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Beaten Ulster boss McFarland accuses Clermont of cheating

Clermont have taken command of their European pool with their win over Ulster (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland believes his side let slip a golden opportunity to win in France as they slipped to a 29-13 defeat to Clermont Auvergne.

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Defeat leaves Ulster needing to beat Bath in the final round of pool fixtures next weekend to be sure of a place in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup.

Tries from Alivereti Raka and George Moala helped secure victory for the French side, while John Cooney scored all of Ulster’s points with a try, conversion and a penalty.

“We are bitterly disappointed,” said McFarland. “It was a game we had control of in the first half and we didn’t make our pressure pay when we should have done. If you are going to be good enough to win in Clermont and they are down to 14 men and you kick to the corner and you can’t score tries, then you aren’t a good enough team to win in Clermont.

“If we took advantage of those opportunities and score, which we are capable of doing, then we’d have had a much better chance of going on to win the game.”

(Continue reading below…)

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McFarland was also critical of his side’s inefficiency at the set-piece. “There were a couple of occasions in that first-half where we didn’t execute as well as we needed to to get the points on the board we needed.

“It is really frustrating because they [Clermont] cheat at the scrum, let’s face it. Sometimes they hit hard, sometimes they hit soft and it’s really difficult to deal with, but that doesn’t negate the fact that we got pushed backwards.”

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Ulster arrived with real intent and a lovely pop pass from Sean Reidy sent Marty Moore clear, the tighthead prop offloading to Cooney who slipped past two defenders for the opening try.

Clermont scrum-half Morgan Parra was then sent to the sin bin for blatantly infringing at the breakdown with Ulster inches from the opposition try line. But the hosts managed to cut Ulster’s lead to a mere point with two penalties from Lopez as they reached half-time 10-9 behind.

Clermont took the lead for the first time in the contest when former All Blacks centre Moala charged into the Ulster 22 to put his side on the front foot. The ball was recycled with Raka stretching to touch down in the corner and Parra converting.

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Clermont put the result beyond doubt when Moala smashed his way through the Ulster defence to run in from 35 metres out. “We have to win next week and we have to get a minimum of 20 points,” added McFarland in the aftermath of the loss.

– Press Association 

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B
BeamMeUp 7 minutes ago
The Springboks have something you don't have

A few comments. Firstly, I am a Bok fan and it's been a golden period for us. I hope my fellow Bok fans appreciate this time and know that it cannot last forever, so soak it all in!


The other thing to mention (and this is targeted at Welsh, English and even Aussie supporters who might be feeling somewhat dejected) is that it's easy to forget that just before Rassie Erasmus took over in 2018, the Boks were ranked 7th in the world and I had given up hope we'd ever be world beaters again.


Sport is a fickle thing and Rassie and his team have managed to get right whatever little things it takes to make a mediocre team great. I initially worried his methods might be short-lived (how many times can you raise a person's commitment by talking about his family and his love of his country as a motivator), but he seems to have found a way. After winning in 2019 on what was a very simple game plan, he has taken things up ever year - amazing work which has to be applauded! (Dankie Rassie! Ons wardeer wat jy vir die ondersteuners en die land doen!) (Google translate if you don't understand Afrikaans! 😁)


I don't think people outside South Africa fully comprehend the enormity of the impact seeing black and white, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and all the other hues playing together does for the country's sense of unity. It's pure joy and happiness.


This autumn tour has been a bit frustrating in that the Boks have won, but never all that convincingly. On the one hand, I'd like to have seen more decisive victories, BUT what Rassie has done is expose a huge number of players to test rugby, whilst also diversifying the way the Boks play (Tony Brown's influence).


This change of both style and personnel has resulted in a lack of cohesion at times and we've lost some of the control, whereas had we been playing our more traditional style, that wouldn't happen. This is partially attributable to the fact that you cannot play Tony Brown's expansive game whilst also having 3 players available at every contact point to clear the defence off the ball. I have enjoyed seeing the Boks play a more exciting, less attritional game, which is a boring, albeit effective spectacle. So, I am happy to be patient, because the end justifies the means (and I trust Rassie!). Hopefully all these players we are blooding will give us incredible options for substitutions come next year's Rugby Championship and of course, the big prize in 2027.


Last point! The game of rugby has never been as exciting as it is now. Any of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Scotland, England & Australia can beat one another. South Africa may be ranked #1, but I wouldn't bet my house in them beating France or New Zealand, and we saw Argentina beating both South Africa and New Zealand this year! That's wonderful for the game and makes the victories we do get all the sweeter. Each win is 100% earned. Long may it last!


Sorry for the long post! 🏉🌍

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