FRENCH TOP 14 FINAL/USA Perpignan 6 Clermont Auvergne 19:CLERMONT, WELL used to heartbreak after 10 defeats in as many finals, tasted glory at long last by defeating holders Perpignan to clinch their first French championship title at the Stade de France on Saturday.
“Bloody hell, it was time. We worked so hard,” said Clermont number eight Elvis Vermeulen, who was a member of the team that lost the last three finals against Stade Francais, Toulouse and Perpignan.
Clermont coach Vern Cotter, his eyes filled with tears, added: “It was three years of sheer frustration but every year we tried to come back stronger. It’s a great feeling. This is the culmination of four years of work and a dream for everyone.”
The game was a rematch of last year’s final, won 22-13 by Perpignan. Clermont scored the only try through Fiji wing Napolioni Nalaga who charged over like a prop after a ruck on the Perpignan try-line. Scrumhalf Morgan Parra contributed three penalties and a conversion and fullback Anthony Floch added a drop goal.
Perpignan answered with two penalties scored by fullback Jerome Porical who had scored 14 points in a flawless performance last year but missed three penalties on Saturday.
“We can’t complain. We didn’t manage to develop our game. Clermont were stronger on the day and they deserve their title,” said Perpignan scrumhalf Nicolad Durand.
Clermont’s Parra was, after one early range-finding miss, unflappable. He landed his killer blow 19 minutes from the end, a minute after Porical had missed his fourth, taking Clermont 10 points clear in a fractured second half from which Perpignan deserved more.
Both sides missed penalties in the opening five minutes, before Parra finally scored the first points of the game in the 10th minute.
Five minutes later, Clermont scored the opening try. Nalaga scored, after a quick line-out and break by James, who gave to Nalaga who forced his way over the line between the legs of Nicolas Durand, playing his last game for the Catalans.
Parra converted, then landed his second penalty after Porical had made it 10-6 with two of his own. Porical missed his second of the night just before half-time of a match in which Clermont had enjoyed 65 per cent of the possession but had not really translated enough of it into points.
The second half was more even as Perpignan dug out a hefty kitchen sink to throw at the Clermont defence, but again Porical let his side down, missing a tough kick just after the break and a sitter near the hour mark.
When Parra slotted his third to take his side two scores ahead, Catalan heads dropped visibly. Anthony Floch landed a drop goal to extend the lead to 13 and take the Clermont fans old and new to a level of emotion and euphoria.
USA PERPIGNAN: J Porical; A Planté, D Marty, M Mermoz, C Manas; G Hume, N Durand; P Freshwater, G Guirado, N Mas; O Olibeau, R Tchale-Watchou; O Tonita, H Tuilagi, JP Perez. Replacements: G Le Corvec for Tuilagi (45 mins), Tuilagi for Perez (52 mins), N Laharrague for Hume (53 mins), M Tincu for Guirado (54 mins), G Vilaceca for Tuilagi (56 mins), D Mele for Durand (59 mins), J Schuster for Freshwater (63 mins), JP Grandclaude for Tchale-Watchou (69 mins), K Pulu for Mas (73 mins).
ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE: A Floch; N Nalaga, A Rougerie (cap), J Joubert, J Malzieu; B James, M Parra; T Domingo, M Ledesma, M Scelzo; J Cudmore, T Privat; J Bonnaire, A Lapadry, E Vermeulen. Replacements: D Zirakashvili for Scelzo (43 mins), J Pierre for Privat (52 mins), A Audebett for Lapadry (59 mins), B Capello for Ledesma (70 mins), Scelzo for Zirakashvili (72 mins).
Referee: Christophe Berdos
