Clermont host Saracens in the first of the weekend’s European Rugby Champions Cup semi-finals, and there are some important facts to know before watching the game.
1. Clermont and Saracens have faced each other twice this season
Saracens won the first round, 30-23. Clermont won the return round, 18-6.
Both teams won their home fixtures.
2. The two teams faced off in last year’s semi-final
Saracens had the home advantage then, and proved far too much for Clermont, winning 46-6, in one of the heaviest defeats seen in Heineken Cup knock-out history.
Clermont will have the home advantage this year, which means a lot, as they haven’t lost a home game in European competition since 2008, when they were defeated by Sale.
3. Clermont have had a better success rate this season
Clermont have lost only one of their pool matches, to Saracens. They also made short work of Northampton in the quarter-finals, winning 37-15.
Saracens have had a tougher time of it, losing to both Clermont and Munster in the pool stages. They also had a much tougher time in the quarter-finals, beating Racing Metro 12-11. They had to rely on penalties to win the match, at no point did they look like scoring a try.
4. Saracens understand the heavy task ahead of them
They’ve even gone so far as to recruit Jim McGuinness, who is a well-known sports guru, to psych up the players. For four years, McGuinness was the manager of the Donegal Gaelic Football Team. He is now sports psychologist for Celtic soccer team, and he was also the right hand man of Paul McGinely during the 2014 Ryder Cup.
5. Billy Vunipola has been cleared to play
Saracens will be buoyed by the news that their stand-out forward, Billy Vunipola, will feature in the semi-final.
Vunipola had been cited following an incident in an English Premiership match against Leicester last weekend.
Saracens also have a strong back-line with England internationals, Alex Goode, Christ Ashton and David Strettle.
Star Clermont players include Nick Abendanon, Jonathan Davies, Wesley Fofana and Brock James in the back-line, and a strong pack.
Clermont and Saracens are pretty evenly matched player-wise. Saracens will need to find the passion that led them to the final of last year’s tournament.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Fair point re: Mako. I really don't think their squad is that large compared to the other top sides.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Well I look forward to seeing how that knowledge helps when James Slipper is having his head shoved up his b*m yet again.
Birdy
Guest
So that would be 5 WCs in a hit and giggle artificial version of the game of cricket; 9 WCs in a 'sport' only played by Aussies, a few dozen fat blokes in the north of England, and those Kiwis not good enough to be ABs; and in rugby 1 WC when everyone was an amateur, and 1 when the only difference was that the amateur players and coaches had just started to be paid. - deeply impressive mate.
Colin N
Guest
Erm, no. Tillous-Borde, Chiocci and Guirado all started - they are French, all of them internationals.
Nobrain
Guest
Sorry Bakkies, but only Michalak and Bastereau are French, The rest were foreigner.
Bakkies
Guest
Private clubs aren't there to primarily to produce test players. They aren't branches of unions. There were 5 Frenchmen in the Toulon starting XV.
Jake
Guest
Just look at history and you will see. This "knowledge" is something that is just there. Australian sporting sides have made a habit of winning world cups. 5 x cricket, 9 x RL and 2 x (in the very minor sport of) rugby world cups are testament to that.
Nobrain
Guest
I was thinking the same, only 2 of the starting 15 were younger than 30 with the oldest 36. Only 2 of the starting 15 were French, that itself says a lot on the current conditions of the French National.
Colin N
Guest
Mako Vunipola was actually bought from Bristol, but yes Saracens do have a lot of quality academy products. However, you have to remember that their squad is massive compared to other English sides and I would guess that the likes of Juan Figallo, James Johnston and Schalk Brits are on hefty wages, as well as the likes of Billy Vunipola, Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth etc. You've then got to remember that they want to keep these players so they will inevitably get a pay rise when a new contract is up for discussion. Also, certain players signed at the time may not look like 'marquee' buys but Saracens' offer would have dwarfed that of the club they moved from, B. Vunipola, Johnston and Hodgson being cases in point. Finally, when they're making a loss of over three million a year I think it's pretty obvious that they're one of the highest payers in England, I just don't think their recruitment of players behind the scrum has been particularly intelligent at times. Or, at least, they buy players to suit their structure rather than guys who can produce a bit of magic in attack.
Colin N
Guest
Firstly, I'm not sure how someone who has admitted himself that he doesn't take any interest in European rugby can then have the temerity to comment on it. Secondly, knockout games in any competition are generally conservative. I assumed you watched New Zealand-Australia in the World Cup, as well as Australia-South Africa? My point is that you describe northern hemisphere rugby as attritional but then fail to notice games in the southern hemisphere which are exactly the same. In fact, for the second time in three weeks only one team in Super Rugby scored 30 points or more and this weekend was a particularly low-scoring affair.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Hmmm... unless Australia are bringing Phil Kearns, Michael Lynagh, John Ealers, Daniel Herbert et al out of retirement I don't see how that "knowledge" will have any impact this year. It certainly didn't help much last November when they got completely rodded.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Brock James attempted a pointless drop goal after how many minutes gone? I think that set the tone. As did James hoofing up countless Garryowen after Garryowen. Separately, I think Saracens have done an outstanding job in recent seasons They have risen to the top of Europe despite possessing a pretty star-free roster. Compare the age and perceived quality of their starting pack yesterday with the Toulon pack that will start against Leinster today. Mako Vunipola, George, Kruis, and Itoje are all academy players, Du Plessis was a Championship player, and Burger plucked from obscurity. I don't think it's unreasonable to say that only Chris Ashton and Billy Vunipola have been marquee buys. The media talk about Sarries breaking the salary cap, but with honest toilers like Wyles, Barritt and Bosch I don't see how that can be the case. IMO it's their lack of star buys holding them back.
Jake
Guest
"love that word attritional. Should just use its initials…NH." ha ha. ouch. Very funny. "We’ll see how well the Aussie Ladies’ Netball team gets on playing “attritional” NH sides in the WC." No problem. Australia know how to win there. They have won more WC's on UK soil than the home nations. In fact, they have won every WC held on UK soil.
Bakkies
Guest
Some mighty chip you have. Just watch the Rugby
Bakkies
Guest
At least the English sides are out
Homer Gain
Guest
Stick with it Taylorman. We'll see how well the Aussie Ladies' Netball team gets on playing "attritional" NH sides in the WC.
Taylorman
Guest
Were they? Cool. Didn't see them myself. Not sure any of those will be in the semis though. The Tahs Canes match was good too. As was the Chiefs Crusaders.
Colin N
Guest
Well, it's obvious that the northern hemisphere can't compete with the southern hemisphere where the Brumbies-Rebels and Force-Stormers games were truly outstanding.
taylorman
Guest
At least 4 players born 1979....geez...Dads army to win the big one...
taylorman
Guest
I count 9 SH ex pro players from the Toulon squad albeit fairly rusty ones- Williams, Smith, Bakkies, Masoe, Haymans etc...so have to pick them, Amazing how they py all these over the hills to play...whats the average age of Toulon? 30?