Pennod 29 Top 14: Rygbi Ffrainc

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-After ten months

-of fierce competition...

-..only four teams remain

-in the Top 14 competition.

-Clermont Auvergne who lost to Stade

-Francais in the final last year.

-Toulon, known as the

-Felix Mayol Galacticos ...

-..Montpellier, the winners

-of the European Challenge cup...

-..and finally, the affluent team

-from the capital city, Racing 92.

-Later in the programme...

-..we'll look at Saturday's match

-between Toulon and Montpellier...

-..in which Leigh Halfpenny played

-for the first time since last year.

-But we start with the game

-that was played on Friday night...

-..between Clermont Auvergne

-who finished top of the league...

-..and the team that lost in the

-European Cup final, Racing 92.

-Will Clermont's rest week have

-a positive or negative effect...

-..on their preparations

-for this game?

-The early threat is from Clermont.

-Parra.

-This is Strettle.

-He's come in at an angle.

-It's there for the scrum half.

-Van der Merwe offers himself.

-The possession is secure.

-Racing have slowed the ball

-this time.

-They're trying to create

-another phase.

-Racing have stopped them.

-Racing have reorganized

-their defence.

-Parra. He is looking for options

-as they are driven back.

-Parra. Back to Lopez.

-Lopez with the drop goal.

-It's over.

-The first points go to Clermont.

-The fly half decided

-that he had little choice.

-It was a rather wobbly, left-footed

-kick, but it counts. 3 points.

-The last ten minutes have been

-in Racing's favour.

-They're preventing Clermont

-from striking back.

-Lauret wins the line-out.

-Masoe drives forward.

-It's there for Machenaud. To Carter.

-He kicks downfield.

-There to collect it is Lopez.

-This is Spedding.

-Fofana is with him. He is tackled.

-Racing's defence closes in on him.

-Chavancy kicks it forward.

-They need someone there.

-It's Strettle.

-But the pressure is on.

-Chavancy is supported by Carizza.

-But, there's been an infringement.

-I think it was Nakaitaci.

-He came in on the wrong side.

-He was offside.

-It's another kick for Carter.

-He's kicked two so far.

-This increases their advantage

-to six points. No problem.

-It's 9-3 to Racing. All nine points

-scored by Dan Carter.

-Machenaud.

-Tameifuna loves

-getting hold of the ball.

-Here they come again.

-Machenaud, Carter.

-Chavancy is on the outside.

-The kick through by Dulin.

-Goosen is chasing it.

-Racing are firing up.

-It's Chavancy again.

-He's having a good half.

-They'll be looking for more here.

-Machenaud, with runners on the

-outside. Few of them are backs.

-This is Nyanga

-trying to go outside Fritz.

-That's a high tackle.

-There'll be advantage here.

-Racing are still going.

-Tameifuna bangs heads with Kotze.

-They're still going.

-It's Carter

-with the clever little grubber kick.

-Who will get there first?

-They're racing for the line.

-It's between Imhoff and Nakaitaci.

-Who was it?

-Perhaps neither of them.

-Goosen touched the ball too.

-It could be a try for him.

-Looking at the replay, it looks like

-the ball got away from both wingers.

-But Goosen was there to ground it.

-The first try to Racing.

-It wasn't Imhoff or Nakaitaci.

-Goosen grounded the ball.

-This is the last move of the half.

-This is a chance

-to narrow the points gap.

-Lee has it

-at the back of the driving maul.

-It's approaching the line. Have they

-reached it? Lopez thinks they have.

-Yes, the referee agrees.

-Clermont are back within a score

-before the half-time whistle.

-The drive was sturdy and powerful

-after a clean catch.

-How important will this be?

-SECOND HALF

-Parra kicks this one.

-Back there is fullback, Dulin.

-He decides to run it.

-This is an endeavour by Dulin.

-He's still going, but he needs

-support. He's done very well.

-Machenaud sees a chance of a gap.

-Imhoff is in support.

-But Clermont tackle strongly.

-The ball has been slowed

-and the kick goes against Racing.

-Carizza is being penalised

-for barging into the ruck.

-His feet were off the ground.

-It's a kick to Clermont.

-It's a chance for Lopez

-to put his team ahead...

-..for the first time

-since the opening minutes.

-It's now 16-17 to Clermont.

-Machenaud is waiting for it.

-To Carter. The attack

-changes direction. Szarzewski.

-Szarzewski to Nyanga.

-Plenty of support.

-They'll get a penalty here.

-Machenaud plays on.

-Rokocoko on the angle

-and he's through.

-He sprints for the line

-and it's a try for Rokocoko.

-The referee awarded it

-straight away.

-The replay shows Machenaud

-using the referee to create the gap.

-The wily Kiwi takes full advantage.

-He's shrewd enough and fast enough.

-Although perhaps his diving

-isn't what it used to be.

-Clermont can put on the pressure

-with this scrum.

-There are four points between them.

-Parra feeds in the ball.

-But the scrum has collapsed.

-This will be a chance of another

-three points for Racing.

-That will open the gap once again

-to seven points.

-Carter doesn't miss these.

-It's 27-20 to Racing.

-We're half way through

-the second half.

-Clermont are trying

-to get back into the match.

-Chouly wins the ball.

-Parra waits.

-Chaume is ready for the charge.

-Can they produce some quick ball?

-Parra to Lopez.

-To Rougerie.

-Fofana was at his shoulder,

-and Clermont have hit back.

-That was a prepared move.

-A pretty pattern behind.

-The wise head passed to Fofana.

-He was too strong for the defenders.

-It will be an easy conversion

-to equalize the score.

-Lopez takes the kick.

-It's there. There are eighteen

-minutes remaining.

-I'm sure this will be

-the last phase.

-We're a minute over the eighty.

-Clermont have recovered.

-The kick is by Rougerie.

-Chavancy collects it.

-Perhaps Racing will have another

-chance to steal it.

-Machenaud is trying

-to fire up his forwards.

-But he's nudged the ball forward.

-The eighty minutes is up.

-The score is equal.

-There will be twenty minutes

-of extra time.

-EXTRA TIME

-There are fewer

-than ten minutes remaining.

-That last penalty kick by Spedding

-may win it for Clermont.

-Machenaud kicks. Chouly fields it.

-Spedding is trying

-to keep the ball alive.

-This is where Clermont want to be,

-in Racing's half.

-It's there for the scrum half.

-To Brock James for a drop goal.

-That is a huge kick. It's brilliant!

-It's there! The gap is six points.

-The crowd and the squad

-are celebrating.

-Brock James couldn't have struck

-that better.

-It was a 50-metre kick.

-It's 33-27 to Clermont.

-There are only three minutes left.

-Clermont have survived up to now.

-It's James again with another

-giant kick and he finds touch.

-Imhoff collects

-and considers taking a quick throw.

-Back they come but Imhoff takes it

-quickly and Fofana intercepts.

-Clermont could win it here.

-Radosavljevic is intercepted

-by Kruger.

-Imhoff takes over

-and runs for the line.

-It's a dramatic try.

-The din is deafening.

-The referee will have

-a long look at the replay.

-Was Kruger offside? No.

-Was the pass to Imhoff forward?

-Here's the right angle.

-Close but ok.

-The grounding was fine.

-A try for Racing 92.

-One point behind

-and who do you want kicking?

-The coolest Kiwi of them all.

-Carter succeeds.

-Racing 92 lead by a single point.

-The closing moments and all Racing

-92 have to do is retain possession.

-Chauveau to Vulivuli.

-He accepts the tackle and retains

-the ball as the hooter sounds.

-Chauveau back to Dulin.

-He thumps it into Row Z

-and ends the semi-final.

-The Parisians have won

-a dramatic match by a single point.

-Clermont finished top

-but they've been flummoxed.

-Racing 92 move on to the final.

-Clermont 33-34 Racing 92.

-Parc Roazhon bounces as Racing 92

-reach their second final this year.

-Clermont fall at the line again.

-After the break,

-for the second semi-final.

-Toulon versus Montpellier.

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-The second semi-final

-was played in Rennes.

-Toulon took on Montpellier.

-Both sides were packed

-with international stars.

-And Leigh Halfpenny was back.

-He'd been out since getting injured

-against Italy before the World Cup.

-Bernard Laporte threw him back

-in at the deep end.

-His accurate kicking might prove

-the difference in a tight encounter.

-The first scrum of the game.

-Toulon versus Montpellier. Toulon

-with the all-star foreign fifteen.

-Montpellier is a team

-made up of several South Africans.

-That's a powerful drive.

-The Welshman will step up

-to try and open the scoring.

-Back in the team and

-back in the red fifteen shirt.

-Nothing has changed,

-the metronome is back.

-Toulon 3-0 Montpellier.

-The long boot by Giteau.

-Catrakilis has one intention.

-The sky bomb.

-Jacques Du Plessis with his hair

-streaming, heads for the line.

-The loose ball

-is collected by Ouedraogo.

-Montpellier might have

-recycled another chance there.

-It's a penalty

-against Maxime Mermoz.

-A chance to equalize.

-Catrakilis started the move

-with a high kick.

-He opens the scoring

-for Montpellier. 3-3.

-Toulon have dominated so far

-especially up front.

-Jonathan Pelissie sets up Halfpenny.

-Giteau was intent on spreading it.

-It was a great tackle on him

-but there's no advantage there.

-Romain Poite is coming back.

-A simple effort for the Welshman.

-No problem. 6-3.

-Laporte, a happy man.

-This is Montpellier's best position

-so far, but it's a Toulon scrum.

-Both teams have come to Rennes

-in Brittany for this match.

-Good to see rugby in this area.

-There wasn't much rugby in

-that scrum. Toulon were penalised.

-Catrakilis to level things up.

-That's perfect.

-6-6.

-15 minutes played. That's an early

-engage at the scrum by Toulon.

-It's a free kick. Will they go for

-the skyscraper again?

-This time it's a kick into space

-which Halfpenny hoovers up.

-The high return is chased

-and collected by Tuisova.

-This is a chance for Toulon.

-The penalty is given.

-Pierre Spies has been penalised.

-Spies not rolling away has given

-Halfpenny his toughest kick yet.

-No problem at all.

-Another accurate kick makes it

-Toulon 9-6 Montpellier.

-No tries yet in a fairly open game.

-As I speak, Armitage combines

-with the scrum half.

-Pelissie back to Armitage.

-Du Plessis with

-the tackle and the jackal.

-That's the best bit of play so far.

-The eight and nine combined well.

-Benoit Paillaugue takes it in.

-But Steffon Armitage steals it away.

-Gorgodze gets the ball away to Nonu.

-Nonu with the perfect pass

-to his winger, Josua Tuisova.

-The first try of the game.

-Two great passes.

-First by Gorgodze and then by Nonu.

-He didn't have to change his running

-pattern and that made it easy.

-SECOND HALF

-14-6 at half-time and

-Toulon are still pressing.

-Can they clinch this tie

-early in the second half?

-Pelissie wanted help from his

-forwards but they go wide instead.

-Halfpenny picks up Nonu's

-bouncing ball and breaks through.

-Nonu takes it on and bursts through

-the final tackle to score.

-A second try for Toulon but the

-first of the night for Ma'a Nonu.

-Leigh Halfpenny took

-the initial pass from Nonu.

-He makes the break

-and feeds it back to Nonu.

-Jesse Mogg had no answer

-to Nonu's power.

-Montpellier really need

-to score a try now.

-There may be 25 minutes left

-but they must score now.

-Leigh Halfpenny has just added

-another penalty to make it 24-6.

-They are looking for a try with

-Bismarck Du Plessis at the back.

-The scrum half goes in too.

-Mogg throws a dummy and goes for a

-touchdown like an NFL running back.

-Romain Poite gives the try.

-That's what they needed.

-Benoit Paillaugue got stuck

-in the ruck so Mogg rushed in.

-Tuisova tried to hold him up but

-Mogg got his hand down somehow.

-Toulon have made changes

-in the front row.

-Fernandez-Lobbe. Pelissie's pass.

-Mogg intercepts for a second try.

-It was served up on a plate

-and Montpellier are back in it.

-Abdelatif Benazzi looks furious

-but he should be pleased.

-Mogg saw that pass coming last week.

-No-one to stop him scoring a second.

-There's only six points

-in this game...

-..following Jesse Mogg's

-double-barrel blast of tries.

-Pelissie finally dug out that ball.

-That was cleaner ball for him

-as the forwards carry it up again.

-Lobbe and Bismarck Du Plessis

-skirmish. Du Plessis is offside.

-As usual, he disagrees.

-This is a crucial kick

-to extend the lead.

-The lead would be two scores.

-No problem for the fullback.

-Mr Boudjellal, the owner, should be

-happy. He might let a smile slip.

-He needs water.

-The eighty minutes are up.

-Someone will boot it into touch.

-Jean Charles Orioli gets the honour.

-A win for Toulon at Rennes.

-They will travel to Barcelona

-to take on Racing 92.

-Racing 92 have beaten Toulon

-three times this season.

-We'll see what happens next Friday.

-Money may not buy happiness...

-..but for two of France's richest

-clubs it does seem to buy success.

-This Friday night at

-the Camp Nou in Barcelona...

-..Racing 92 will take on Toulon

-for the Top Quatorze title.

-We'll have extended highlights

-of that final at 4.30pm on Sunday.

-There'll be a repeat

-at 6.30pm on Tuesday.

-It'll be quite an event

-so join us then.

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