Pollard clinic, Lee is expensive… The barometer of Clermont – Leicester

Tops

Handre Pollard
Harassed by injuries since the start of the season, the 2019 world champion has undoubtedly signed his big return to Michelin. In the first period, Handré Pollard was diabolically sober, concretizing each English highlight. In total, the Springbok thus scored twelve points in the first act, with only one failure. Winning return.

Irae Simone
Disappointing for three games, the Australian center has regained its international level against Leicester. Constantly advancing with the ball in hand, Irae Simone above all delivered a high-class action for Bautista Delguy’s first try. The Wallaby has indeed defeated two Tigers to give an offering to the Argentine winger. On the second Auvergne try, Simone signed the same action or almost for Étienne Fourcade’s try.

Alivereti Raka
The yellow and blue winger had legs of fire. With 57 meters covered in the first act alone, Alivereti Raka had been one of the only Clermontois, with Simone, to confuse the Leicester defense. If he was guilty of a very average defense on the test of Simmons, the French international radiated in attack constantly creating situations of imbalance. Insufficient, however, to compensate for the air holes left in the Clermont defense.

Flops

Fritz Lee
Despite a good scratch in the first minutes of the game, the number 8 Clermont was not there against the Tigers. Left on yellow card for a collision in the head on Ben Young, Fritz Lee was unfortunately not radiant, his exit bringing Leicester’s third try. The Samoan third line has above all paid for the excessive Auvergne indiscipline. The Jaunards accumulated eight penalties in the first period, against only one whistle against Leicester.

Daniel Bibi Biziwu
Very active in everyday play, the young pillar was unfortunately dominated in closed scrum against Joe Heyes, costing his teammates three penalties. Like the yellow and blue pack, Daniel Bibi Biziwu suffered the physical domination of the Tigers in conquest. “Bibi” was also replaced in the 50th minute, for the first change of Jono Gibbes, in place of Giorgi Beria.

Freddie Steward
The supersonic Tigers winger did not start his engine in Clermont. With only nine meters gained, Freddie Steward weighed very little in the English success, while his center Scott and his winger Simmons made the Auvergne defense dizzy on their rare balls touched.