Champions Cup: Leicester Tigers get the better of Clermont while Saracens prove too strong for Lyon

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A 13-point contribution from Charlie Atkinson helped Leicester Tigers to a crucial 23-16 win over Clermont Auvergne, which sees them moving closer to a place in the Champions Cup’s knockout stages.

Leicester were rewarded with a brace of tries from Jasper Wiese and Julian Montoya, while Atkinson converted both five-pointers and also succeeded with three penalties.

For the visitors, Sebastien Bezy crossed the whitewash, and their other points came from the boot of Anthony Belleau, who slotted three penalties and a conversion.

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Leicester’s victory added to last Sunday’s 23-17 triumph over Ospreys to give them eight points in Pool B, with a trip to Clermont and a home game against Ospreys to come.

The match did not begin well for Clermont, who suffered an early blow when captain Arthur Iturria was forced to leave the field with a leg injury. However, they overcame the setback to take a sixth-minute lead with a penalty from Belleau.

The French soon lost another forward to injury, with lock Paul Jedrasiak failing an HIA, but they extended their lead with a second penalty from Belleau after Montoya was deemed to have late-tackled Bezy.

Leicester responded with the first try of the game. From a line-out 22 metres out, Wiese powered past some weak tackling for an excellent solo effort.

Atkinson converted from the touchline to leave the Tigers with a 7-6 lead at the end of an evenly-contested first quarter.

The hosts then took control, and they were rewarded with a second try when Montoya finished off a driving line-out.

Clermont were now firmly under the cosh, conceding a number of penalties. When replacement Thibaud Lanen was yellow-carded for deliberate offside, Atkinson knocked over the resulting penalty for a 17-6 interval advantage to the Tigers.

Lanen returned from the sin-bin with no further damage done to the scoreboard and in time to see centre Cheikh Tiberghien make the best break of the game, but the French could not capitalise as they were penalised five metres out from the line.

Belleau and Atkinson then exchanged penalties, but Clermont needed the next score to put pressure on their opponents.

Instead, it was Leicester who added to their tally as Atkinson succeeded with his third penalty before Bezy darted over in the final minute to secure his side a late consolation and a deserved bonus point.

Saracens clinch win at Lyon despite red card

Elsewhere, a length-of-the-pitch try finished by Sean Maitland secured a 28-20 Champions Cup victory for Saracens over Lyon in France, despite going down to 14 men with replacement prop Alec Clarey red-carded for a high tackle.

The Saracens’ lineout was their saviour, twice stopping Lyon going for victory from five-yard lineouts in the dying minutes. The victory was sealed by an Elliot Daly penalty as the clock ticked past 80 minutes.

These were two sides with very different Champions Cup pedigrees, Saracens having won the main European competition three times compared to two match wins for Lyon.

Saracens started like champions in Lyon with plenty of pressure and penalties. One of those resulted in three points for Owen Farrell.

The Saracens pack were beginning to get on top, and that confidence meant they chose to go to the corner with their next kickable penalty. An effective drive was brought down by Lyon lock Felix Lambey, which resulted in a yellow card.

Saracens went for the corner again, and this time hooker Jamie George was able to score from the drive.

Lyon conceded the first seven penalties of the game as Saracens extended their lead midway through the first half, flanker Ben Earl taking a centre’s angle of run out wide and cantering over the in the corner, while Farrell converted.

When the home side were eventually able to string a few phases together, they showed plenty of attacking endeavour; after making ground out wide, it came down to the forwards to finish off, and loosehead Hamza Kaabeche went over.

The prop would add his side’s second try, but this time standing out in the wide open space on the left wing, finishing a move started by quick thinking from scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud.

Lyon started the second half strongly, a high kick from Farrell was regathered by the hosts and his opposite number Fletcher Smith raced 50 yards unopposed for the try. Smith added the conversion himself to put his side ahead.

Saracens struck back from their own line, keeping the ball alive until centre Alex Lozowski found a gap, hooker George supported and then put a kick forward, which wing Maitland regathered for the try. Farrell converted and then extended the visitors’ lead with a penalty.

Smith responded with a Lyon penalty to put his side back within one score, and then replacement prop Clarey went in high with the shoulder and was sent off after a TMO review, leaving his side a man short for the last 14 minutes.

But Saracens held on, and Daly’s penalty denied the home side a losing bonus point.

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