Clermont closes in on Euro play-offs
MATCH REPORT: Flyhalf Anthony Belleau and wing Alivereti Raka both scored braces as Clermont Auvergne defeated 14-man Scarlets 38-17 in a Challenge Cup Round Three match.
Clermont Auvergne scored six tries, all of which came after Scarlets’ Johnny Williams was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Julien Heriteau in the 26th minute.
With a man advantage, the Top 14 side crossed thrice before the break with Raka scoring his brace and Belleau getting his first.
Scarlets only had a Sam Costelow penalty to their name at the break, and early in the second period things only got worse as Giorgi Beria and Joris Jurand added their names to the try scorers list before the 50th minute.
With successive yellows for Pierre Fouyssac and then Peceli Yato, virtually the rest of the game became 14-a-side and Scarlets restored some honour to the scoreline with crosses from Steff Evans and Kieran Hardy, both converted by Ioan Lloyd.
But Clermont Auvergne had the last say, Belleau going over for his second with the clock in the red.
He converted his try to bring his total to 18, the flyhalf only missing one conversion on the day.
The scorers
For Clermont Auvergne
Tries: Raka 2, Belleau 2, Beria, Jurand
Cons: Belleau 4
For Scarlets
Tries: Evans, Hardy
Cons: Lloyd 2
Pen: Costelow
Red card: Johnny Williams (Scarlets, 26)
Yellow cards: Pierre Fouyssac (Clermont, 64), Peceli Yato (Clermont, 77)
Teams
Clermont: 15 Alex Newsome, 14 Joris Jurand, 13 Julien Heriteau, 12 Léon Darricarrere, 11 Alivereti Raka, 10 Anthony Belleau, 9 Baptiste Jauneau, 8 Fritz Lee (captain), 7 Pita-Gus Sowakula, 6 Killian Tixeront, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Etienne Fourcade, 1 Giorgi Beria.
Replacements: 16 Folau Fainga’a, 17 Daniel Bibi Biziwu, 18 Cristian Ojovan, 19 Peceli Yato, 20 Lucas Dessaigne, 21 Sebastien Bezy, 22 Jules Plisson, 23 Pierre Fouyssac.
Scarlets: 15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Archie Hughes, 8 Vaea Fifita, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Josh Macleod (captain), 5 Jac Price, 4 Alex Craig, 3 Sam Wainwright, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Kemsley Mathias.
Replacements: 16 Eddie Swart, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Morgan Jones, 20 Ben Williams, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Ioan Nicholas, 23 Shaun Evans.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Jonny Erskine (Ireland), Alexandru Ionescu (Romania)
TMO: Mark Patton (Ireland)
Source: @ChallengeCup_