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Leicester win comfortably as floodgates open in the second half

By PA
(Photo by PA)

Leicester booked a mouth-watering Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final with Leinster after completing the job against Clermont Auvergne with a 27-17 win. A brilliant performance in France six days earlier afforded Steve Borthwick’s side a 19-point advantage entering the second leg at a near-capacity Mattioli Woods Welford Road, where the hosts are unbeaten since June 2021.

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An incident-packed first half yielded only one try through Hanro Liebenberg, but the floodgates opened in the second with Matt Scott and Freddie Steward touching down as well as a penalty try award as the Tigers wrapped up a 56-27 aggregate win.

Clermont kept the tie respectable as Alivereti Raka and Fritz Lee landed tries, the second of which came after Ollie Chessum’s red card that could rule the England international out of the last-eight encounter in early May. However, the Premiership leaders would not be denied a quarter-final berth.

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After surviving an early storm as the visitors turned down kicks at goal in favour of the tries they needed, it was the Tigers who scored with their first foray into the attacking 22. Captain Ellis Genge rampaged at the heart of the defence and a rapid recycle later, Liebenberg reached over for a try which George Ford converted.

Camille Lopez’s penalty got Clermont on the scoreboard and more could have followed as Raka made a huge line break. The danger appeared to be averted with Ford’s strip, but his resulting kick was charged down and then grounded by Baptiste Jauneau, only for the TMO to rule it was grounded on the deadball line.

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A flurry of action late in the first half saw Harry Wells spill while driving for the line while Chris Ashton’s dive at a Jack van Poortvliet grubber was knocked on. With two Tigers players down injured, Clermont pounced as Jauneau broke on a sublime diagonal run and with Ford closing down, the scrum-half hurled a pass inside to Giorgi Beria, who fumbled with the line at his mercy.

Wesley Fofana’s break at the start of the second period was then expertly ended by Reffell’s tap tackle. Ford stretched Leicester’s lead with a penalty before mesmerising the French defence with a goosestep and dummy, allowing Reffell to put Scott in for the score that opened a colossal aggregate lead of 31 points with as many minutes to play.

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Clermont finally registered the try they had threatened when Cheikh Tiberghien broke free and fed Raka for a simple finish. However, it failed to spark a late comeback as Ford’s masterful restart caused chaos. Etienne Fourcade saw yellow before Leicester forced their way to a penalty try as Daniel Bibi Biziwu became the second Clermont front-row to be cautioned in a minute.

That numerical advantage did not last long as Chessum was dismissed for a shoulder to the head of Samuel Ezeala. It was followed by the try of the game as Harry Potter’s weaving run provided the assist for Steward. Clermont heads did not drop as Lee’s try, converted by Morgan Parra, proved to be the final scoring act but it was the Tigers who progressed to the last eight with a 56-27 aggregate win.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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