Clermont v Leinster: Five takeaways as ‘impressive’ Sam Prendergast goes back-to-back but ‘sour note’ leaves Ireland sweating

Following Leinster’s 48-23 win over Clermont Auvergne in the Investec Champions Cup, here are our five takeaways from the Pool 1 clash at Stade Marcel-Michelin.

The top line

Sam Prendergast continued his impressive start to the season with a second successive Player of the Match award as Leinster twice came from behind to score their biggest ever win over Clermont.

The Ireland fly-half scored 14 points, including the pick of Leinster’s seven tries, as the visitors turned around a 15-16 half-time deficit to make a winning start to their Pool 1 campaign.

Harry Plummer had given the home side hope with a five-goal maximum, showcasing the accuracy that won him the Top 14 Golden Boot last season. But Leinster hit them hard at the start of the second period and had the game won before Prendergast left the field six minutes from time.

The only sour note for the Dubliners was a wrist injury to Jack Conan, three weeks before Ireland resume their Nations Championship campaign against Australia at the Aviva Stadium.

Prendergast back in box seat

When Andy Farrell replaced Prendergast as Ireland’s first choice fly-half midway through the 2026 Six Nations Championship it seemed the out-of-favour Kildare star was destined for a prolonged spell on the bench.

Jack Crowley took over the No.10 jersey and steered Ireland to the Triple Crown with wins over Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Only the Munster man was then sidelined the following month with a lower limb vascular injury and six months later has still to return.

Prendergast has taken full advantage this past week. Outstanding in victory over Cardiff last Saturday, he picked up in the Massif Central where he left off at the Laya Arena.

His best moment came two minutes after half-time when Darcy Swain butchered an excellent opportunity for Clermont to extend their lead, Prendergast saw a soft shoulder, burst out of defence and kicked beautifully for Jimmy O’Brien on the left touchline.

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The winger controlled the ball with his boot and made ground before his fly-half arrived up in support to take the scoring pass and complete a length of the field move.

“That was very impressive,” Ireland great Rob Kearney said of the fly-half’s display. “There was a real nice variation to his game. His decision-making at the line is very good.”

Prendergast’s performance stole the spotlight from Joey Carbery, returning to Leinster colours for the first time in eight years. The former Munster and Bordeaux man had to make do with just the last six minutes.

Conan the destroyer

At least that is the way it was for an hour or more, as the number eight rampaged about Stade Marcel-Michelin.

It was a sight to warm Irish hearts given captain Caelan Doris will miss the entire autumn series recovering from complications following knee surgery.

Conan put the result to bed on 66 minutes, linking with Jimmy O’Brien straight from a restart to plough through the Clermont defence and bag Leinster’s sixth try.

But he clutched his left arm as he got up, left the field soon after and at the end was seen wearing a sling.

“That is a worry, particularly with Doris out,” Kearney agreed on Premier Sports. “Conan has been one of the most consistent performers in Irish rugby over the last number of years. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious for him.”

Nearly men come up short again

When Clermont ended their quest to become French champions by winning the Bouclier de Brennus in 2010 at the 11th time of asking their long-suffering fans hoped it signalled a change of fortune. It did not.

Although they would bag a second Top-14 in 2017 they lost two more domestic finals and three Champions Cup finals in a six-year period, earning themselves the unwanted tag as the the best team never to win Europe’s biggest prize.

Even that does not fit any more, given how far Les Jaunards have slipped. They welcomed Leinster to town lying 11th in the Top 14. Still, any team with Plummer’s boot has a chance and the one-cap All Black gave them hope for 40 minutes.

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Once Leinster slipped into gear, however, the home side’s indiscipline cost them any chance. First there was a penalty try and yellow card for prop Nohem Ez Zahouany, then their set-piece challenge fell away.

“There was a real gulf in the class between the two teams,” said Kearney. “It’s hard to see how far Clermont have fallen over the last number of years given what a superpower they were a decade ago.”

A five star performance?

Leinster’s search for a fifth Champions Cup star has been painful to watch since 2018. They have reached five finals and lost the lot, including four of the last five.

They can comfort themselves that at least they repeatedly make it to the big show. Countless other teams never get to one. But this is a province with such high demands that the past eight years have not been good enough.

They will be encouraged by this win, given they lost three of their previous meetings with Clermont. Dan Sheehan, their captain, bagged his 16th and 17th career Champions Cup tries and looks as classy as ever.

Tadhg Furlong got on the scoreboard in this competition for the first time in four years, the forwards, to quote former Ireland star Stephen Ferris, “pulverised”: their opponents and Prendergast’s general play delighted his coaches.

But with Sale Sharks and Pau to come at home before a devilishly difficult trip to Leicester Tigers, it would be unwise for anyone in the Irish capital to get too far ahead of themselves.

READ MORE: Clermont v Leinster: Result, scorers, match stats, line-ups