Leinster boss Joe Schmidt was left frustrated with his side's second loss to Clermont in a week despite grabbing a losing bonus point.
A late try from Fergus McFadden gave Leinster a slim chance of qualifying for the knockout stages, with the champions needing to take maximum points from their remaining Pool matches against the Scarlets and Exeter to defend their title.
Clermont were physically dominant, with Schmidt highlighting the strength in depth of their squad as being a key factor behind their victory.
"Miracles happen in sport, I guess, but mathematical long shots very seldom come into being," said Schmidt.
"I don't think we have the same depth as some of the big-spending French clubs.
"It's hard to take defeat two weeks in a row, with the amount of effort the players put in.
"The other challenge for champions is they always look pretty good when they are on top. It is how they come back from adversity that is the real challenge."
Comments
DaveJ says...
Leinster and Munster on the Decline, French and English clubs leading the Hcup, will we now see a U-Turn on their threats to leave? I think so....
Posted 13:18 17th December 2012
damo says...
Joke of a comment ha he has more talent at his disposal than almost every coach in world rugby, keep picking Gordon Darcy and eventually you will realise your making a mistake. You cant rely on heaslip cos he is a shaper. But depth of squad being an issue???? Ask Eric Elwood what he thinks of that one.
Posted 00:19 17th December 2012
BiggyFint says...
They were beaten by a better team plain and simple. Excuses just don't cut it. A terrible weekend for Irish rugby.
Posted 20:21 16th December 2012
melkdave says...
Hard to fathom why J.Schmidt,is crying over his squad depth,its a great squad far better than alot of AP or french atm,never mind the other Pro12 teams,would bite their arm off to have the quality in depth he has .Excuses dont cut im afraid.
Posted 17:16 16th December 2012
curates_egg says...
@LeinsterGoy even 10 points is unlikely to be enough: that is the point
Posted 17:07 16th December 2012
leinster_goy says...
Schmidty is a genius of a coach, an absolute gentleman and should be president. but there are times when his modesty/realism/talk-up-the-opposition-even-though-they're-crap (call it what you will) veers dangerously close to defeatism
it reminds me of last year when he said after the QF victory that the semi final would be "horrendously tough"- this was even before clermont played saracens! i never hear this kind of talk from vern cotter or guy noves
9/10 points from the last 2 pool games is not the stuff of "miracles". for a team of Leinster's calibre, it is eminently doable - particularly if our injuries ease. i've followed this team long enough to know we are well capable of it
A LITTLE BIT OF OPTIMISM, FFS...
Posted 13:00 16th December 2012
nabberuk says...
Where are all the comments lambasting Schmidt for mentioning how much much the French teams have behind them. If it was Cockerill mentioning it, we'd have 10's of comments moaning about his comments.
Posted 11:48 16th December 2012
curates_egg says...
@Danatthecorner - don't think Schmidt is moaning, he is just acknowledging where things are at at Leinster.
We were lucky to win last year and the massive gaps in the squad have been papered over since the start of the season. If Leinster want to get back to the top next year, the chequebook will have to be opened (two second rows and a centre for a start). Unfortunately, we don't have the resources of the big French sides and we have stupid recruitment rules from the IRFU.
Posted 11:31 16th December 2012
curates_egg says...
Clermont have been quite obviously stronger than Leinster the last two years. We mugged them in Bordeaux last year. Almost outsmarted them last weekend. We were bound to get a beating at some point. Its been coming - all the more so when you look at how mediocre Leinster has been this season.
Still, when you think we could have left with a draw or better last weekend, it is all the more galling.
Posted 11:21 16th December 2012
Toulousain says...
@papachinzo, when you say the result might have been different if the games were played 4 games apart, what do mean? are you saying clermont sort of "figured them out" over back to back games, so learnt their strike moves, line-out calls etc? or is it a tiredness thing, lack of squad depth/rotation etc? thanks T.
Posted 10:10 16th December 2012
whatisthis says...
@ papachinzo
bandwagoners have there place. while the sight of a fat lad wearing a jersey just because it fits better than his man u one is annoying, it does provide revenue for the club. as does getting 48000 into the aviva for a pool game which would have never happened a decade ago.
Posted 09:47 16th December 2012
papachinzo says...
I don't think it was strength in depth which won it for Clermont, I think it was the amount of space Leinster gave them in defence. Clermont were aloud to gain 20-30 meters from two or three phases, where as Leinster were given none or minus meters. If these games were played four games apart, I think there would have been a different out-come...
However, In reality, Leinster were beaten are now out of the Heineken Cup.
Hopefully now, the band-waggoner's will disband and leave the die-hard fans in peace !!!
Allez les Bleu !
Posted 04:00 16th December 2012
olearyc5 says...
It's hardly a shallow squad Joe...
Posted 01:12 16th December 2012
Danatthecorner says...
This is just as annoying coming from Joe Schmidt, as it is coming from Mallinder and Cockerill. Clermont have turned the tables on Leinster and Schmidt doesn't like it. Yes they were depleted but you have the squad you have, it's pointless crying over it when you put the team together.
Posted 22:06 15th December 2012