Leicester certified for the last 16 of the Champions Cup with a sport to spare after a stirring bonus-point victory at Clermont. Richard Wigglesworth’s aspect had suffered heavy losses of their last two league outings however look to have tailored to life with out Steve Borthwick. Matt Scott, Harry Simmons and Dan Kelly scored within the first half in France and two extra tries after the break put Leicester on the high of Pool B earlier than the opposite 10 groups play this weekend.
Following Borthwick’s appointment as England head coach, Wigglesworth was taking cost of his first European sport having served as a substitute scrum-half in Leicester’s earlier two wins within the competitors. After a pair of rocky weeks within the Premiership, Tigers made themselves comfy early with Scott’s interception rating, however Clermont hit again by means of Bautista Delguy after Handré Pollard’s penalty.
Sensational footwork from the scrum-half-turned-wing Simmons gave Leicester a second strive earlier than the Clermont No 8 Fritz Lee was proven a yellow card for a harmful clear-out within the ruck, through which he clashed heads with Ben Youngs.
The Tigers continued to look slick as Kelly crossed after a lineout drive, however Alivereti Raka confirmed how harmful he could be as his break led to a strive for Etienne Fourcade.
The South Africa fly-half Pollard was potent from the tee on his first European begin for Leicester, including a long-range penalty to convey his first-half tally to 12 factors. It was Clermont who appeared brighter after the break as Anthony Belleau scrambled on to a free ball to attain after Charlie Atkinson’s last-ditch defence failed.
Scott quickly scored his second for Leicester because the Tigers backline mixed fantastically, earlier than Clermont’s Paul Jedrasiak threw a sly dummy to get previous Atkinson and minimize the result in eight factors. Leicester held off an more and more assured Clermont and prop James Cronin sealed the Tigers’ win with a strive within the 78th minute.
The French aspect transfer as much as fourth within the desk because of an attacking bonus level, however are more likely to drop down once more after the weekend’s video games. Leicester’s closing group sport can be towards Ospreys on 20 January, whereas Clermont face DHL Stormers the next day.
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