Clermont-Ferrand (AFP)

Clermont beat Stade Rochelais 25 to 20, Saturday in its Marcel Michelin stadium during the 26th and final day of the Top 14, and took 5th place in the standings synonymous with qualifying for the play-offs.

Despite his defeat, La Rochelle, who obtained the defensive bonus point, preserved his 2nd place, which sends him directly to the semi-final.

The Maritimes, who lived through an uncertain evening to the end, will thus benefit from an additional week of rest while Clermont will move next weekend on the lawn of Union Bordeaux-Bègles.

Thanks to the boot of Morgan Parra, author again of a 100% at the foot (7 out of 7), and to a great solidarity, Clermont, who had left the top 6 only twice this season, validated his ticket for dams.

In front of a thousand supporters, a fanfare and a few drums, this real round of 16 has kept its promises in terms of commitment and suspense.

First roughed up after a magnificent La Rochelle action of 60 meters in first hand concluded with a try from Dillyn Leyds (11th), Clermont took over the game on his own.

Parra spent five penalties including four in a row and allowed the ASM to turn in the lead at the break (15-10).

The ASM believed to kill the match with a try from George Moala (53rd), but Grégory Alldritt answered him four minutes later, maintaining the suspense at the end of the match (22-17).

Morgan Parra returned his team to shelter before leaving (65th) and Jules Le Bail, on the Maritime side, put a decisive penalty before the end of the match to validate the La Rochelle ticket for the last four (79th).

"There is no explosion, we know where we come from. It's very hard after a very complicated season. It was important to win to get into the six. It's done. Now, we know that when we are in the six, everything is playable and we will hang on to the end. Some will leave us among the players and in the management ", reacted the Clermont scrum half Parra at the end of part at the microphone of Canal +.

"We are very happy because that was our goal and it rewards a long season. We expected it to be difficult. Some would say that it is already a good season but if we have done all this to have nothing at the end of it, it is useless ", declared for his part the 3rd line from La Rochelle Grégory Alldritt, still on Canal +.

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