Clermont Auvergne to take on winner of Stade Francais vs Montpellier in Amlin Cup semi-final
Clermont Auvergne have made it to the semi-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup quarterfinals by defeating the La Rochelle at Stade Marcel Deflandre.
La Rochelle was coming from the bad domestic form that eventually has cost them their semi-final berth for the European Cup. Clermont Auvergne is currently the Top 14 champions and earlier in the season, they have suffered a defeat by the hands of the Clermont
Auvergne in the same venue.
La Rochelle cannot ask for a better environment as they were playing in their first ever Amlin Cup knockouts.
However, the second half effort of the La Rochelle have definitely brought some good game memories for the home crowd, who of course would be bitter disappointed on seeing their team to end on the losing side.
Clermont Auvergne started well from the start off that helped them to silent the crowd. Clermont Auvergne put their first score on board during the fourth minute of the game when their fly half Brock James scored his penalty of the game. La Rochelle replied
with their Full Back Greg Goosen’s Boot to level the score during the seventh minute.
Clermont Auvergne didn’t allowed the home team to built a momentum and extended their lead by seven points with their Winger Aurelien Rougerie scoring game’s first try during the 12th minute followed by James conversion.
Hosts reduced the lead with Greg Goosen landing his second penalty to reduce the lead to four points. With both teams looking to control, the game through ball possession and territory control as most of game being played in the midfield. Clermont’s Brock
James was the only scorer in 23 long minutes play with him scoring his second penalty in the 28th minute to take the score to 13 – 6 in favour of Clermont.
Clermont Auvergne remained in control of the game during most part of the second half. This game control denied La Rochelle to create an upset. Other than Greg Goosen 63rd minute try following his own conversion, La Rochelle did not have any scoring
opportunity. Goosen’s scoring was very timely it levelled the scored at that point in time.
With 15 minutes remaining in the game it was still anybody’s game however, it was Clermont’s who slowly took the game away from the La Rochelle. Clermont’s Winger Kini Murimurivalu scored the last try of the game in the 71st minute followed by James Conversion
to extend the lead by seven points. Last of the three penalties for Clermont’s Fly Half Brock James came at 76th minute of the game to take the score to 23 – 13.
Match saw both sides Fly Half scoring majority of their sides score as Goosen scored all 13 for La Rochelle while Brock James also scored 13 points out of 23 points. Clermont Auvergne will play with winner of Stade Francais vs Montpellier match in the semi
final. Stade Francais or Montpellier will be contesting at the Stade Charléty on Saturday.
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