Strettle chips in with classy try as Clermont flex muscles

CLERMONT ran in six tries to overcome French rivals Bordeuax-Begles in a battle of the great entertainers.

Jean-Marcel Buttin and Jayden Spence had given the visitors a positive start before the Top 14 leaders flexed their muscles. Noa Nakaitaci scored on the stroke of half-time to give the hosts the lead before Alexander Lapandry and Wesley Fofana scored and Vahaamahina bagged the bonus point.

But Bordeaux foughtback to claim a bonus of their own as Buttin got his second before setting up Met Talebula, and Gauthier Doubrère scored a late consolation.

But Strettle’s chip-andchase try in-between Bordeaux’s late flurry was enough to keep Clermont top of Pool 5.

Clermont scrum-half Morgan Parra said: “The mission is complete after two rounds and we will now focus on the Top 14 clash with Brive.”

The Stade Marcel Michelin was stunned when Bordeaux took the lead after just four minutes. A fierce attacking tempo had the Clermont defence scrambling, and they cracked when the ball was worked wide to Buttin, who side-stepped past Parra to score from 20 metres out.

Ian Madigan landed the conversion before Parra kicked a pair of penalties to make it 7-6.

But Clermont’s comeback was halted by some more clinical play from Begles’ backline. Madigan found Spence with a perfectly timed short-ball and the Kiwi centre sliced through to give Madigan a conversion.

Parra hit another three points before Bordeaux wing Kobus Van Wyk was sin-binned for a tip-tackle on Parra. And they were made to pay for their indiscipline when Strettle’s deflected hack forward found its way to Nakaitaci, who picked up and dived over for his eighth try of the season for a 16-14 lead.

The Top 14 pacesetters took a firm grip on the game two minutes into the second half when Nakataici’s loose offload was collected by Lapandry, who stretch over to make it 21-14, before Fofana made an outside break to score.

Vahaamahina was shunted over for the bonus-point score before a late flurry of tries.

Buttin grabbed his second and set up a bonuspoint try of their own for Talebulama after Strettle collected his own kick to score. Timani put the gloss on the win with a try in the 75th minute before Doubrère crashed over.