Match report
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As Saracens go up to collect the trophy, it’s time for me to bid you farewell. Thanks for the company, and stick around for Paul Rees’s report from Edinburgh, which should land any minute. If you’re a Saracens fan, enjoy your evening, it’s been well earned. What a team they are. Thanks again, and see you all (virtually) soon.
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Clermont fans are crying. They have a third near miss in European finals. Gutting. It will be no consolation, but they played their part today and, through Nick Abendanon, scored one of the great European tries, an end-to-end job thanks mainly to Scott Spedding and Peceli Yato. What a beautiful offload it was from Yato.
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Billy Vunipola is man of the match. “The ball just gravitated towards me,” he said, before thanking the lord almighty and promptly apologising because “I think we are going to be pretty drunk tonight”. Ha.
A point: looks like Sarries’ six Lions made it through that games unscathed. A sigh of relief from Mr Gatland, presumably.
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A note from Ian Copestake, and an important one:
I and I am sure many other readers still see the rugby features and think of Dan Lucas. If it is not remiss to link to it there is a fund in his honour in case patrons wish to contribute.
Hear hear. We all miss Dan hugely at the Guardian. The link for that fund is here, it’s going great guns so please donate if you can.
That was enormous from Saracens. The big names - the locks, the Vunipolas, Farrell - turned up in a big way and they were just too fit, and too strong for Clermont. The French side were excellent, but they met a great side.
Full-time: Saracens beat Clermont 28-17!
Saracens launch that penalty to touch and it’s the last play of the game. Lineout comes in and Spencer, on for Wigglesworth, launches it out! They have retained the European Cup, and are just the fourth team to do that after Leicester, Leinster and Toulon. They haven’t lost in 18 games in this competition! 28-17 the final score.
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79 mins: Itoje comes off, but that’s a mere footnote. Sarries knock it on, but there’s advantage. But when it ends, Clermont hold on too long and it’s a penalty with 30 seconds to go!
Penalty! Farrell (Clermont 17-28 Saracens)
78 mins: It’s the simplest of kicks. It goes straight down the middle. Sarries are going back to back!
78 mins: Wigglesworth sends a boxkick up, and eventually Clermont give away a penalty on their own 22! Farrell has a kick right in front of the posts that would surely seal it.
77 mins: Lamositele on for Mako, who has been a huge presence today. What a game from him. 16 carries and 14 tackles! Zirakashvili goes off too. Jarvis on. Brits finds his man and Sarries start running the clock down.
76 mins: Farrell launches the 22 downfield and back comes Lee. They go left but are bundled out! Saracens have their tails right up.
75 mins: The penalty is 35m out, and central. Lopez, replacing Parra as kicker, has pushed it right. That is a bad miss.
74 mins: Parra goes off, and instantly Clermont have a penalty, with Burger pinned for not releasing the tackler.
Try! Goode (Clermont 17-25 Saracens)
73 mins: This one is tidier and they go right but Taylor drops it, but backwards. Sarries lose shape but go again. Coming left, Farrell finds Billy V, then Itoje makes metres. They go right, and Goode loops round to score! Huge try.
They are looking upstairs to makes sure there is no knock-on. Farrell the man, this is very tight. Try!
Farrell converts from out right. Balls of steel that bloke. Eight points clear!
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71 mins: That knock on is Spedding’s last act. He’s replaced by Pato Fernandez. The scrum is perhaps 6m out actually. Wigglesworth feeds, and it’s scrappy and collapsy so we reset. Some words for the front-rowers from the ref, Owens. And Strettle gets told off for creeping off the line.
70 mins: Eventually Brits gets the ball in open space and goes for a gallop. Saracens nudge it through on the left after a warp-around, Spedding cleans up but he has dropped it! Scrum to Sarries 5m out.
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69 mins: This is so tight. It’s punted downfield and the lineout is claimed by Clermont but it’s not that pretty. They send it to Goode, who sends it back.
68 mins: Clermont claim it, and they have a penalty because Itoje wrapped his arms around him while the jumper was still airborne.
67 mins: John Ulugia comes on from Kayser at hooker before the scrum. Scrum is steady, Billy V goes blind but it’s too narrow and he’s been bundled into toucgh by Parra and Abendanon! Clermont lineout 5m out.
67 mins: Brits finds his man, Rhodes. They go right through Farrell, Taylor and Goode. They come back and it’s lovely through Itoje and Taylor. They get up to 4m out, and go wide right again, they’re so nearly in. It’s messy - is that an intentional knock-on from Lopez? Wyles tries to send the final pass but it gets touched by the fly-half. After a look upstairs, it’s decided he could have caught it and it wasn’t deliberate. Scrum eight metres out to Saracens.
66 mins: So it’s a Clermont scrum eight metres out from their own line, bang in the middle. It’s messy, but Parra gets it out to Spedding who thumps it downfield, almost to halfway. Big nudge.
64 mins: Yer man Yato is back. Saracens go off the top and look very fluid as the backs get going. They go left then right and as they come left again there’s a delightful touch from Brits at first receiver. Eventually they knock on though.
63 mins: Parra slows the game down before boxkicking. Wyles claims, gives to Goode who is hit very hard. Saracenes struggling to get out of their half. Eventually he launches it high, Spedding claims but is bundled into touch 5m into his own half.
62 mins: Sarries go left, then right but Taylor is turned over by Fritz Lee!
61 mins:Not long after the restart, Spedding shoves a huge boot on it and it’s a Sarries lineout 30m out from their own line. Lapandry on for Yato, who has been brilliant.
Penalty! Parra (Clermont 17-18 Saracens)
60 mins: Parra knocks it over from the left. Lovely stuff. Schalk Burger is on for Jackson Wray.
59 mins: The scrum is a bit of a mess and Clermont get a penalty! Not driving straight. On the left, 21m out. They loved that, did Clermont.
59 mins: Bosch knocks on the kick-off, and after a phase or two they are going back for the scrum. Sarries a bit miffed by that.
Penalty! Farrell (Clermont 14-18 Saracens)
58 mins: That’s a simple one and through it goes. Breathing space, sort of.
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57 mins: Goode’s slippery feet take him to within a metre or two, and with an advantage, Farrell spins it high and wide and there’s an intercept. No worries, it’s a penalty. Captain Chouly gets a warning on behalf of his team for their work on the floor. Farrell is now Sarries skip, with Barritt off, and he’s going to kick for goal.
56 mins: Billy V charges up the middle after the scrum, then Brits carries. They are only 10m out, right in the middle. They tick forward patiently.
It’s Clermont 14-15 Saracens.
@willis_macp could you post the score a little more often please? Thanks
— Bob Stoner (@dbobstoner) May 13, 2017
54 mins: Clermont knock on from the kickoff. Taylor on for the injured Barritt, while Rougerie is off, and Penaud has come on.
Try! Abendanon (Clermont 14-15 Saracens)
53 mins: Tidy take for Kruis at the restart, and Sarries rumble. They give it to the backs and Goode nails it right downfield, to Clermont’s five metre line. Spedding goes on a counter-run, and it’s brilliant. He makes metres, and Parra spins it left. Lopez gives it Yato, who offloads brilliantly to Abendanon to sprint in to score from 25m out.
WHAT. A. TRY. Unreal. Yato’s offload was genius.
Parra converts.
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Penalty! Farrell (Clermont 7-15 Saracens)
51 mins: It’s a very simple kick and Farrell just slots it through. Eight points the margin now. Brits is coming on for George, who doesn’t want to go.
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50 mins: Clermont’s defence is tireless but Sarries keep going. They have another advantage ... and there’s the penalty. It’s right under the posts. Off the feet was the offence.
49 mins: Sarries win the lineout and go right. Then left, with Barritt charging up. Bosch loops round and they come back right through Koch. They have an advantage. Itoje goes up the middle, then Wyles takes them 3m short. They go right and George’s hands are fast. Barritt, then Billy. Still 5m short.
47 mins: Clermont barge Sarries back at the scrum, but they keep the pill and it’s punted downfield to Spedding, who sends it back with interest. Eventually Lopez sends it out, but it had been taken back into Clermont’s 22 so Sarrries have a great lineout position. I think that decision is actually wrong.
46 mins: The scrum is a little messy this time, so we have a reset. Jedrasiak is on for Vahaamahina in the second row.
45 mins: Possession is traded a couple of times; Saracens are being schooled at the breakdown this half. Eventually Clermont knock on. Vahaamahina is hobbling off - he’s not wearing any blooming socks!
44 mins: After the 22 drop-out, Clermont charge back. Parra dinks, and so does Goode. Clermont gather and go right.
43 mins: George finds his man again and Sarries rumble, but Vahaamahina turns it over! Lopez cross kicks and that is smart from Abendanon! He toss infield from the right for Spedding, who breaks. Defence is good so they go left and eventually Lopez misses a drop-goal.
42 mins: They are in their own 22, but Clermont keep it tight until eventually the boxkick finds touch on the left, near halfway.
41 mins: Farrell gets us going again, tossing it high and right, claimed by the 37-year-old Rougerie, who is as hirsute as ever. Parra tries to boxkick and is charged down, giving Saracens great field position. Goode dribbles it through, Spedding claims well.
Some Russian lads are being paraded around Murrayfield having won the Continental Shield. In the Champions Cup, the players are on their way back out. 40 mins to decide who wins the thing.
He’s not well-liked but, you know, he doesn’t care. His was a typically excellent finish, and makes him the top scorer in European competition ever. Can play.
@willis_macp I'd have Ashton in the lions squad I would. Cockiness yes, but try ratio oh my...
— Alastair Chivers (@AlChivers) May 13, 2017
Very auto-centric sponsorship on the back of Clermont’s blue and yellow shirts. Europcar at the top and the Michelin man at the bottom! Love their cars, do Clermont.
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Well, that was a bruising 40 minutes. Clermont were slow out of the blocks and Saracens took a solid lead through Ashton and Kruis. But in the second half of the half, the French side found their feet and looked much better. Lamerat’s try was their reward. It’s 7-12 and I’m off to refuel.
Half time! Clermont 7-12 Saracens
Into the last minute of a tough old half. Clermont battling for metres, but eventually knock on under pressure, and it pops up into Wray’s hands! He sets off and makes 40m up to the 22, and Clermont look miles off their feet, but it’s spilled forward by Saracens ... and that’s half-time.
39 mins: Lopez punts it downfield on the right, and the lineout ball is solid. Clermont drive. Parra keeps it among the forwards, but snipes down the blindside. Going nowhere fast.
38 mins: The penalty is sent to touch on the right in the Clermont 22. It goes off the top to Billy, and they go left, but they have been turned over! A bit lax from Sarries and there’s a penalty. There are handbags from Rhodes and the penalty is taken 10m forward.
37 mins: Lopez fools Farrell (looking for a chargedown) and Lamerat half-breaks, but that’s a huige turnover from Barritt! Lamerat is done for holding on. Penalty on halfway. Lopez is getting some attention for a sore face after running into Parra. A quite literal bloody nose.
36 mins: Billy V picks up a strong Saracens scrum and, again, the Wigglesworth box follows. Spedding does well to claim it and Clermont reset.
35 mins: Clermont cannot get through with the forwards and it all slows down. Finally Lopez lofts it high just outside the Sarries 22, it comes down with snow on, but Clermont knock on under pressure from Goode.
34 mins: Fields of Athenry booms out as Sarries get a free-kick for early engagement at scrum time. It’s booted downfield and Clermont come back at Sarries until Lopez and Goode trade kicks. One results in a quick lineout for Saracens, which merely resumes the tennis.
33 mins: Andy Farrell is in the stands and was looking very pleased with his lads tackle there. Big. Bosh. That sounds like a T20 cricket competition. Lamerat is getting some attention as a result.
32 mins: Clermont have the ball in the Saracens half, and Rougerie goes on a winding run to nowhere particularly. Eventually Lamerat bounces off a huge Farrell hit and he knocks on. What a tackle!
31 mins: Clermont win their lineout and rumble, until the Parra boxkick goes up into the Sarries 22. Mark taken by Ashton under pressure from Abendanon.
30 mins: After a clean lineout goes off the top, Barritt and Bosch combine before Jamie George breaks! Glorious sight that, straight through the middle. There was even a step in there! But he’s been pinged for holding on. Clermont kick long and left.
29 mins: A couple phases from the kick off for Clermont, but Lopez boots long and clean to touch on the left. Sarries lineout in Clermont’s half.
Try! Lamerat (Clermont 7-12 Saracens)
28 mins: Parra feeds but the scrum is a mess, so they reset. They are right over on the left. A couple of passes right sees Rougerie go very close but the tackling is strong. Lamerat pinches it off him and charges over from close range! Parra does the rest from under the posts.
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26 mins: Clermont claim the lineout and drive! They are over the line but seem to have been held up by Wray. It’ll be a five metre scrum. Better from Clermont. That blood bin has been reversed, Chaume is back.
25 mins: Clermont let the forwards do the work from the lineout and there’s an instant advantage for offside. They go to the corner again ...
24 mins: Clermont try to counter from one of those kicks, but there’s a penalty against Goode in the middle of the field, which Lopez’s lovely left foot launches Clermont down the field to just six metres out on the left! First foray into the 22 for them.
23 mins: Blood bin for Clermont as Chaume goes off for Falgoux. Saracens are back on the charge from kick-off. Koch goes, before the kicking begins again.
Try! Kruis (Clermont 0-12 Saracens)
22 mins: Sarries go left and Wyles half-breaks. After more phaseplay, Goode gets very close, Wigglesworth gets in there and sets Kruis up who bundles over from very close range! Try! You do not stop the big man from there. This time, the conversion is much simpler, and goes over.
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21 mins: The lineout is won, but they are a bit tight on the left. Another lineout follows and Sarries go right. Itoje appears to have been tip-tackled but Owens is happy with what he sees.
20 mins: Billy V claims the 22, and he’s being bundled into touch then Strettle is pinged for offside. The penalty is sent to the left-hand corner.
19 mins: That would have been Farrell’s longest kick of the season, but it’s fallen just straight. Line right, not quite the length.
18 mins: Another scrambled scrum, which eventually results in a penalty for Saracens! They chat, and from halfway in the middle, they decide to go for the posts. Very windy. Farrell to take it, right on the edge of his range.
17 mins: Clermont go off the top but soon knock on in the tackle. Sarries looking tough here.
16 mins: Clermont get us going but Sarries soon have a turnover, so the teams start trading kicks. ~Eventually, Wyles punts it out on the left. Clermont lineout, just inside their own half.
Try! Ashton (Clermont 0-5 Saracens)
14 mins: George finds Rhodes and Sarries drive. There’s an advantage but they go right anyway. Goode gets it in midfield after a loop and he nudges it forward deftly. Spedding’s turn is slow and Ashton pops up to score! That makes him the most prolific European Cup scorer ever, with 37! Eat that, Vincent Clerc. Farrell’s conversion hits the post from wide right.
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12 mins: Clermont’s lineout is solid and they briefly rumble but Parra boxkicks into touch just 10m up. They are 10m outside their own 22.
11 mins: This one stays up, and under pressure Billy V picks up and carries. From centrefield, Sarries go left through Bosch, who makes ground. Then they go right and Rhodes very nearly gets through but the defence is good. They go left again and no one is on Goode’s wavelength, and he ends up throwing it out overarm...
10 mins: We have our first collapsed scrum of the day. Yay!
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9 mins: Clermont send it high and Billy V does well to catch it. Farrell cross kicks behind Abendanon, and great pressure from Ashton leads Parra to knock on on Clermont’s 22.
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8 mins: George tosses in the lineout, Itoje claims it. We will hear that a fair few over the next two years. Wigglesworth box kicks again, and it’s claimed safely again.
7 mins: Vunipola picks up from a solid scrum and then Sarries go with the forwards until Wigglesworth box kicks. Good take from Spedding. Clermont keep it tight on the blindside but get bundled into touch.
6 mins: Yato goes on a powerful surge down the right, into the Sarries half. Jeez, he’s rapid. Eventually Parra knocks on. Sarries scrum just outside their 22 on the left.
5 mins: The penalty, which was on their five metre line, is sent downfield by Spedding. They win the lineout and go off the top, heading right.
4 mins: Farrell nudges the penalty into touch on the right in Clermont’s 22. They go off the top and head left, going through phases. Now they come right, Barritt charges up but is pinged for holding on. Great defence, and we have some handbags. Lovely.
3 mins: Sarries win their lineout but we have a penalty for a high tackle on Brad Barritt by Fritz Lee. Barritt gets some treatment. Only a penalty, but it was pretty high and heavy.
2 mins: Eventually Saracens knock on in the Clermont 22, the advantage is played and Lopez kicks brilliantly for touch. Abendanon’s covering tackle on Ashton was brilliant there, as was the break from Bosch that sent him clear.
1 min: Vunipola gathers, and Wigglesworth launches up a trademark box kick into the swirl, and Clermont can’t gather cleanly - first lineout. Itoje claims it and they spin it left. Ashton’s clear! He’s been hauled down short of the line and they recycle.
Kick off!
Lopez gets us going.
Players are out, as is Nigel Owens who is refereeing. Of course he is. He’s becoming the first man to referee 100 European matches!
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I know he’s always had that lovely little baby face but can someone explain to me how on earth Morgan Parra is only 28 years old?!
Right, here we go. Austin Healey, Ben Kay, their lovely jackets and very tight trousers have taken themselves off the pitch and up to their lovely al fresco commentary position where they are chatting about how you build up to a big game like this. As they do this, those rather invasive changing room cameras are showing us a bunch of rugby players just milling about.
Apparently David Strettle is still in the Saracens whatsapp group?! The admin needs to step his game up!
Sebastien Vahaamahina, the Clermont lock, has made a whopping 90 tackles in this competition this year. He also has a very hard name to spell. Grr.
A reminder that there are a couple of ways you can get in touch. You can email me here, at will.macpherson.freelance@theguardian.com or you can fire across some tweets here. The handle is @willis_macp.
Mark McCall, the Saracens supremo, reckons this will be tougher than last year’s final against Racing. I’m looking forward to how things shape up in the midfield, with the lovely Camille Lopez and Remi Lamerat getting up close and personal with Owen Farrell and the brutish Brad Barritt.
Austin Healey and Ben Kay are wearing nice jackets and tight trousers and showing us how Sarries can be beaten with the help of the Scotland women’s team.
BT Sport went To Clermont and did a natty little package with their fans this week. They are mad for it. Now they are singing at Martin Bayfield outside the stadium. They are hoping it’s third time lucky in the Champions Cup final, after their losses to Toulon in 2013 and 2015.
Your teams
Here’s the 23s:
Clermont Auvergne: Spedding, Strettle, Rougerie, Lamerat, Abendanon, Lopez, Parra, Chaume, Kayser, Zirakashvili, Iturria, Vahaamahina, Chouly, Yato, Lee.
Replacements: Ulugia, Falgoux, Jarvis, Jedrasiak, Lapandry, Radosavljevic, Fernandez, Penaud.
Saracens: Goode, Ashton, Bosch, Barritt, Wyles, Farrell, Wigglesworth, M Vunipola, George, Koch, Itoje, Kruis, Rhodes, Wray, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Brits, Lamositele, Du Plessis, Hamilton, Burger, Spencer, Lozowski, Taylor.
Blooming love Murrayfield, I do. What a city Ednburgh is. There were 26,000 in the house for the Challenge Cup final last night and there’s sure to be a few more than that today. Anyone know if they constantly play the Fratellis even when Scotland aren’t playing? It looks very windy up there. “It’s the same for both teams,” says wise Alex Goode, the Sarries full-back.
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Preamble
Well hello there. And welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the European Champions Cup final at Murrayfield, where Saracens – the Champions Cup champions – take on the mighty French outfit Clermont Auvergne. I’m Will Macpherson and I’m here to guide you through the action.
Our rugby writers have been busy boys over the last few days. Here’s Gerard Meagher chatting with Chris Ashton about his try glut (he’s currently the joint-top scorer in European competition ever with 36), and why trophies matter more. Next up is Rob Kitson in conversation with Jim Hamilton – a big man with stories to tell. And here is Kitson’s report from the Challenge Cup final last night in which – spoiler alert! – Stade Français beat the Glosters.
So, Sarries. They won the thing last year by beating Racing 92 in Lyon. They haven’t lost in 17 matches in this competition. They are teeming with Lions and are a hugely experienced, settled side. Clermont aren’t bad either, mind. Much of the attention will be on the two Englishman on their wings, Nick Abendanon and David Strettle, who are just having a lovely time over the channel. Who can blame them for that, eh? Looks blooming great down there.
It should be an absolute belter. Send me your tweets at @willis_macp or if your thoughts are not pithy enough for 140 characters or you’re not on the twitters, then do email me! You can do that at the very cumbersome will.macpherson.freelance@theguardian.com. Let’s go!
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