Clermont Auvergne 14 Sale Sharks 35: Visiting side fielded a few second-choice players but scored five tries to humble one of the most famous clubs in French rugby

Vermeulen is the centre of the celebrations for Sale, who hit back after their defeat by Glasgow
JEFF PACHOUD/GETTY IMAGES

Match Summary

Perhaps the last week has been a typical one in the life of Sale Sharks. They are a great club, battling fiercely against the giants of the surrounding football territories, and their ability to discover and improve young players is probably unmatched anywhere in the club game. But they so often fail to take that final step.

Last week at home to open their European programme, they lost to Glasgow Warriors. No shame in that, but a massive disappointment considering that most teams are bulking up at home and playing reserves in their away games.

So on Saturday they had to make up ground at what was once the most difficult away venue that club rugby had to offer. And Sale coped quite beautifully, running away with two lovely tries from long range in the second half, and they were infinitely sharper and more powerful than a Clermont team which once fielded the pack of doom — doom, that is, for the opposition.

Sale fielded a good number of second choices, but to good effect. Their hard-nosed South Africans behind the scrum looked after the promising Joe Bedlow and Alex Wills; and with the rich potential of Ben Bamber and Nathan Jibulu rampaging up front, they were far too good. Clermont, once the European doyennes, have now been hammered twice.

It just goes to show that there can be a significant entertainment factor even when both teams have chosen not to go full blast with all their first-choice players. But, in general terms, it is disturbing for the competition — which once provided one of the grandest stages on which rugby was played — when you consider the sheer numbers of great players who were spectating at this game and throughout the competition so far.

But there was extra good news from the man in the middle. Recently, there has been an epidemic of players rushing to the referee to demand explanations for his decisions — what should happen is that everyone shuts up, that we get on with the game and the referee can explain everything in the dressing rooms at the end.

And so bless Gianluca Gnecchi of Italy, who was in charge on Saturday. After less than five minutes he brought the captains together, said he would not be discussing any decisions with the match on hold; on Friday evening, Leinster’s captain at Leicester Tigers had been involved in a long chat show, which was horrible.

Tom O'FLAHERTY scores the first try for Sale Sharks against Clermont.

O’Flaherty gave Sale a perfect start, touching down after just two minutes

But Gnecchi was not finished. He actually blew up for rank crooked throws in the lineout and for rear-foot offsides, the ignorance of which has become an epidemic from many referees. No wonder we then had such a good game because the parameters were established.

Clermont’s Stade Marcel-Michelin remains a fabulous stadium, especially for home supporters, but of late they have had very little to cheer and the way they succumbed in the first half to an admittedly inventive set of plays by the Sale backs would have had great old players of Clermont purchasing graves so that they could turn in them.

In the first half alone, Rob du Preez, deputising for George Ford at fly half, conjured a series of successful wraparound moves, leading to tries from Tom O’Flaherty and Arron Reed; and Sale’s centre, Joe Bedlow, also scored with a burst up the middle, although Clermont claimed there had been an obstruction by the giant Sale prop WillGriff John. The Sale man did his best impersonation of an innocent party.

All Clermont could manage in the first half was a try by the powerful wing, Alivereti Raka — although they were hammering away on the Sale line for long periods. But their finishing lacked sharpness, whereas Sale’s was needle-sharp and it was 20-7 at half-time to the men of Manchester.

There was some suggestion of a comeback by Clermont early in the second half when Lucas Zamora arrived to score an admirable try and, just for few minutes, Clermont looked a little like their old selves. But there was something about them that never convinced. For a start, why, after a whole history played in yellow jerseys (they are called Les Jaunes), they turn out in bright blue. An insult to tradition. And frankly, in the second half, so was their play. Both Bedlow and Wills finished off sweeping movements to take Sale away into the distance, and the grumpy coach patrolling the sidelines for Clermont looked fit to blow a gasket.

Lucas Zamora of Clermont scores a try, with Raffi Quirke of Sale Sharks in pursuit.

Zamora arrived to score an admirable try to give Clermont hope of a recovery

Sale must train on. At heart they have the ability to win in England and in Europe. They can galvanise this weary, rather deflated old tournament. But they have to do so, every week.

Clermont Auvergne: Tries Fall (10min), Zamora (47). Cons Simone (11), Zamora (48). Sale Sharks: Tries O’Flaherty (2), Louw (20), Reed (38), Bedlow (70), Wills (73). Cons Du Preez 2 (38, 71). Pens Du Preez 2 (25, 53). HT 7-20.Clermont Auvergne A Guillaud (Simone 75); Y Fall, T Frier, G Moala, A Raka (A Newsome 74), I Simone (H Plummer 49), S Bezy (L Zamora 46; Bezy 56); S Lotrian (G Akhaladze 49), E Fourcade (S Lam 58), C Ojovan (G Tutisani 74), R Simmons, T Ceyte (T Ratuva 49), K Tixeront, M Kremer, S Tolofua (P Muarua 49).Sale Sharks A Reed (sin-bin 43; Quirke 67); T O’Flaherty, J Bedlow, M Louw, A Wills, R du Preez, R Quirke (G Warr 56); S McIntyre (T Onasanya 50), N Jibulu (E Caine 52), W John (J Harper 52), T Burrow (H Andrews 61), B Bamber, J Vermeulen, E van Rhyn, B Curry (T Woodman 67).Referee G Gnecchi (Italy).

Standings — Investec Champions Cup

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Sharp, powerful Sale too good for Clermont in Champions Cup