HEINEKEN CUP NEWS:THE BOOKMAKERS have Clermont Auvergne down as nine-point favourites to beat Leinster but that could change later today should Aurelien Rougerie (thigh) and/or Brock James (ribs) fail to make the starting roster for Sunday's fascinating duel at Stade Marcel Michelin.
For all the strength in depth available to the French champions, the loss of their captain (Rougerie) and the Australian-born outhalf (James) would require a revisiting of the points spread, albeit only slightly, in Leinster’s favour.
Should James fail to make it, Clermont would look to Benoit Baby to make up a halfback partnership alongside Morgan Parra. Regardless, Parra will be kicking the goals unlike the Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat at the RDS Showgrounds last season when James left a truck load of points on the field after a horrid night off the tee.
“We moved on quickly from that but it did prove a watershed for our season,” explained the Scottish native and Clermont manager Neil McIlroy yesterday. “It was a bad night for Brockie but the players and management rallied around him; no one allowed him to take the blame for defeat.
“We used it as motivation when we went chasing the Bouclier de Brennus, we spoke about it before our next few games. We made it work for us.”
The loss of Rougerie would offset Leinster being forced to survive without Brian O’Driscoll. Converted from wing by the French national coach Marc Lievremont, it seems likely the man nicknamed ‘Rolo’ (the horse) will be galloping down Eoin O’Malley’s channel with regularity come Sunday.
“He is such a good attacker, he can be used at centre but he can move back to the wing as well and as captain, yes, he is very important to us but in Gavin Williams and Marius Jourbert we have two quality centres to come in.”
That’s the alternative: a Samoan or a Springbok with Italian Gonzalo Canale expected to start at inside centre. Rourgerie’s switch to midfield means more game time for Napolioni Nalaga with another powerhouse, Julien Malzieu, a fixture on the left wing.
Argentine hooker Mario Ledesma and secondrow Thibaut Privat are attempting to recover from knee injuries by today but despite Paul O’Connell’s old sparring partner, Jamie Cudmore, being suspended, for stamping on Saracens Jacques Burger in October, the locking reserves remain strong with French internationals Julien Pierre and Loic Jacquet available.
“The game has been sold out for weeks,” McIlroy confirmed. “It will be good to see Joe (Schmidt) again, I’m sure he will relish the challenge of coming back here.”
Schmidt’s knowledge of Clermont’s attacking patterns could prove highly beneficial. “That is just the nature of rugby. Everybody analyses everybody else. Yes, we will just have to have some tricks up our sleeve but we know Leinster quite well as well,” said McIlroy.
