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Spedding crushed by Clermont's European woe
By Russell Greaves
Scott Spedding was distraught at missing out on the biggest prize in European club rugby as Clermont Auvergne came up short against Saracens on Saturday.
The Top 14 club suffered defeat in a third Champions Cup final, with Sarries retaining their title courtesy of a 28-17 win at Murrayfield.
A much-improved second-half showing had Clermont firmly in the hunt until Alex Goode's late try thwarted the French side's fightback, leaving Spedding deflated.
"It's massively disappointing. We know the history – that's our third final in this competition and we were desperate to do it for our fans," Spedding, whose bold break from the back set up Nick Abendanon for the try of the match early in the second half, told BT Sport.
.@nick_abendanon finishing a superb try for @ASMOfficiel...
Pretty great too! #Jump #TryTime pic.twitter.com/NScwjfKmiz
— Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) May 13, 2017
"But we came up against a huge Saracens team who have proved their worth in the past few seasons.
"We gave our all out there – we might have left it a bit late in the first half to start playing, but we had a good fightback in the second half and we're proud of that effort.
"We are absolutely gutted. We don't know what we're missing, but hopefully one day it turns our way."
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Latest Comments
My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,
Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Mun better V Ireland better prep than England.
The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,
{starting} bench (3rd choice)
1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi (Williams)
2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)
Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!
3 {Lomax}/ Tosi (Newell )
Tosi immense strength V England
4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry
( Isaia Walker-Leawere)
Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)
6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi )
9 {Roigard } Ratima ( TJ )
10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)
12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )
13 {Proctor} Ioane ( AJ Lam )
Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not Sexton!)
14 { Tele’a} Reece (bkup W.Jordan )
11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)
15 {W.Jordan} Love (Stevenson)
Go to commentsI guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
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