Heineken Champions Cup Spherical of 16 – Friday: Leinster 56-20 (82-41) Connacht, Bristol 29-35 (39-44) Cel; Saturday: Harlequins 33-20 (59-60) Montpellier, Munster 26-10 (34-23) Exeter, La Rochelle 31-23 (62-36), Bordeaux, Leicester 27-17 (56-27) Clermont, Ulster vs. Toulouse
Final replace: 4/22/16 8:22 PM
Hanro Liebenberg scored one in every of Leicester’s 4 makes an attempt to qualify for the European Cup
Leicester booked the Heineken Cup quarter-final match with Leinster after finishing the duty in opposition to Clermont Auvergne with a 27-17 victory.
A powerful efficiency in France six days in the past gave Steve Borthwick’s facet a 19-point benefit to enter the second leg at close by Matteoly Woods-Welford Street, the place the hosts haven’t misplaced since June 2023.
An accident-ridden first half yielded just one try by Hanro Liebenberg, however the floodgates opened within the second with Matt Scott and Freddie Steward touching down in addition to the award for a penalty try because the Tigers netted an mixture win 56-27.
Clermont maintained a tie with two makes an attempt by Aliferity Raca and Fritz Lee, the second after Oli Chissum’s purple card might forestall the England worldwide from dealing with the quarter-finals in early Might. Nonetheless, the Premier League leaders is not going to be denied entry to the quarter-finals.
After surviving an early storm because the guests rejected kicks on purpose in favor of the makes an attempt they wanted, it was Tiger’s facet who scored on their first assault within the twenty second minute.
Captain Ellis Genji revolted within the middle of protection and recycled shortly later, arriving at Liebenberg within the try which was turned by George Ford.
George Ford scored a penalty and converter within the victory
Camille Lopez’s penalty made Claremont on the scoreboard and extra might have adopted as Raca broke a giant streak. The hazard seems to have been averted by Ford’s bar, however his ensuing kick was directed downward after which stopped by Baptiste Juno, solely to be judged by TMO that it was pinned to the lifeless ball line.
A flurry of pleasure late within the first half noticed Harry Wells spill whereas main the road whereas Chris Ashton dipped in Jack Van Portfleet.
With two Tigers injured, Claremont pounced whereas Juno broke right into a tremendous diagonal trajectory, and with Ford closed, the half-keeper threw a move inside to Giorgi Perea, who fumbled the purpose line at his mercy.
Wesley Fofana’s break at the beginning of the second half was expertly ended by a Reffell deal with.
Ford cemented Leicester’s lead with a penalty earlier than mesmerizing the French protection with a header and a dummy, permitting Rivel to place Scott within the lead that opened up an enormous mixture benefit with 31 factors minutes earlier than play.
Matt Scott strikes on for Leicester’s second try at Welford Street
Clermont lastly scored the try they threatened when Elder Tiberjian launched him and fed Raca for a easy end. Nonetheless, it didn’t spark a belated comeback as Ford’s sensible reboot induced chaos.
Etienne Fourcade noticed yellow earlier than Leicester made their approach to a penalty as Daniel Pepe Bezio turned the second Clermont facet to be cautioned in a minute.
This numerical benefit was short-lived as Chessum was kicked a shoulder to Samuel Ezeala’s head. This was adopted by an tried match the place the weaving monitor of Harry Potter supplied help to Steward.
Claremont’s header did not drop as Lee’s try, turned by Morgan Barra, proved to be his last-ditch, however it was Tiger who superior to the quarter-finals with a 56-27 mixture win.
