Clermont Auvergne 27-22 Leinster
Leinster have crashed out of Europe after suffering an agonising defeat to Clermont Auvergne in Lyon this afternoon.
The eastern province got off to the worst possible start when they conceded two tries in the opening quarter and also lost Isa Nacewa to the bin.
What was that?! https://t.co/UmzPCXok69
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 23, 2017
They hung on admirably in the first half and were able to get back into the game at the break thanks to a Jonathan Sexton penalty before the teams went into the dressing rooms.
Leinster were incredible in the second half.
They got quick ball and their backline play began to click as they finally found space in behind the Clermont defence.
Three successive penalties at the beginning of the second half brought Leinster to within three points and they thought they had taken the lead through a try only for Dan Leavy to be penalised for holding onto Aurelien Rougerie at a ruck.
The moment of the second half came when Garry Ringrose made a scintillating linebreak near the halfway line before running all the way in for an incredible score.
The try personified what Ringrose brings to the table – skill, pace and most importantly, the intelligence and bravery to read a situation such as this.
https://twitter.com/Sean_McMahon89/status/856178491980750849
Unfortunately for Leinster, they had to deal with the class of Camille Lopez who landed two drop goals to send Clermont on their way to the final against Saracens in Edinburgh.
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