Last season’s runners-up, Clermont, stayed on course for the European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-finals on Friday winning a bruising, bad-tempered all-French clash against Bordeaux-Begles, 28-10.
The victory put Clermont on top of Pool 2 in a game held over from November last year when it was called off in the aftermath of the Paris terror attacks.
Bordeaux remain bottom of the group, behind Exeter and Ospreys, after a third defeat in four matches.
Photo: AFP
They also saw replacement lock Julien le Devedec red-carded for head-butting Paul Jedrasiak just five minutes into the second period when they were already trailing 23-10.
They then played 10 minutes with 13 men when replacement prop Francisco Gomez Kodela was yellow-carded for a crude shoulder charge that sent Clermont scrumhalf Morgan Parra careering off the pitch.
“It was a good performance to come here and get four points against Bordeaux. It was a committed match on a muddy surface,” Clermont boss Franck Azema said.
“We have our destiny in our own hands and we still have a job to do, otherwise it would serve no purpose coming here for a win if we do not win next week [at Ospreys],” he added.
Bordeaux had been in front 3-0 thanks to an early penalty from veteran flyhalf Lionel Beauxis, but that was the only time they held the advantage.
English fullback Nick Abendanon grabbed Clermont’s first try of the evening after 17 minutes from 20m out, cleverly feinting to the right before setting off on his left foot, squeezing between three defenders to score.
Parra added the extras and a penalty for 10-3 before Bordeaux clawed their way back to 10-10 when hooker Clement Maynadier barreled over for a try, converted by Beauxis.
However, by halftime, Clermont were 17-10 to the good when flyhalf Camille Lopez danced through an inviting gap for the converted try.
Parra popped over two more penalties early in the second half for 23-10, which was the cue for Bordeaux to lose their discipline and Le Devedec and Kodela.
Welsh center Jonathan Davies then sweetly set winger Noa Nakaitaci on his way for a 70th-minute try for 28-10, which left Clermont on top of the group, two points ahead of Ospreys.
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