World News – AU – Clermont run in seven attempts and prove too strong for Bristol minus Radradra

Bristol’s rugby director Pat Lam cursed Fiji for playing practically the entire game against Georgia against Semi Radradra last week with leg injury in the opening minutes. The reason for his anger was evident at Ashton Gate when Clermont controlled midfield defense and attack, secured a bonus point before the break and finished with seven tries.

After six weeks of unimaginative play in the international window, this was a refreshing contrast to the sides who hold the ball in their hand and only kick tactically or under duress.

French teams are considered bad travelers but in the absence of fans, Clermont felt at home as they took a 21-0 lead after 15 minutes, the day after Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles won on the road.

Two of the attempts were based on their ability to maneuver the ball towards the wings as Bristol tried to cramp them and the other followed heavy pressure on the home team behind the payline that forced Callum Sheedy to make a claimed flat pass to throw from Apisai Naqalevu halfway and he only had to keep the ball to score.

Without Radradra, Bristol were out of shape too easily and their defense was rigged by center-backs Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez. They had an early warning when the center George Moala ran an outside arch and John Afoa clutched the air, but it went unnoticed and after Damian Penaud got into midfield in his own half he freed Apisai Raka on the left and the wing controlled his Watch out for Kotaro Matsushima.

Naqalevu’s attempt came after seven minutes and Bristol was still trying to find a way into the game. He missed the lineout and quickly disabled the kicks before Raka came from a scrum into the infield, took Bristol outside and gave Penaud room to score on the right.

Bristol kept running and by the end of the half had found a way to draw the Clermont infield. They scored a goal after 20 minutes when Max Malins moved outward before cutting back. Raka slipped and the full-back ran unhindered to the line.

Clermont’s answer was immediate. After Moala was picked up by a jerk and crossed the payline from a standing start, quick hands gave Naqalevu room to exploit and the result was Matsushima’s second try and the attempt bonus point in less than 30 minutes.

Bristol’s second attempt came from a rolling mouth and reduced the deficit to 12 points, a reasonable return given Clermont’s dominance, but Lopez kicked a penalty just before half-time and traded kicks with Sheedy in the first three minutes of the second half out.

Then Bristol tried Clermont’s playbook, broke out of their own half and brought the ball to Henry Purdy on the left wing. He stormed through Matsushima’s challenge and appeared to hit the line before being briefly halted. He threw the ball behind him where Harry Randall picked it up.

The difference was now eight points, and Clermont, missing the affected Naqalevu, looked vulnerable for the first time. It turned out to be chimera when two shots from Moala sucked the defenders in and as Morgan Parra floated a long, high pass to the right, Penaud took the ball over his head as the shorter Randall looked up.

Number 8 Fritz Lee won after another attack from Raka on the left, and Matsushima pocketed his hat-trick after Clermont broke the payline again and Lopez’s short, soft pass shook the defense brought.

Bristol was still coming and they finished a game with a bonus point when Malins created a try for Ioan Lloyd and Siale Piutau finished after a series of fiddles. They missed Radradra very much, but they needed more.

Bristol is at Lam’s old hangout, Connacht, next Sunday and he will pick his strongest team available and not write off a tournament that he appreciates yet. « It will be difficult to qualify from here, but not impossible, » he said. “I was happy with the way the guys resisted, but we paid to give them a head start. ”

Bristol Bears, ASM Clermont Auvergne, European Rugby Cup, Kotaro Matsushima, Pat Lam, Rugby Union