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News: We're playing in France again! The Clermont Preview


By Mark Hazell
March 30 2015

  If you were to hand pick a quarter-final opponent in Europe, you probably wouldn’t choose to go away to a team with a home record of played 92, won 90 lost 2 over the last five and a half years.  You also wouldn’t pick a team desperate to leave a footprint in Europe that didn’t have tattooed on it “close, but not quite”.  They also wouldn’t play in a town that had fifty thousand people sitting in a square watching a screen four years running pleading with their team to bring a piece of wood home.

 

European Rugby Champions Cup 

ASM Clermont Auvergne v Northampton Saints

4th April 2015 KO 18:15 Stade Marcel-Michelin

Referee: John Lacey

 

Welcome to Clermont-Ferrand; home of the Association Sportif Montferrand, the best supporters in France, and a team that makes Saints look like over-achievers.

 

 

It wasn’t meant to be like this of course – had we not watched the most inspired performance from a French team in England for many years in January just happen to coincide with one of those abject Saints performances that seem to be thrown in at least once a season in Europe, then we’d have been preparing for a home quarter-final against Saracens.  As it stands, we head off to one of the more inaccessible parts of France from this country (but more of the travel later) to play their most consistent team of the past decade.

The Rugby

When the gypsy curse was lifted in 2010 (supposedly as a punishment for assisting the Vichy government during the Second World War, legend has it that ASM would lose ten finals before winning anything) and les Montferrandais finally won the French championship in their eleventh final, the general opinion in the Auvergne was that the floodgates would now open and continued success would come.  Indeed, then-club president Rene Fontes confidently predicted that by 2019, they would have four French titles and two European titles, it looked a definite possibility he’d be right.

Since then however, and after going to four successive finals (having attended all four and been part of the growing angst in each final, I know how much the pressure release was on the evening of 29th May 2010), ASM haven’t returned to a French final, losing three successive semi-finals before losing at home in the barrage (quarter-final) last season.  That defeat to Castres – a second successive exit to the team now heading for the second division – was the first in 78 home games going back to 2009, and ended Vern Cotter’s eight year stewardship of the club on a low point.

It’s been slightly better in Europe, but still with a sense of not having got everything deserving of them.  2011 – a Julien Malzieu hat trick at the RDS was overshadowed by a wretched kicking performance from Brock James in a 29-28 loss to Leinster.  2012 – Wesley Fofana knocking on over the line with just over a minute left of a compelling Bordeaux semi-final to lose again to Leinster. 

In 2013, the step to the final was taken, and ASM were 15-6 up in the final against Toulon and coasting, before the kind of brain freeze that beset them two years before allowed Toulon to get back in, and unfortunately for all lovers of rugby, to put Delon the Idiot in for what proved to be a winning try.  Of course, as is the case on these close occasions, the chance to win the game by drop goal was spurned in favour of scoring a try to win – as we know so well, some you win (Saints v Saracens May 2014), some you lose (Saints v Saracens May 2010).

Last season, it was a case of the French away from home disease cutting them down in the semi-final – an early try, curious refereeing decision against them, and piece of stunning bad luck saw an early three try deficit – and you saw the team literally give up on the pitch.

This season, whilst not completely avenging that semi-final loss to Saracens, they did manage to emerge from possibly the hardest group of all as pool winners, winning their last five games after an early reverse on the 4G/plastic/whatever we’re calling it these days pitch in Barnet.  Those five wins included an epic win in Limerick and a taking apart of Sarries on the final afternoon of the pool stages.

The change in coach this season from the aforementioned Cotter to Franck Azema has not changed the style one bit – not that you’d expect it too, considering that Azema had been Cotter’s assistant for four years after Joe Schmidt went to Leinster.  The Clermont side remains a mix of the experienced, the southern hemisphere cast offs, and the French.  Unlike Toulon, this is a club that prides itself on bringing up their youngsters and trying to play them into the team (indeed, in 2010, both the youth teams won their respective national championships to complete an unprecedented clean sweep).  It works.

ASM currently stand second in the Top 14, just behind Toulon, and warmed up (well, kind of) with a hammering at Stade Francais at the weekend.  However, for ten minutes in the second half it looked as if the 27-7 halftime deficit could be turned around, as their brand of floating the ball wide after hitting hard up the middle looked like it may bring more dividends than the three tries it did.

That team will probably have either eight or nine changes for the weekend though – I’m expecting the pack to have Thomas Domingo, Benjamin Kayser and Davit Zirakashvili in the front row, Jamie Cudmore and Sebastien Vahaamahina just behind and Julian Bonnaire, captain Damian Chouly and Fritz Lee in the back row.  Bench cover will probably be Clement Ric and Vincent Debaty offering the prop back up, Ti’i Paulo as reserve hooker, Julian Pierre covering lock and Alexandre Lapandry to come on in the back row.

If ASM has any problems, it’s in the half backs.  Morgan Parra and Cammy Lopez were both injured on French duty (Lopez controversially), which limits the experienced options somewhat (and means that Courtney and Parra won’t have their first club meeting since the Challenge Cup Final in 2009).  As a result, the starters will probably be Ludo Radosavljevic at nine and Brock James at ten.  For those of you who haven’t watched Clermont over the last few years, don’t believe the Sky – for every bad game with the boot James has, he has been the most complete fly-half in France for years.  His invention with the ball reminds me of Carlos Spencer, and he had a run a few years back of 41 successful consecutive kicks at goal.  Not shabby.

Outside them, also not shabby – and an abundance of riches that will make the final selection very interesting.  The easy one is that Nick Abendanon will be at full-back.  The centres provide an interesting conundrum – Wesley Fofana has been missing for weeks and it had been hoped he’d play in Paris, but missed that game and is likely to miss our game as well; if fit though then he’d start at 12 and there would be a choice of Aurelien Rougerie or Jonathan Davies at outside centre.  I cannot believe that in a match of this importance that Rougerie would not play – the local boy and club legend is now up to 346 club appearances since making his debut in 1999, has the most tries of any current Top 14 player and was captain for eight seasons before this year.  The statue outside the ground cannot be that far away (he’s already had the ultimate honour though, hasn’t he Mathew Aurelien Damien Hazell-O’Mahoney?).  Should Fofana miss out, Davies will probably move to inside centre and Rougerie will play battering ram role.

On the wing, I expect Napo Nalaga – booed by his own supporters earlier in the season for signing a contract with the hated Toulon for next year – to start, probably along with the current rising star of French rugby in Noa Nakaitaci on the other side, edging out All Black Zac Guildford.  The backs replacements should be Thierry Lacrampe covering Ragosavljevic, and Mike Delany as the utility back.  The last place could be Fofana if risked, but will probably be Benson Stanley.

I’m expecting our team to be as near to the cup final team as possible, heads, shoulders, knees and fingers allowing...

Considering the two clubs have been at fixtures in Europe over most of the last fifteen years, there have been precious few meetings.  The last match at all between the two clubs was a pre-season friendly in August 2008 in Vichy, when ASM prevailed 14-7 after recovering from a first half deficit following Bruce’s early try, but the only competitive matches were in 2001’s Heineken Cup.

Having lost in round one in Cardiff, Saints entertained Montferrand on the last Saturday in October knowing that only a win would keep the European season alive.  After two Ali Hepher penalties in the first five minutes, Saints never led again after going behind to an Aurelien Rougerie (yes, that one) try converted by Jean-Luc Sadourny.  By the end, Sadourny had added a try of his own and three penalties as ASM won 21-15.

The following Saturday set a template for what was to come over the next few years – the team goes to the Marcel-Michelin, gets hammered.  It ended 50-17, with the eight ASM tries including two more for 

Rougerie.  As an aside to that, his performance over those two games convinced Bernard Laporte to put Rougerie into the French side for his first cap at the age of 21.  76 appearances later (so that’s 422 career competitive games so far) his international career finished after the 2011 World Cup final after setting up the French try for Thierry Dusautoir.

 

 

And since then, no meetings.  This Saturday is therefore long overdue.

There are a few links between the two clubs.  On leaving Saints in 2002, Olivier Brouzet went to the Auvergne, whilst George Pisi joined us in the other direction after playing half a season as a medical joker in 2011.  On the coaching side, Alex King cut his coaching teeth at the club before joining us and bringing numerous ASM methods with him, whilst Frank Ponissi also made the same journey to join the ill-fated Alan Solomons coaching team eleven years ago.

Better mention the stadium and the support at this point.  The Yellow Army have turned the Marcel-Michelin into the ultimate fortress over the last few years, and as the club have become more successful, the harder it’s become to get in.  Even with the increase in capacity to just over 18,000, it still isn’t big enough to get everyone in who wants to, although the noise sounds like there’s eighty thousand in there.  If you went fourteen years ago, it’s changed.  If you’ve not been before, brace yourselves for an unforgettable experience.

Whilst I’d be happier if I knew Saints had a fully fit squad, I still have a feeling that this match is not going to follow the script.  The only pressure on Saints is from within the club; nobody outside the club is expecting a win, and most are expecting a fairly convincing home victory.  History shows though that ASM tend to struggle to close out matches the closer they are and the bigger they are.  Last year’s quarter-final saw them lead 16-0 at half time only for Leicester to come back and very nearly snatch an impossible victory at the last.  Their home loss this season, to Montpellier in the third round of matches, was a match that should have been won before Francois Trinh-Duc kicked a penalty with the last play of the game.  The closer Saints are at sixty minutes, the more nervous the home support will be.  Expect noise.  Hope for a performance.

(And if you’ve wondered why I’ve not referred to them as Clermont, it’s because the supporters consider them as ASM.  The name changed to Clermont Auvergne to include the region in the club but they have always been and always will be ASM to the locals.)

The Practicalities

As you will be aware by now, Clermont Ferrand is not the easiest place to get to.  Direct flights from the UK don’t start until the end of April, so most of us not going on the club trip will probably be train bound from Paris.  The station you need in Paris is Bercy, near the Exhibition Centre but importantly a 5-10 minute walk from the Bercy metro station on line 14.  It’s still a sore point in Clermont that the long awaited TGV service has still not transpired, hence why the journey is three and a half hours but also that when the Gare de Lyon was being renovated in 2010 the service was moved out of the more accessible and better served station into the somewhat sparse Bercy station.  If you want food for the journey, don’t leave it until getting to the station as there’s not much there – better to get on the transfer from the metro in one of the cafes or shops around the Exhibition Centre.  The coffee on the TER/TEOZ service is excellent though!

In Clermont, the station is on the edge of the town but everything is relatively walkable.  However, if you’re staying in the centre of town, there is a bus (service B in the direction of Royat) that stops at Place Jaude.  If you’re staying near the stadium, and don’t want a maximum of a ten minute walk, get the bus B to Marcel-Michelin.  Both services go from stops 2 or 3 outside the station.

The tickets are easily priced - €1.50 for a single journey, or more usefully, €4.50 for a ticket that lasts 24 hours from when first stamped.  You must buy your ticket from the machines before you get on the bus or the tram – it’s not unusual to see inspectors on the trams.  The transport service is fully integrated, with the tickets valid for both bus and tram.  The tram covers most of the city and its outskirts, and runs for 21 hours of the day, but doesn’t go anywhere near the railway station.

The main square is Place Jaude, covered by bus and tram, with the tourist information centre just up the hill near the cathedral, and a shopping centre in the corner of the square.  It also has the statue of Vercingetorix, which seemed to have a flag attached to it permanently for the four years the side went to successive French finals.  For anyone self catering, there is a large supermarket just off the square which we’ve found in the past more than covers our needs as a family for a few days.

Also in Place Jaude is the city centre ASM shop (there’s also one outside the ground).  All I’ll say is if you thought Saints’ prices were expensive...

If you want to read about the match, there’s the local daily paper La Montagne, which always go big on rugby, the specialist Rugby Infos paper, which has a 16 page special on our match, and the Sports Auvergne magazine, covering all sports in the area, and which I can highly recommend being a subscriber.  All are widely available.

At the ground (tram stop Stade Marcel Michelin – surprisingly), there are entrances all around the ground, but most widely used are those at the tram end of the ground where coincidentally, the closest bars to the ground are.  This is the Espace Edouard end of the ground – to your left is the Auvergne stand, whilst to your right is the Volvic stand.  For the programme collectors, they are there, but are usually free and go very quickly.  Anyone standing should also be aware that the terrace is very shallow, so if you want a decent view get in early.  All of the food and drink within the ground is by a voucher system; as with Saints, there’s a plastic tumbler to rent, followed by vouchers to buy before exchanging the vouchers for food and drink.  There’s usually your full range of French sausages being sold for cash outside the ground too.

There’s also the only non-red McDonalds in France on the corner of the ground, if you’re not that keen on eating good food.  Everything to do with ASM is jaune et bleu!

Don’t be at all surprised if there’s a pitch invasion at the end; I don’t think I’ve been to a match at the ground where there hasn’t been, and it was on the pitch after a 70-6 win over Albi in May 2007 that Mathew took his first steps.  It’s a special place and will always hold a special place in our hearts.

If you did want to do something touristy, the Michelin Experience behind the ground is worth seeing; it has a very small amount of rugby, but if you want to learn about tyres of all kinds then it’s for you.  The Puy de Dome is also worth a look – about 35 minutes out of the city by car, there’s a tram which opened in 2012 which now takes a scenic route to the top and the views are absolutely stunning.  Unfortunately, the annual navette service, transferring people from the centre of the city to the tram station at the bottom of the volcano, was announced last week as starting on 11th April – one week too late for us otherwise that’s exactly where I’d be on Saturday morning.  If you don’t want the tram up, you can walk it, which is exhilarating and exhausting at the same time.

In the “Clermont” thread, Remy has come up with a number of restaurant and bar suggestions which I’m not going to repeat here, as you’ll find your own choices – my favourite restaurant is the Oval at the ground, whilst my favourite bar is out of the city up in the hills, the Vignerons supporters club bar near Les Vignes tram stop.

Also, if you want more sport over the weekend, Clermont’s football team is at home on Friday night in Ligue 2 action against second placed Angers at the Gabriel Montpied stadium (tickets €5 to €20).  They don’t get anywhere near the same size of crowds as their rugby counterparts nor are anywhere near as successful.

As with Bercy there’s not a great number of food places open near the station (particularly on a Sunday morning), but if you are staying over until Monday, or you want a real treat , try the Patisserie Caron opposite the station on Charras Avenue.  The pastries are to die for, and the handmade chocolates just melt in your mouth.

Clermont Ferrand is a wonderful city.  It may look grey, but that’s the granite talking – on a sunny day, the whole place shines and if that happens to also be a match day, there’s only one subject in town.  We’re in for a wonderful weekend, result or no result.

 

 

 

 

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News: We're playing in France again! the Clermont Preview
Discussion started by ComeOnYouSaints.com , 30/03/2015 12:43
ComeOnYouSaints.com
30/03/2015 12:43
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
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St Marlowe
30/03/2015 12:48
Thanks Mark - a great read!

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

Phil.
30/03/2015 13:22
A smashing read, Mark - many thanks!

OldPete
30/03/2015 13:26
thanks Mark - especially for the inside info on getting around the town.

Saint BB
30/03/2015 13:27
What a fantastic preview! Best team for Saints please ('heads, shoulders, knees and fingers allowing' - love it) but it is a very very tough ask. Loads of analysis and information and no small amount of humour and interest in your words - thank you.

Remy63
30/03/2015 13:58
That was not Jean-Luc Sadourny but Xavier Sadourny (Still at the club as back coach since Alex King joined the Saints).

Apart of it, superb ! Many Thx.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:03:30:14:09:23 by Remy63.

Christy
30/03/2015 14:32
superb review Mark - your enthusiasm is catching. Only one question - which team do you hope wins??

HRsaints fan
30/03/2015 15:03
Excellent review Mark. Many thanks for doing it. Can't help but be nervous every time I think about this game but if Saints bring their "A" game then anything is possible.

Saint Dom in Hanoi
30/03/2015 15:46
What a great preview - one of the best I've read.
Let's hope the match lives up to its billing!

http://v4admin.sportnetwork.net/upload/99/99_0_1202835632.jpg
*I could agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong...*

ch saint
30/03/2015 17:34
Excellent preview, many thanks for the work you put in.

Sarge
30/03/2015 23:57
For those paying their first visit a warning...

Beware Montferrand hospitality - it's bad for your liver!

St Dormouse
31/03/2015 08:24
Incredibly informative for visiting and watch on the tele fans. Many thanks for a great read.

Back row boy
31/03/2015 08:57
Great review, appetite well and truly whetted. Having been present in Dublin last season when we beat Leinster, with what some called a make shift back line (by memory KP at full back, George North at outside centre, Jamie on one wing and Tom Collins on the other)the squad is good enough to win this.

On a more practical note, I am driving to the game, on a day trip from skiing, what are the parking possibilities? From the transport system web site, it looks like there is a park and ride at the end of the tram system, do I ned to set me sat Nav for these, not the ground?

Remy63
31/03/2015 09:12
Quote:
Back row boy
Great review, appetite well and truly whetted. Having been present in Dublin last season when we beat Leinster, with what some called a make shift back line (by memory KP at full back, George North at outside centre, Jamie on one wing and Tom Collins on the other)the squad is good enough to win this.
On a more practical note, I am driving to the game, on a day trip from skiing, what are the parking possibilities? From the transport system web site, it looks like there is a park and ride at the end of the tram system, do I ned to set me sat Nav for these, not the ground?

Depends on when you're coming, when you're leaving and if you want to use your car during the week-end ?

Remy63
31/03/2015 09:55
I forgot that point :

"When the gypsy curse was lifted in 2010 (supposedly as a punishment for assisting the Vichy government during the Second World War, legend has it that ASM would lose ten finals before winning anything)"

Even if it's a joke, it's absolutely not a subject in which we can afford to make fun.

Especially in our tortured region during the Second World War.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:03:31:09:56:05 by Remy63.

Back row boy
31/03/2015 11:45
Remy63, in response to your question, I am on a traditional day trip, so will arrive mid afternoon (depending on traffic) on the day of the game and then leave immediately afterwards.

Remy63
31/03/2015 12:53
Quote:
Back row boy
Remy63, in response to your question, I am on a traditional day trip, so will arrive mid afternoon (depending on traffic) on the day of the game and then leave immediately afterwards.

A good point is to park your car at a tram parking (it's 3€70 which includes the parking plus the tram ticket).

The parking at the "Les Pistes" stop is usefull if you come from the highway A71/A75.

If you want to get close to the stadium, and if you're coming at least 2 or 3 hours before the game, there are few place where the parking is free :

- Rue du Clos Four (Very closed to the staidum)
- Rue Robert Marchadier (5/10 minutes walk depends on how far you're in the street)
- Parking du 1er Mai (You have to take a ticket before to enter because it's normally not a free parking, but it's open freely after 7 pm, So as the game is supposed to stop around 8 pm, the doors will be wide open at the end of the game, and you won't have to pay - 5 minutes walk to the stadium but be sure to be there 45 minutes before the game).

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