Champions Cup result: Stormers go down to Clermont in France

The Stormers produced a Jekyll and Hyde performance to go down 24-14 (halftime 3-14) to ASM Clermont Auvergne in their Champions Cup opener at the Stade Marcel-Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand, France on Saturday afternoon.

It was a brilliant first half defensive performance from the visitors that saw them keep the home side out, while they also took their chances to score which led to them taking a comfortable 11-point lead into halftime.

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However they then produced an error strewn and frantic second half showing that allowed Clermont to come storming back with 21 unanswered points to consign the Stormers to a very disappointing defeat in their first appearance in the competition.

The match got off to a busy start as the hosts had an early chance to take the lead but flyhalf Jules Plisson missed the early penalty attempt.

Stormers replacement forward Ben-Jason Dixon, who had only been on the field for two minutes after replacing flank Ernst van Rhyn, then received a yellow card for a high tackle in the eighth minute.

However it wasn’t costly as the Stormers took the lead in the 13^th minute as flyhalf Manie Libbok knocked over a penalty, followed by Plisson hitting back for the home side four minutes later.

Libbok then put the Stormers back in the lead with a 20^th minute penalty, before they scored the opening try of the game eight minutes later as they rumbled a powerful maul towards the line, with flank Deon Fourie then scrambling over to dot down.

Libbok’s conversion attempt curled wide, and when the Stormers received another penalty in the 36^th minute fullback Clayton Blommetjies stepped up and knocked the kick over, which indicated that a knee niggle that Libbok had earlier this year may have flared up again.

But heading into the break with a 14-3 lead the Stormers will have been happy with their first half’s work.

All guns blazing

The home side then came out for the second half all guns blazing as they fought back into the contest.

In the 47^th minute some superb back play from Plisson and wing Damian Penaud, ended with fullback Alex Newsome brushing off some poor tackle attempts to go over in the corner, with Plisson slotting the conversion.

Seven minutes later Clermont cut the deficit to a point as Plisson slotted a simple penalty, and with the home side fully on top the Stormers were scrambling to keep their lead.

In the 63^rd minute, after more constant pressure Clermont took the lead for the first time in the game, as they attacked from a lineout, with a long pass out to wing Alivereti Raka picked up on the bounce allowing him to power over, with Plisson hooking the conversion to leave the score 18-14.

 A 71^st minute snap drop goal from Plisson then put the home side seven points ahead and a penalty just over a minute later gave them a strong 24-14 lead going into the final few minutes.

The Stormers then desperately tried to get themselves back into losing bonus point territory in the dying minutes of the match, but it was another error as they knocked on to end their last chance of getting anything out of the game.

Scorers

Clermont: Tries – Alex Newsome, Alivereti Raka; Conversion – Jules Plisson; Penalties – Plisson (3); Drop Goal – Plisson

Stormers: Try – Deon Fourie; Penalties – Manie Libbok (2), Clayton Blommetjies