Clermont Auvergne beat Racing Metro

Clermont Auvergne beat fellow French team Racing Metro 28-17 in Pool 2 of the Heineken Cup on Friday night.

The hosts Clermont crossed for four tries and moved level on points with Pool 2 leaders Leinster, though the Irish province do have a game in hand, which is against Saracens tomorrow.

It was the visitors, who still had all to play for in terms of quarter-final qualification before the match, who raced into an early lead.

Argentina international Juan Martin Hernandez kicked them ahead early on before converting Bernard Le Roux’s try after 15 minutes.

Clermont hit back before the break with a try from Gonzalo Canle which Brock James converted.

The second half way all about Clermont as they showed their European pedigree, touching down for two tries in the space of four minutes. Prop Thomas Domingo grabbed the first before Jason White crossed just four minutes later and again James was on target to add the extras.

With the scores at 21-10 Racing went on the hunt for a score and Julien Jane obliged. Jane pulled a try back for the visitors and Hernandez’ conversion brought the scores to within four points with just 16 minutes remaining.

Influential captain Aurelien Rougerie grabbed the all-important fourth try for Clermont towards the end of the game to seal the victory and the bonus point.

Final Score Clermont Auvergne 28 (7) Racing Metro 92 17 (10)

Scorers

Clermont Auvergne
Tries: Canale, Domingo, White, Rougerie
Conversions: James 3, Parra

Racing Metro 92
Tries: Le Roux, Jane
Penalties: Hernandez
Conversions: Hernandez 2

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

ASM Clermont Auvergne: B Baby, W Fofana, A Rougerie [capt], G Canale, J Malzieu, B James, K Senio, T Domingo, T Paulo, C Ric, J Pierre, L Jacquet, J Bonnaire, A Lapandry, S Lauaki

Replacements: L Faure, V Debaty, D Zirakashvili, J White, A Audebert, M Parra, T Lavea, G Williams

Racing Metro 92: D Scarbrough, B Fall, V Vakatawa, A Masi, J Saubade, J Hernandez, N Durand [capt], J Brugnaut, C Festuccia, B Sa, K Ghezal, F van der Merwe, R Vaquiin, B Le Roux, A Galindo

Replacements: G Arganese, A Lo Cicero, J Orlandi, S Dellape, M Loree, J Jane, H Chavancy, A Batut