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Saracens beat Ospreys in thriller, Clermont win marred by Lopez injury
By Alex Fisher
Saracens made it two wins from two in the European Champions Cup on Saturday as they overcame a spirited Ospreys side 36-34 in a thriller at Allianz Park.
The Premiership leaders and defending champions found themselves 10 points behind at the half-hour mark as the Welsh province – who were forced into late changes after back injuries to Justin Tipuric and Dan Lydiate – made a roaring start.
Sarries showed their class in the final minutes of the half, though, Schalk Brits' converted try making it 17-17 at the break.
Second-half scores from Liam Williams and Nick Tompkins completed Saracens' comeback, securing a bonus point to top Pool 2 despite a late fightback from Ospreys.
The other game in the group was marred by a sickening injury to Clermont Auvergne's Camille Lopez, the France international fracturing the tibia in his left leg under a tackle from Piers Francis. Clermont expect Lopez to be out for "many months" – the fly-half set to have surgery later on Saturday.
Lopez's injury soured a 24-7 victory for the French side over Northampton Saints, the Premiership outfit also seeing Dylan Hartley yellow carded for catching Rabah Slimani in the face during a ruck.
Benetton Treviso's hopes of a rare Champions Cup win were ended by a last-gasp Francois Trinh-Duc penalty as Toulon snatched came out on top 30-29.
The Italians' last triumph in this competition came in January 2015 but the boot of Ian McKinley had them on the verge of a sensational result against the three-time champions in Pool 5 until Trinh-Duc came to the rescue for the Top 14 heavyweights.
Leicester Tigers bounced back from their opening defeat to Racing 92 with a stunning victory over Castres in Pool 4, the hosts scoring seven tries at Welford Road in a 54-29 win.
A sensational opening 40 minutes all-but secured the result as Leicester amassed 35 points to Castres' three, Telusa Veainu scoring a hat-trick as the Premiership side secured a bonus point.
Munster are level with Leicester on six points thanks to a narrow 14-7 success over Racing, the Top 14 side occupying third place just a point adrift after the opening two matches.
Jonathan Sexton put on a kicking masterclass on his return from injury as Leinster dented Glasgow Warriors' hopes qualifying from Pool 3 with a 34-18 win.
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Latest Comments
We beat Wales. Oh wow.
Go to commentsAs has been the way all year, and for all England's play I can remember. I missed a lot of the better years under Eddie though.
Lets have a look at the LQB for the last few games... 41% under 3 sec compared to 56% last week, 47% in the game you felt England best in against NZ, and 56 against Ireland.
That was my impression as well. Dunno if that is a lack of good counterattack ball from the D, forward dominance (Post Contact Meters stats reversed yesterday compared to that fast Ireland game), or some Borthwick scheme, but I think that has been highlighted as Englands best point of difference this year with their attack, more particularly how they target using it in certain areas. So depending on how you look at it, not necessarily the individual players.
You seem to be falling into the same trap as NZs supporters when it comes to Damien McKenzie. That play you highlight Slade in wasn't one of those LQB situations from memory, that was all on the brilliance of Smith. Sure, Slade did his job in that situation, but Smith far exceeded his (though I understand it was a move Sleightholme was calling for). But yeah, it's not always going to be on a platter from your 10 and NZ have been missing that Slade line, in your example, more often than not too. When you go back to Furbank and Feyi-Waboso returns you'll have that threat again. Just need to generate that ball, wait for some of these next Gen forwards to come through etc, the props and injured 6 coming back to the bench. I don't think you can put Earl back to 7, unless he spends the next two years speeding up (which might be good for him because he's getting beat by speed like he's not used to not having his own speed to react anymore).
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