Edinburgh Rugby show second half spirit but Clermont prove too strong in Challenge Cup opener

Cammy Scott was handed a start at number 10 in Clermont as Edinburgh rested Ben Healy. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

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A much-changed Edinburgh side began their Challenge Cup pool campaign with a loss at the Stade Marcel-Michelin as hosts Clermont Auvergne began and ended as the stronger side. The visitors were 17-0 behind before fighting back to within four points, but a powerful finish was enough to give the three-time winners of the competition a bonus-point victory.

Both teams went into this game on the back of excellent results in their last outings. Clermont had looked far superior to their current status as a mid-table Top 14 side when they beat league leaders Racing 92, while Edinburgh had enjoyed their most impressive result of the season so far with a victory against Ulster in Belfast.

But several key forwards were rested, and, just as significantly, so was stand-off Ben Healy. Cammy Scott, a former Scotland Under-20 cap of substantial promise but only four previous appearances at this level, took over from Healy at No 10.

The visitors gave as good as they got in the opening exchanges, preventing Clermont from launching anything like a coherent attack. A wayward pass from Scott after 10 minutes briefly threatened to produce a scoring chance for the home side, but their kick ahead went harmlessly into touch.

The first quarter ended scoreless, but Clermont opened the scoring soon afterwards off the back of a penalty kicked to touch. The initial maul on the right did not get too far, but when play was switched to the left and then back into the middle, George Moala eventually found enough space to reach the line from a few metres out. Anthony Belleau converted the centre’s score to put his team 7-0 up.

The stand-off soon had the chance to add a penalty after Edinburgh collapsed a scrum, but he chose instead to send the award to touch. That proved a wise decision as, when the ball came back from the lineout, a well-weighted pass gave Alex Newsome the space to evade the onrushing Paterson and touch down for his team’s second try.

Belleau again converted, then made it 17-0 shortly before half-time with a penalty for hands in the ruck. But Edinburgh opened their account in time added on when Tim Swiel chipped over a penalty after another offence in the ruck.

Edinburgh needed to start the second half strongly, and they did. Chris Dean made good ground, collective effort kept up the pressure, and in the end Javan Sebastian scored from short range off a Bill Mata pass. Swiel converted to reduce the deficit to seven points.

At the other end, Swiel failed to find touch with a penalty that would have been very close to the home line, then had to go off with a head injury. Scott took over the kicking duties, and, after a high tackle on Hamish Watson, the fly-half scored with a long-range penalty to make it a four-point game.

But then Clermont made seven changes at once, and within a minute were further ahead, Newsome getting his second in the left corner from a pass by one of those replacements, Killian Tixeron. Belleau converted to make it 24-13.

The match was just still alive at that point, but then another substitute, Daniel Biziwu, killed it off with his team’s bonus-point score following a lineout drive. Belleau added another two points.

Wes Goosen dived in at the right corner for a late consolation score for Edinburgh. Mark Bennett’s conversion attempt went wide.