Top 14 – Semi Finals

Toulon 29 – 35 Clermont Auvergne

Perpignan 21 – 13 Toulouse

An extra time try from Clermont centre Julien Malzieu and a sensational drop goal from fly-half Brock James proved to be the decisive scores in a pulsating clash that sets up a repeat of last season’s final.

The boot of scrum-half Morgan Parra had put Clermont in control before prop David Zirakashvili crossed in the closing stages of normal time to put his side on course for the Paris finale. But Toulon centre Sonny Bill Williams struck at the death to give his side hope and Jonny Wilkinson, who finished the game with 17 points, levelled the scores with a massive penalty. Clermont stole the initiative in extra time with James slotting a penalty and a drop goal before Malzieu pounced against a tiring defence. But back came Toulon with a try from replacement scrum-half Fabien Cibray but they were thwarted in their last ditch attempts to rescue the game.

Clermont received a major boost prior to kick-off with Pumas hooker Mario Ledesma passing a late fitness test to join Martin Scelzo and Thomas Domingo in the front-row. Skipper Aurelien Rougerie switched to outside-centre with Brock James facing off against Jonny Wilkinson at fly-half.

Some helter-skelter handling from Toulon in the opening moments yielded a fortunate penalty against Rougerie and Wilkinson made absolutely no mistake. Clermont burst into life through James, imbued with confidence despite a difficult few weeks, whose superb catch sparked a break through Floch and wing Julien Malzieu. Malzieu was hauled down but patient phase play saw the ball shipped back for Floch to clip over a drop-goal.

James continued to run from the restart, using Marius Joubert on the short ball to make big gains before Floch missed a penalty after a high tackle on Alexandre Lapandry from Toulon lock Jocelino Suta. Wilkinson also missed his next shot, a monster effort from halfway, but smashed over a 40 metre drop-goal to snatch the lead despite more expressive play from Clermont.

James pushed an attempted drop-goal across the face but his pack enjoyed better fortune in crushing the Toulon scrum to win a penalty. Unfortunately their lineout skills were not of the same order and a strong attacking platform was wasted as Joe van Niekerk broke away.

Clermont won two scrum penalties in quick succession, with Para taking the first quickly and dispatching the second through the uprights to level the scores. The differing styles of the two sides continued with Clermont breaking from their 22 through Malzieu and the rapid openside Alex Lapandry before Wilkinson put boot to ball in an unsuccessful attempt to turn Napolioni Nalaga.

A Toulon bomb brought the next score for Wilkinson after a mix up between Julien Bonnaire and Domingo led to a penalty for offside. Clermont frantically sought an advantage before half-time and after Parra had seen a long-range penalty attempt drop short, they believed that they had it.

An overthrown Toulon lineout fell to Parra and after the ball had been shipped wide to Rougerie it was forced across the line by Canadian lock Jamie Cudmore. Referee Jerome Garces was unmoved, taking a short look before signalling that the ball had been held up, bringing the half to an end.

Felipe Contepomi was introduced by Toulon at the break for Luke Rooney but the Pumas veteran lost an early kicking battle with James as the Clermont pivot pinned the opposition deep inside their 22 with a raking kick. Again the ball was overthrown but Parra was unable to gather this time under pressure.

The diminutive scrum-half levelled the scores moments later however, stroking over a long-range effort with his best kick of the afternoon, and was on target again moments later from similar range to secure the lead. It was nearly the shortest of advantages though as Wilkinson was inches away from slotting a levelling kick seconds later after a brief dust up between Parra and Mignoni.

Toulon finally threw caution to the wind as Sonny Bill Williams broke from his 22, using van Niekerk and Mafileo Kefu in support before Tana Umaga spilled the ball forward. Another overthrown lineout gave Parra his next three points as Olivier Missoup launched himself over the top at a ruck, rewarding a strong scrum and great Parra nudge in the build-up.

To the joy of their fans Toulon bit back in the scrum battle, winning a penalty 30 metres out after taking the ball against the head following an accidental offside. Wilkinson put the noise in the ground aside to bisect the posts.

Superb handling from the Toulon backs had Clermont grasping at thin air soon after, with Contepomi, Wilkinson and Kefu combining to put replacement prop Saimone Taumoepeau free along the wing. A textbook cover tackle from Parra saved the day for Les Jaunards, the tiny scrum-half felling his giant opponent just in time.

His intervention looked all the more important moments later as replacement prop Zirakashvili bundled over for a vital try. Parra had been collared high by Ross Skeate and from the penalty Clermont’s pack took control with an imposing maul. The ball was shipped wide to Rougerie who was hauled down short, but the Georgian prop dived over from close range. The try was awarded on sight by Garces but there was more controversy as Zirakashvili appeared to knock on before grounding the ball.

Toulon hit back immediately following a sweeping move from deep. With Rougerie down with a head injury, and Parra later in the move, Toulon exploited the extra gaps with quick hands and willing support. Van Niekerk was stopped inches short by Nalaga, but Williams was able to launch over from close range. Wilkinson converted and soon after levelled proceedings with a massive penalty from halfway.

With neither side able to break the deadlock before the final whistle, the contest went into extra time where early pressure from Clermont drew a penalty. But instead of going for the posts they opted for the scrum and were made to regret their decision as Toulon eventually turned the ball over and cleared. They were soon pressing again and when the whistle went in their favour there was no debate with James slotting the simple kick.

And James edged his side towards the Paris finale moments into the second half of extra time with a sensational drop goal from just inside his own half. Toulon responded well but their handling let them down at the crucial moment and Malzieu pounced before launching the decisive kick and chase before beating Lovobalavu to touch the ball down. James’ conversion looked to have put the result beyond doubt but Cibray skipped through for Toulon and Wilkinson’s conversion brought them to within six points with just two minutes left on the clock. Van Niekerk then put Lovobalavu into space down the short side and the winger was bundled into touch just short of the line by Canale to send his side into their fourth straight Top 14 Final.

Toulouse’s 20-year-old scrum-half Nicolas Bezy scored the only try of the game after seven minutes but the boot of Jerome Porical proved to be decisive, the Perpignan fullback slotting seven penalties to keep alive their hopes of back-to-back championships.

Perpignan were roared onto the field by the huge crowd, with the noise no doubt getting the blood flowing after a three-week layoff since their thrashing of Albi. Toulouse, in contrast, had been running hot given their exertions in seeing off Leinster and Castres in recent weeks to ensure that their chances of a remarkable domestic and European double remained alive.

In the build up to the game the Toulouse camp kept on message and the Heineken Cup was talked up as their absolute priority. This was reflected in Guy Noves’ team selection as Thierry Dusautoir, William Servat and Vincent Clerc made way for Finau Maka, Virgile Lacombe and Vilimoni Delasau. With Byron Kelleher rested and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde injured, scrum-half duties were handled by Bezy inside David Skrela at fly-half.

The opening whistle dispelled any notions that the rouge et noir were making up the numbers as they swarmed to stop the first surge from Perpignan’s Samoan powerhouse Henry Tuilagi. Florian Fritz then fired a warning shot with a 50m penalty falling just wide of Perpignan’s uprights and skipper Jean Bouilhou found open space after cutting through the line of blood and gold, only to ignore the support on his outside.

Perpignan then grabbed a foothold with a sniping break from Maxime Mermoz, who arched past his rival for the French No.12 jersey, Yannick Jauzion, to get his side moving. Mermoz’s jab was followed by an instinctive counter from Toulouse which led to a wonderful team try. Shaun Sowerby secured a turnover on his 22, snatching the ball and firing a short pass to Jauzion. Fritz offered support outside and found an offload to Clement Poitrenaud, who delayed a crucial second before releasing Skrela for the line. The fly-half had the legs on Christophe Manas but turned the ball inside for the onrushing Bezy to score under the sticks.

Skrela converted but Noves was left fuming as Perpignan immediately snatched three points back from the restart. Sloppy play led to a penalty and a languid strike from Porical raised the flags. The fullback slotted two further three-pointers either side of one from Skrela, who extended Toulouse’s lead before the half-hour mark after Perpignan had been unfortunate to see a counter attack from deep break down after a crushing hit on Farid Sid.

Despite falling behind Perpignan dominated possession, with Nicolas Durand, bound for Racing Metro next season, orchestrating play off strong ball retention from his pack. Mermoz sniped and probed against his former club but was unable to break through, with Tuilagi also well marshalled by Bouilhou when Toulouse’s resistance looked set to break. Energised by their efforts Perpignan came agonisingly close to answering Toulouse’s champagne try with one of their own, but Manas could only knock on when presented with an offload following a superb scything break orchestrated by David Marty and executed by Porical.

Half-time came and went with no further score but Perpignan hit back immediately after the break. Their powerful scrum splintered Toulouse, who brought on Benoit Lecouls and Jean-Baptiste Poux at the break, and Porical hammered over the penalty from inside his own half to narrow the deficit to one.

To the delight of their fans Perpignan were soon ahead thanks to more inroads at the scrummage. This time it was hooker Guilhem Guirado who received pats on the back before Porical secured the lead for the first time in the game. Their running game also sparked into life as Sid and Hume attacked at the heart of the Toulouse defence, but the play broke down with some poor handling and quickly descended into an ugly scrap between Nicolas Mas and Delasau, with the Toulouse wing gesturing to referee Romain Poite that his eyes had been targeted.

Perpignan continued to dominate possession as Toulouse introduced a horde of replacements and Porical extended the lead after Jauzion had failed to release in the tackle. The fullback’s radar failed him for the first time as the clock ticked past 70 minutes and Perpignan were forced to dig deep to repel waves of Toulouse attacks in the dying moments of the game. An illegal shoulder charge brought a penalty the way of the champions and the pendulum swung for the final time, with Toulouse unable to muster a killer blow and Porical on hand to stroke home his seventh penalty to start the fans dreaming of Paris.