SAINTS, bouncing back from a first round mauling against Saracens, displayed plenty of ticker and endeavour but absolutely no composure in a frantic, seething match and predictably paid the price against such wily European operators as Clermont.
Jim Mallinder’s team put their heart and souls into their performance and in many ways excelled – but they were impatient and inaccurate in the final ten yards and could never build the scoreboard pressure to really discomfort Clermont.
Northampton enjoyed 70 percent territory and 63 percent possession yet were outscored four tries to one. The margin of defeat was cruel but despite a couple of lamentable refereeing decisions from Ben Whitehouse, there can be no arguing about the result.
Clermont drew first blood when Fritz Lee marched over from a scrum five before the game took a horrible turn with a horrific accidental broken leg to Camille Lopez which saw a long delay and the arrival of young scrumhalf Charlie Cassang, who was to play a huge part in the game.
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