Clermont beaten at Stade Français

Editor

Stade Français picked up only their third win of the Top 14 season on Sunday as they edged out league leaders Clermont 14-9 at Stade Jean Bouin.

It had looked like being a try-filled affair when flanker Jono Ross crossed the whitewash for the home outfit as early as the twelfth minute.

But that unconverted effort proved to be the only try of a low-scoring game.

Fly-half Jules Plisson did manage to extend the Parisians' lead to eight points on ten minutes and later struck another penalty to give Stade Français a welcome 10-0 cushion to take into the changing rooms at the half-time break.

However, Clermont responded well in the second stanza as after Plisson made it 13-0, the current Top 14 leaders then mounted a mini comeback via the boot of Brock James. The fly-half kicked two penalties – in the 55th and 66th minute – to make it an intriguing 14-6 gap.

Despite Clermont's replacement number ten Camille Lopez landing another three points to make it a one-score game with four minutes left, Stade though would hold on while les Jaunards go home with a losing bonus-point.

The scorers:

For Stade Français:
Try: Ross
Pen: Plisson 3

For Clermont:
Pen: James 2, Lopez

Stade Français: 15 Djibril Camara, 14 Waisea, 13 Paul Williams, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Jeremy Sinzelle, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Julien Dupuy, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Sylvain Nicolas, 6 Jono Ross, 5 Pascal Pape, 4 Alexandre Flanquart, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Laurent Sempere, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Remy Bonfils, 17 Zak Taulafo, 18 Paul Gabrillagues, 19 Mathieu De Giovanni, 20 Clement Daguin, 21 Morne Steyn, 22 Hugo Bonneval, 23 Adrien Oleon.

Clermont: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Noa Nakaitaci, 13 Albert Vulivuli, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Adrien Plante, 10 Brock James, 9 Ludovic Radosavljevic, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Julien Bardy, 6 Camille Gerondeau, 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Paul Jedrasiak, 3 Clement Ric, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Raphael Chaume.
Replacements: 16 Pellow van der Westhuizen, 17 Thomas Domingo, 18 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 19 Vito Kolelishvili, 20 Morgan Parra, 21 Camille Lopez, 22 David Strettle, 23 Dan Kotze.

Referee: Tual Trainini