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Clermont Auvergne will be determined to make sure they add the scalp of double Heineken Cup winners
Clermont Auvergne, one of the favourites for this season’s Heineken Cup, know they have to beat Italians Aironi at home to re-establish their credentials after the opening weekend of the tournament.
The French side, who made a raft of big-name signings in the summer, suffered a 16-11 defeat to Ulster in Belfast last weekend but did manage to get what could be a vital losing bonus point.
Clermont Auvergne, who reached three Heineken Cup quarter-finals, have an impressive record at the Stade Marcel Michelin and have won their last eight games at home in Europe.
Aironi, who recorded one of the biggest upsets in Heineken Cup history with their win over Biarritz last season, will want another French scalp when they arrive in France on Friday evening.
The Italian new boys, who are only in their second season of Heineken Cup rugby, managed a creditable 28-12 defeat to former champions of Europe Leicester Tigers at home.
Aironi, who still waiting for their first away win in the tournament, managed to stop the double champions from registering a bonus-point victory when the two sides met in Italy last weekend.
Clermont Auvergne will be determined to make sure they add the scalp of double Heineken Cup winners
Clermont Auvergne bounced back from defeat in Round 1 to comfortably beat Italian side Aironi 54 v 3 on Friday evening.
Lee Byrne opened the scoring, the Welsh full-back touching down after just ten minutes at the Stade Stade Marcel Michelin. Scrum-half Morgan Parra added the conversion
Luciano Orquera grabbed a penalty for the visitors after 13 minutes but the remaining first period was all about the hosts who scored two further tries through Gerhard Vosloo and Brock James.
Parra again was on form with the boot taking the scores to 21 v 3 at the break.
The hosts then wrapped up the crucial try-scoring bonus point with Julien Bonnaire touching down after 50minutes.
Flanker Julien Bardy was next on the score-sheet for Clermont’s fifth try and Brock James added the conversion.
Jean-Marcel Buttin, Wesley Fofana and Julien Malzieu all scored further tries in a comfortable victory for Jean-Marc Lhermet’s try.
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