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Les vice-champions d'Europe peuvent encore recevoir un quart de finale... ou être éliminés dimanche (16h15). Tous les cas de figure sont possibles
Clermont Auvergne will hope to come out on top as three clubs battle it out for supremacy in pool two.
The pool which includes Clermont, their visitors on Sunday Bordeaux-Begles, Exeter Chiefs and the Ospreys has proved to be one of the most hotly-contested of this year’s European Rugby Champions Cup.
Clermont, Exeter and the Ospreys all have a chance of finishing as pool winners on Sunday and securing the vital home quarter-final for the knock-out stages.
The French side are well positioned to leapfrog current leaders the Ospreys, sitting just two points behind the Welsh region in second place.
Ospreys travel to Sandy Park for a daunting clash the Chiefs where the home side will start as strong favourites.
Should the Ospreys come unstuck in Exeter a win for Clermont over their French rivals Bordeaux will see them overtake both sides and take the pool.
Bordeaux may still have an outside, mathematical chance of qualifying for the Champions Cup quarter-finals, but they have decided to leave behind nine of the players who started in the win over Exeter Chiefs for their vital assignment against ASM Clermont Auvergne.
Bordeaux have won plenty of praise for their free-flowing style and backs coach Emile Ntamack has promised there will be no going back from that even with so many changes going into the round six game at Stade Marcel-Michelin.
“Our philosophy won’t change and the change of players is not a negative. We have invested a lot in the squad ,and we need to keep them all in good shape, but there will be no change in our policy in Clermont,” said the two-time European Cup winner.
“We tried to play every game the best we could and we have no regrets. We intend to finish the Champions Cup like that.
“When we lost to Clermont at home and in Exeter we had to give players game time and this weekend is no different. But we have learned a lot during this campaign.
“The players have evolved and grown in maturity. The experience has been an interesting one and will serve us well in the future.”
Match Facts
- ASM Clermont Auvergne have won three of their last four pool stage matches against fellow French teams in the Champions Cup.
- Clermont have won their last 25 at home, last losing at home in October 2008.
- Bordeaux-Begles haven’t won away from home in the Champions Cup since their first ever away game in 1995, losing all five away fixtures since then.
- Bordeaux-Begles are yet to secure their first victory against another team from France in the Champions Cup having lost all three against fellow French opposition in the tournament.
- Bordeaux-Bégles have the best lineout success in the competition (98%) having lost just one lineout on their own throw (55/56); meanwhile Clermont have lost just one scrum on their own feed in the competition this season (23/24).
Incroyable scénario au stade Marcel-Michelin où l'UBB a battu Clermont (37-28). Les deux équipes prennent le bonus mais sont aussi toutes les deux éliminées. C'est Exeter qui sort de cette poule indécise. - 24/01/2016 17:36
Clermont Auvergne blew their chance of reaching the European Champions Cup quarter-finals in one of the most extraordinary games in the competition’s history.
Morgan Parra took a quick penalty in front of the posts in the final minute when three points would have been good enough to put the French giants through to the knock-out stages.
Clermont only needed a losing bonus point to secure their path to the quarter-finals but when they were held up over the line in the last play of the game it allowed Exeter Chiefs to steal top spot in the pool on points difference.
Bordeaux played their part in an incredible game, twice coming from two tries behind to steal the victory in the most dramatic of fashion.
A frenetic opening saw Wales international Jonathan Davies touch down inside the opening minute after excellent work from wing Noa Nakaitaci.
Nakaitaci then got on the scoresheet himself just two minutes later when he got on the shoulder of an excellent run from full-back Scott Spedding.
Parra kicked both conversions as Clermont looked ready to wrap-up a four try bonus point before half-time.
But credit to Bordeaux for the way they fought back, first getting a score from Berend Botha after 13 minutes then 22-stone prop Sebastien Taofifenua got their second after 19 minutes when he crashed over from close-range.
A brutal battle in the contact area dominated much of the rest of the first half until Baptiste Serin kicked a long-range penalty at half-time to give them an unlikely lead at the break.
Serin slotted a second penalty seven minutes after the interval to nudge Bordeaux further in front and they were putting the home side under real pressure.
A yellow card for Bordeaux prop Sekope Kepu proved to be a turning point as within two minutes replacement Damien Chouly had scored Clermont’s third try, following excellent work from Parra and Aurelien Rougerie.
Parra knocked over the conversion to give Clermont a one-point lead and the bonus point then came with 18 minutes left on the clock when Paul Jedrasiak grabbed their fourth try.
But when Julien Bardy saw yellow for the home side for a dangerous tackle a minute after coming on, it allowed Bordeaux to grab their third try through Paulin Riva.
There was still time for more drama as Bordeaux regained the lead with a fourth try when they shifted the ball out wide for Peter Saili to go over in the corner.
A Pierre Bernard penalty three minutes from time took Bordeaux nine points ahead before Parra’s moment of madness at the death ended Clermont’s European campaign.
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