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Preview: Clermont v Perpignan

June 20 2008

Saturday's first Top 14 semi-final sees a classic clash of styles as high-flying Clermont try to run the legs off hard-hitting Perpignan at the Stade Velodrome in Marseilles.

Clermont start as favourites after a record-breaking season that saw them finish seventeen points clear of Perpignan. Top of the Top 14 table, the top attack with the championship's top try scorer, Napolioni Nalaga, and the top points scorer, Brock James, their season has been well...top class!

All that remains now is to win their first title. The Bouclier de Brennus has eluded Clermont for so long, some are starting to believe they are cursed. Perpignan are looking for their seventh French championship title, but their first in 53 years.

While Clermont were unstoppable for the most part of the season, racking up a record ten consecutive wins along the way, they hit a speed wobble in the last few weeks with surprising away loses to Montauban (18-16) and Bayonne (36-8) before bouncing back with a 95-7 demolition of Dax.

"We finished with the best attack and our defence got better, but all of that is worth nothing since it all comes down to a knock-out match," said Clermont's Kiwi coach Vern Cotter, hitting the nail right on its head.

In contrast, Perpignan's season started off slowly until a win in the capital started a thrilling comeback. Going back to a simple, yet extremely physical game, and backed by their fanatical supporters, they went on to record twelve wins from fourteen games in the second half of the season that saw the Catalans rocket back to the business end of the table and finish undefeated at home and just one point short of third-placed Stade Français.

Significantly, one of those two losses came at the hands of Clermont. When the teams met in February in Perpignan, the home side scrapped home to a 18-17 win. But the return fixture in Clermont in May saw the Top 14 leaders prove that they are the better side. They were one step ahead of their Catalan visitors for most of the game and the 29-15 scoreline was a fair reflection of the match.

The sides have not met in a semi-final since 1944, but have met far more regularly in the championship, sharing the spoils with nine victories apiece. History however is not on Perpignan's side as since the inception of neutral ground semi-finals in 2005, the club finishing top of the table has always made it to the final. Clermont beat Toulouse (20-15) in the same stadium last year, and will be confident they can repeat that performance.

"We spoke about it amongst ourselves and we all said we'd prefer playing in Marseilles rather than Bordeaux. We've got good memories of last year," said Clermont wing Julien Malzieu.

While Clermont can count on their faithful supporters, who have sold out their home stadium week in and week out, making the trip south, Perpignan's colourful Catalan armada is expected to arrive en masse from down the coast. The atmosphere in the Velodrome will be electric.

France coach Marc Lièvremont has said that he thinks Clermont deserve to win the Top 14 given their attacking style this season.

Good news for Clermont is that their Italian centre Gonzalo Canale has been declared fit to play after recovering from a buttock muscle tear. Cotter will have also the luxury of being able to call on influential South African centre Marius Joubert, back from an ankle injury, and the Springboks' World Cup-winning captain and hooker John Smit, fresh from leading his side to two convincing wins over Wales.

Perpignan also welcome back Bok full-back Percy Montgomery but will have to do without Scottish scrum-half Chris Cusiter, out with a rib injury. Three other players, David Marty, Kisi Pulu and Jean-Philippe Grandeclaude, have all overcome injuries to be available for Saturday's showdown.

Players to watch:

For Clermont: All-French-international loose trio of Alexandre Audebert, Julien Bonnaire, Elvis Vermeulen. They won't lack for firepower out wide with the last season's top try scorers, Aurélien Rougerie and Napoleoni Nalaga prowling the touchlines. Australian fly-half Brock James has proved that he is more than just a kicking machine, and the Jaunards will rely on him to launch their back-line.

For Perpignan: The Catalans 'bulldozer' Henry Tuilagi has been wreaking havoc all season. Coach Jacques Brunel faces a selection headache at full-back since Percy Montgomery has not been at his best for the club and Jérôme Porical filled his boots with great success in his absence.

Head to head: The midfield will provide a tantalising battle between two form players. David Marty has been in nick form for the Catalans while Marius Joubert has been instrumental in Clermont's attacking play from day one. Their tussle in the centre is set to be a cracker.

Prediction: Anything other than a victory for Clermont would seem like a travesty of justice. But anything is possible in the Top 14, a fact we are more often than not reminded of. The history books say Clermont will save the losing for the Stade de France sail into their ninth final, we agree. Clermont to win by ten.

Clermont squad: Laurent Emmanuelli, Domingo, Davit Zirakashvili, Mario Ledesma, John Smit, Jamie Cudmore, Christophe Samson, Thibault Privat, Loic Jacquet, Alexandre Audebert, Julien Bonnaire, Elvis Vermeulen, Sam Broomhall, Pierre Mignoni, John Senio, Brock James, Seremaia Baï, Gonzalo Canale, Marius Joubert, Napolioni Nalaga, Benoît Baby, Julien Malzieu, Aurélien Rougerie, Anthony Floch.

Perpignan squad: Nicolas Mas, Perry Freshwater, Sébastien Chobet, Kisi Pulu, Marius Tincu, Guillem Guirado, Michael Ladhuie, Christophe Porcu, Nathan Hines, Rimas Alvarez-Kairélis, Guillaume Vilaceca, Damien Chouly, Henry Tuilagi, Gerrie Britz, Viliani Vaki, Nicolas Durand, David Mélé, Nicolas Laharrague, Cédric Rosalen, Gavin Hume, Jean-Philippe Grandclaude, David Marty, Adrien Planté, Christophe Manas, Julien Candelon, Jérôme Porical, Percy Montgomery

Date: Saturday, June 21

Venue: Stade Velodrome, Marseilles

Kick-off: 17:00 (15:00 GMT)

Referee: Christophe Berdos

Touch judges: David Rosich, Bruno Bessot

Assessor: Hubert Dubes, Claude Rouve, Yves Bressy

Television match official: Daniel Dartigeas