European round-up:Clermont Auvergne moved level on points with Pool Two leaders Leinster as they claimed a 28-17 bonus-point Heineken Cup victory over French rivals Racing Metro at Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin. Leinster face Saracens at the RDS tomorrow afternoon.
The visitors had raced into an early 10-0 lead as Argentina international Juan Martin Hernandez kicked a penalty and converted Bernard Le Roux’s try.
But a try from Gonzalo Canale, converted by Brock James, got Clermont back within three points and further scores followed after the break for prop Thomas Domingo and replacement Jason White. James converted both those scores to put the hosts 21-10 ahead.
Julien Jane pulled a try back for Racing but captain Aurelien Rougerie grabbed the vital fourth try to seal Clermont’s win, and the extra point, with nine minutes remaining.
Northampton became the first team this season to qualify for the quarter-finals with their fifth consecutive win in the competition. It was a far from vintage performance from the Saints but it was convincing enough 37-0 win against a dogged but poor Edinburgh side, who never looked like threatening Saints’ unbeaten European record.
The game was a very uninspiring affair up until the last eight minutes when Saints scored three tries all from excellent wing, Paul Diggin, who finished with a total of four.
Elsewhere, the Cardiff Blues kept alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the Amlin Challenge Cup as they claimed a deserved 14-9 Pool One win over Castres at Cardiff City Stadium.
The Blues already had no hope of reaching the last eight in the top-tier competition but this win keeps them in the hunt for a runners-up spot which would put them in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup.
But they may be left to rue the losing bonus point the French visitors picked up to keep themselves in second place by a single point with one round of games to go.
