Leinster defence on track

Leinster held on for a thrilling 29-28 quarter-final victory over Clermont Auvergne to move a step closer to defending their Heineken Cup crown.

Jamie Heaslip scored two tries for the hosts and Julien Malzieu grabbed a hat-trick for Clermont, but a titanic contest was ultimately settled by the boot.

Fly-half Jonathan Sexton kicked seven from eight attempts for 19 points, while his opposite number Brock James endured a miserable night.

James missed five penalty tries and sent two drop-goal attempts in the last five minutes wide, his second kick from in front drifting to the right of the posts as time expired.

Clermont are renowned for their struggles on the road and had lost two pool games away from France already this season, at Leicester and Ospreys.

But they started as if they were determined to lose that reputation and deservedly raced into a 10-0 lead that should probably have been more.

Their powerful running shook Leinster early on and they would have led after five minutes had James not missed with a straightforward penalty after handling in the ruck.

But on 11 minutes the French side grabbed a deserved lead after Jamie Heaslip knocked on in his own 22. From the scrum, James chipped over the top, Gonzalo Canale collected and Malzieu was on hand to take the ball and plant it over the touchline, with James adding the extras.

Aurelien Rougerie's break after the winger outjumped Isa Nacewa to a high ball set up James for another penalty and this time he slotted it from the touchline.

Leinster were being overpowered and had not been inside the Clermont 22 in the first quarter, but they came away with points from their first foray downfield. The visitors were caught offside following Ledesma's crooked lineout throw and Sexton slotted from right in front.

Confidence

Suddenly Leinster found their confidence and the game was turned on its head in the next 10 minutes.

Brian O'Driscoll's burst and brilliant backhanded pass to Heaslip sent the No.8 crashing over, Sexton converting to level the scores.

James then missed two penalty chances for the French side almost to confirm that the momentum had totally shifted.

And so it proved on 33 minutes as Eoin Reddan's quick pass gave Heaslip another scoring chance and he proved equally unstoppable, this time crashing over under the posts from a yard out.

Sexton converted and quickly added a penalty to stretch the lead to 20-10 and a miserable second quarter for Clermont was complete when Morgan Parra was short with a long-range penalty in injury time.

The first score of the second half was always going to be crucial and it went to the visitors as the game once again see-sawed back their way.

The forwards burst up the middle and when the ball was spread wide, Malzieu finished well by the corner flag.

James missed from the touchline but quickly cut the deficit to just two points with a penalty. Sexton stretched the lead again, though, with his fifth kick from five before James replied again on the hour mark.

A minute later Clermont went in front again after Shane Horgan failed to trap James' kick inside his 22, then had his clearance charged down by Marius Joubert.

Nerve

Malzieu still had plenty to do but he collected and kept his nerve to cross for the score. James converted and the lead was five points again.

But back roared Leinster and when a late hit from Parra was penalised, Sexton kicked yet another penalty.

On 68 minutes Sexton missed his first kick at goal but Leinster were nevertheless back on the front foot after Anthony Floch was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.

As Leinster surged forward again, Clermont's defence was almost inevitably caught offside and Sexton kicked his side ahead once more.

Still James should have won it for the visitors, but twice after sterling work from his forwards in setting up good field position, the number 10 wasted good drop-goal chances.