Clermont bring a fresh twist to the Springboks' bomb squad tactic

Clermont successfully gambled with a Springboks-like bench tactic to ensure they won Friday night’s Challenge Cup opener versus Edinburgh. The Rugby World Cup-winning South Africa raised eyebrows on a number of occasions throughout 2023 by naming replacements that had a seven forwards/one back split.

French club boss Christophe Urios came up with a fresh take on bench use in rugby, though. With his Top 14 team struggling against their Scottish visitors and in danger of surrendering a lead that had been cut to 17-13 after 61 minutes of play, the head coach reacted in a brusque manner to what he was seeing.

The introduction of replacements is usually a thing that gradually happens during the second half of a match, but so fed up was Urios by his starting team’s display that he sent on seven Clermont replacements in one go, and that wholesale change was immediately rewarded.

Daniel Bibi Biziwu, Yohan Beheregara, Henzo Kiteau, Killian Tixeront, Fritz Lee, Baptiste Jauneau and Jules Plisson – five forwards and two backs – all took the pitch at the same time at Stade Marcel-Michelin, just minutes after another sub back has entered the fray.

French media match reports outline how interplay from two of the subs swiftly created the chance for Alex Newsome to score and put Clermont back on track for their eventual 31-18 win.

“The substitutes gave us the energy we needed to turn the game around,” reckoned Urios post-game. “The players didn't know it, but I had imagined changing seven players on the hour mark.

“We lacked physical intensity… were disappointing in the rucks and the physical commitment. Edinburgh started the game on time, but we didn't!”