ASM Clermont won in H Cup

Saturday the 17th of January, happened the 5th match of the first round of the H Cup Rugby and Clermont Ferrand played on the AJ Bell Stadium versus the Sale Sharks at 6:30 p.m

After 10 minutes, Camille Lopez open the score with a penality of 25 meters for a fault on the captain Aurélien Rougerie who must quit the field, injured to the elbow.
Sale 0-3 Clermont

3 minutes after, Cipriani reply to Lopez and equalize with an easy penalty
Sale 3-3 Clermont

At the 37th minute and after a lot of attack for ASM, Lopez pass a penalty largely deserved
Sale 3-6 Clermont. The score stay like that at half-time.

47th minute, yellow card for fofana, guilty of a dangerous plate on Arscott. Clermont play outnumbered

5 minutes after, try penalty for Sale! The scrum collapses on the Clermont's goal area.
And a second yellow card for Cudmore for ASM who must play with 2 players less...
Cipriani transform
Sale 10-6 Clermont

With only 13 players, Clermont continu to play and reduce the score thanks Lopez who provoke the fault. Proof of the ASM superiority
Sale 10-9 Clermont

And at the hour of game, Clermont go ahead with the perfect Lopez
Sale 10-12 Clermont

After a beautiful english action who could score a try, Cipriani continu the duel between the 2 scorer
Sale 13-12 Clermont, 15 minutes before the end of the game...

3 minutes after the clermont's scrum take a penalty. Lopez transorm (5/5 for him)
Sale 13-15 Clermont

TRY OF LEE FOR CLERMONT!!! The 3rd line start at 20 meters, avoids 2 plates and is push behind the line thanks to his parters. The try is accord after the video. The yellow army can breathe. Lopez transform (of course!)
Sale 13-22 Clermont

And after a final scrum, Mr Davies whistle the end of the game. ASM win a very important victory end come in france with the 4 points end the first place of his group. They can trust in theim before the last match versus Sarancens who humiliate theim past year in semi-final...

We can also say than Leicester Tigers won 40-23

Tigers were fantastic!

Sadly it looks like Leicester won't qualify for the knockout stage, even if we beat Ulster this weekend. I don't understand why they don't have all the second place teams playing an extra knockout game to qualify for the final stages. When a team can beat Toulon and Ulster and Scarlets in the pool games they should have the chance of playing in the later stages. Some pools are much more difficult than others.