They will be talking about this one for a while. At one of Europe’s most famous stadiums, Leicester scored five tries against Clermont in a thumping win, underlining the club’s resurgence under Steve Borthwick. Already qualified for the Premiership playoffs, they now look assured of a spot in the Champions Cup quarter-finals.
It was simple rugby. A formidable pack marshalled by the relentlessly busy Ellis Genge claimed ascendency in the tight channels and around the fringe. Their lineout and maul, expertly drilled by Borthwick, meant any penalty won in Clermont’s half carried the threat of seven points.
“I thought we were tactically very smart,” Borthwick beamed after the game before crediting the travelling supporters. “But the biggest thing is how hard they work for each other.”
It was the home side who opened the scoring when a baying crowd convinced them to turn down a kickable penalty and instead nudged it in the corner. Leicester held the ball up over the line but George Ford’s drop-kick clearance did not go far enough and was collected by Alivereti Raka on the right wing.
Clermont went left, then right, then left again, creating disharmony in Leicester’s line. Kotaro Matsushima straightened and fed Cheik Tiberghien who finished a superb move. Morgan Parra made a difficult conversion look easy.
Leicester hit back within five minutes with a try from a man who has embodied their fight this season. A lineout in the red zone was cleanly won by Ollie Chessum. Julián Montoya came close from the maul but it was Genge, the Tigers’ captain, who dotted down after an explosive carry.
Parra started the match with a perfect record from the tee in this competition and he kept it alive by slotting a penalty before the half‑hour. Clermont’s scrum had gained an early supremacy but Leicester’s lineout was firing so it was no surprise when the visitors went to the corner after winning a penalty.
Their first attempt at a maul was brought down illegally so they went again. Their second ended with Montoya scoring after he burrowed over from close range. Ford missed again and the teams remained locked at 10-10 until the half-time break.
Leicester took the lead when Jack van Poortvliet, starting in Ben Youngs’s absence through a midweek illness, sniped from the base of another rolling maul off an attacking lineout, dummying past Parra and scoring unopposed on the blindside.
If that shocked this usually boisterous arena, Hosea Saumaki’s try stunned it into silence. Van Poortvliet’s box-kick was gathered by Hanro Liebenberg before the ball was swiftly sent left. Freddie Steward on the gallop caught and passed to the Tongan wing who slid over. Ford finally found his range to open up a 12-point lead.
Leicester have a poor record in France, having won in just two of their last 16 trips over the Channel. But Borthwick’s team has proved their steel across the Premiership campaign so far and defended like cornered tigers when Clermont threatened their line with sustained pressure before the hour mark.
The game might have turned when Guy Porter moved to tackle Fritz Lee. Their heads came together but it was Clermont’s No 8 who had the worst of it with a gash spilling blood down his face. Though there was clearly no malice, Porter’s challenge was deemed sufficiently dangerous for a straight red card as the team of referees believed he had an obligation to stoop lower before the collision. Leicester’s resolve would face its sternest test yet.
Rather than hold on to what they had, Leicester went in search of more. Steward did what he does best and won a hanging kick from Ford. He offloaded in the tackle and flicked the ball to Harry Potter, who skipped one way and then the next to score a magic try. Even with a man advantage, Clermont never came close to reducing the deficit. “That shows the spirit of the team, the heart of the team,” Borthwick said.
Leicester will enjoy a 19-point cushion at Welford Road on Saturday. Their fans will already be planning their next trip to the continent.
