European Champions Cup: Saracens qualify for quarter-final despite 18-6 defeat at Clermont
Last Updated: 26/01/15 1:02pm
Saracens progressed to a Champions Cup quarter-final with Racing Metro despite a 18-6 defeat to Clermont in France that saw England fly-half Owen Farrell limp off early on.
The French giants were ominously powerful up front but it was the flying English full-back Nick Abendanon who caught the eye with a try and several incisive breaks, helping his new club to a last-eight home clash with Northampton.
Of primary concern to England head coach Stuart Lancaster, who saw Six Nations hopeful Kyle Eastmond forced off in Bath's victory over Glasgow earlier in the day, will be the injury to Farrell.
Abendanon had already served warning of his ability to breach the defensive line in the fourth minute with an opportunistic break down the left and Camille Lopez capitalised on the momentum with the game's opening penalty in the eighth minute.
Saracens reacted promisingly and set up camp in their hosts' half but Farrell had already missed a shot at goal by some distance before his knee buckled awkwardly under a Julien Bardy tackle and he was replaced by Charlie Hodgson.
The veteran play-maker had missed the visitors' second penalty and after almost half an hour of sustained pressure but no points, Clermont pounced - Morgan Parra feinting to pass back to Lopez in the pocket and instead popping the ball inside for a flying Abendanon to scythe through and score.
Hodgson finally put Sarries on the board with a penalty a minute before half-time and they were handed further impetus when Sebastien Vahaamahina was sin-binned for a petulant punch on Jacques Burger early in the second period.
Another Hodgson penalty was all Saracens could manage during the 10 minutes and once David Strettle had been perhaps harshly shown yellow for a challenge on Abendanon, Clermont showed no such mercy as Vincent Debaty burrowed over having just come on.
The home side's superiority in the set began to tell as several Saracens' scrums crumpled under the pressure and only some committed tackling in the loose prevented further tries.
Hodgson's poor kicking from hand allowed Clermont to keep the pressure on and eventually, replacement Brock James knocked over a late penalty in the last five minutes with Mark McCall's men having tackled themselves to a standstill.
