Autumn Internationals (Clermont v Toulon)

The first weekend of the Autumn Internationals couldn’t have come at a better time. Still on holiday, with all my admin taken care of, I was struggling for something to do this weekend. So I ambled down to the bar I knew had some affiliation to rugby, due to the scarves that surround the TV, hoping to catch one of the three international matches on offer. However, I was disappointed to find that these matches clashed with the top-of-the-table clash between Clermont Auvergne and Toulon.  Once the game had started though, I was happy to watch, especially seeing as it was a cracker. Despite a full set of international matches, this match still boasted Jonny Wilkinson, Simon Shaw, Bakkies Botha, Andy Sheridan, Carl Hayman, the Armitage brothers, Matt Giteau, Jo van Niekerk and Mathieu ‘The Beast’ Bastareaud. And that’s just from Toulon. Clermont offered a few more players to the test matches but still had evergreen Aurelien Rougerie, Kiwi winger Sivivatu and Wales’ Lee Byrne in their starting line up. If I heard correctly, Clermont, or ASM as they’re known in France, were coming into the game in search of a 50^th consecutive home victory in all competitions. The last time they lost was November 2009 to Biarritz, by 3 points. On paper, Toulon should’ve had the game in the bag before kick-off but what the paper wouldn’t tell you is that the stadium is a cauldron. I’ve never heard such noise from a relatively small ground, and I was only watching on TV, so you can imagine the intensity the players were playing in. The match itself was real end to end running rugby, with both teams reluctant to give away possession too easily given the quality of the back lines.  An early try put ASM in the driving seat at half time, leading by a few points, after Wilko slotted a few penalties. In the second half, Toulon looked intent on handing the home team a 50^th consecutive home win, with handling errors and scrumming faults (something you wouldn’t expect from Carl Hayman and Andy Sheridan) handing possession to ASM on a regular basis. Matt Giteau had a lot of flair in attack, making a few good line breaks, but then missed an easy and crucial tackle on Regan King, who then cantered in from 20 yards out. Advantage firmly to ASM, who could’ve been further ahead had their fly-half, Brock James, not missed a few simple kicks. Speaking about this Brock James chap, who is he? He’s been Clermont’s fly half for years, and considering their success in recent times, how have we not seen any of him on an international stage? He keeps David Skrela out of the team, granted Skrela isn’t the best but he’s had a lot of international caps. James seems to be the fans’ favourite, as they continue to cheer him even when he does miss. As has happened countless times in the past, Jonny Wilkinson kept his team in the game with some great kicking, pulling the score back to 18-15 when Toulon were handed a golden ticket. Home captain, Rougerie was adjudged to have killed the ball and was yellow carded with 9 minutes to go and Jonny duly took the three points to put the away side level and in control with not long to go and a one man advantage.  However, ASM marched up the field, won a penalty after yet more indiscipline at the break down from Toulon’s forwards and Brock James put his side back ahead with minutes to go. The game was not over by a long stretch though. Thanks to an incredible take by Delon Armitage off Wilkinson’s restart, Toulon got the ball and manufactured it into a position similar to the one Matt Dawson took up in 2003 in Sydney, all too familiar for Jonny. Yet on this occasion he was receiving a pass from forward van Niekerk, who did his best Dawson impersonation with a diving pass. Wilko scooped the ball up from ankle height and slotted the drop to secure the draw with virtually the last kick of the game. Virtually being an important word here. With just enough time for one phase, Bakkies Botha misjudges the restart which sails over his head into an area where half the ASM back line have raced into. Matt Giteau, seeing this potential problem, gallops over and dives at the ball with the intention of gathering it and setting it up for his team. However, as happens with the oval ball, it took a nasty bounce, cannons off his outstretched arm into touch. Toulon start to celebrate, ASM rush over to the ref, who duly shoots his arm into the air, signalling a penalty to the home team. To Giteau’s utter disbelief, the ref deemed his effort a deliberate, and thus illegal attempt to put the ball out. James plops over the penalty, to spark wild celebrations from his team, and a pitch invasion from the fans, something which hasn’t been seen in years in Britain. The unbeaten home run continues in Clermont, and their ascent to the top of the Top 14 is gathering serious momentum, despite the autumn internationals. Yes I was gutted not to watch any of the home nations play, but this game was a worthy replacement. I’m still not sure how it only got a rating of 15.5/20 from the pundits.

For those interested, and I assume this is everyone, Wilko was on his brilliant best, massive tackles, creating chance after chance with brilliant passing and even getting stamped on the face and getting up straight away. Lions 2013?

Here's some highlights of the game from Rugby Dump:
http://www.rugbydump.com/2012/11/2857/clermont-snatch-dramatic-50th-consecutive-stade-marcel-michelin-victory