter game against Racing Metro.

Now haven’t we been here before? Last season, qualified in 8^th place, won away to top spot Ulster, beat Clermont in the semis and a final against Toulon. History could almost repeat itself except this time we might just win. It’s written in the stars. 2012 quarters, 2013 semis, 2014 loosing finalist, 2015 winners! If those mischievous Gods have their way. Now where is that Plan B……..?

Clermont

Abendanon, Nakaitaci (Guildford), Davies, Fofana, Nalanga, Lopez (James), Parra (Radosavljevic), Domingo (Debaty), Kayser (Ulugia), Zirakashvili (Ric), Pierre (Jacquet), Vahaamahina, Chouly, Bardy (Bonnaire), Lee

Saracens

Goode, Ashton, Wyles, Barritt (Streather), Strettle, Farrell (Hodgson), Wigglesworth (De Kock), M Vunipola (Barrington), George (Sharman), Du Plessis (Johnston), Hargreaves, Hamilton (Itoje), Brown (Joubert), Burger, B Vunipola

Clermont scorers:-

Tries: Abendanon, Debaty; Conv: Lopez; Pen: Lopez, James

Saracens scorers:

Pen: Hodgson (2)

Attendance: 17,787

Referee: George Clancy