Clermont-Ferrand (AFP)

After the slap against Toulouse, Clermont got a complicated success against Agen (30-13), which despite the lack of bonus allows him to go up to 4th place in a very dense Top 14, Saturday, at the 10th day.

Without shining, Clermont climbs to the foot of the podium, tied with Toulon (3rd, 24 pts). And if Lyon (1st, 35 pts) and Bordeaux (2nd, 34 pts) are still far, a home success was essential to be on the right side of the line, in the top six.

At the other end or almost, Agen is still in the position of barrage (13th, 16 pts). Yet it was the SUA that dominated the first fifteen minutes thanks to the boot of Leo Berdeu and a test of Dave Ryan (3-13 in the 30th minute). A test that perfectly illustrated the hectic Clermont: the Agen pillar having flattened a ball held by Morgan Parra on the test line Clermont.

The ASM stammered their rugby and played in a jiffy before the young Samuel Ezeala showed up with an unstoppable try (33rd), allowing the ASM to share the points at the break (13-13).

But after the break, the Lot-et-Garonnais suffered the proud reaction of the Clermont and the yellow card of Laurence Pearce (44) allowed the Jaunards to lead for the first time, after a penalty test (20- 13, 45e).

The test of Peceli Yato (79th) let hope an offensive bonus to Clermont but the last action did not give anything and, in the face of resistance Agen, yellow and blue, clumsy and jumbled in melee, have contented themselves with the four points.

After his defeat in Ulster last week in the European Cup, Clermont has in any case earned four valuable points before his duel for the 3rd place in Toulon on December 22 for the 11th day of Top 14.

But before the double confrontation against Bath in the European Cup, the copy made by the vice-champion of France was nothing reassuring.

© 2019 AFP