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Clermont Auvergne ended a 74-year wait for the French title with a 19-6 victory over Perpignan in their Top 14 Final showdown at the Stade de France in Paris.
A try from winger Napolioni Nalaga and an assured kicking display from scrum-half Morgan Parra and fly-half Brock James saw Les Jaunards end a run of ten successive final defeats dating back to 1936 including the last three battles for the Bouclier de Brennus. Two penalties from Jerome Porical were all Perpignan had to show for a lacklustre display with the defending champions left to rue a series of missed opportunities.
The Catalans began brightly and their physicality set the tone for what was a bruising encounter but they failed to find the finesse to compliment their aggression and Porical could not conjure the form that had helped to account for Heineken Cup champions Toulouse in the semi-final. Clermont weathered the early storm and grew in belief as Perpignan's challenge faltered with an outrageous drop goal from fullback Anthony Floch eventually putting the result beyond doubt and sealing a deserved victory.
http://www.scrum.com/francetop14/rugby/story/116428.html
A try from winger Napolioni Nalaga and an assured kicking display from scrum-half Morgan Parra and fly-half Brock James saw Les Jaunards end a run of ten successive final defeats dating back to 1936 including the last three battles for the Bouclier de Brennus. Two penalties from Jerome Porical were all Perpignan had to show for a lacklustre display with the defending champions left to rue a series of missed opportunities.
The Catalans began brightly and their physicality set the tone for what was a bruising encounter but they failed to find the finesse to compliment their aggression and Porical could not conjure the form that had helped to account for Heineken Cup champions Toulouse in the semi-final. Clermont weathered the early storm and grew in belief as Perpignan's challenge faltered with an outrageous drop goal from fullback Anthony Floch eventually putting the result beyond doubt and sealing a deserved victory.
http://www.scrum.com/francetop14/rugby/story/116428.html
