Rugby Union's Montpellier fail to crack Clermont

PARIS (AFP) –

Montpellier’s South African prop Erasmus Van Vuuren (centre) is tackled by Clermont’s players on January 5, 2013,Clermont-Ferrand, France. Clermont extended their unbeaten home streak to 53 games with a convincing 36-18 victory over the 2011 French championship finalists.

Clermont extended their unbeaten home streak to 53 games on Saturday with an ultimately convincing 36-18 victory over 2011 French championship finalists Montpellier.

Victory saw the 2010 champions consolidate second place in the Top 14 table, three points behind Toulon, who are at home to Racing-Metro on Sunday – Montpellier, who have not won in 12 visits to Clermont and conceded 34 points on average, will remain in the top six regardless of results later on Saturday.

Clermont had been on the back foot early on when Argentinian prop Maximiliano Bustos charged over to touch down after a fine pass by France fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc had created the opening – it was converted to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.

However, Clermont hit back as a superb inside pass by Brock James sent Wesley Fofana bursting through to touch down under the posts and Morgan Parra converted to level the scores.

Parra and Montpellier’s place kicker, Argentinian Martin Bustos Moyano, swapped penalties to keep the sides all square but a moment of magic by Fofana set up Clermont’s second try.

The France centre took the ball outside the Montpellier 22, eyed up visiting scrum-half Julien Tomas then stepped up a gear and breezed past him before offloading the ball to fullback Jean-Marcellin Butin, who touched down in the corner.

Parra converted for 17-10.

Clermont were reduced to 14 men shortly before the break when veteran Nathan Hines was sin-binned but the visitors were unable to take advantage and it was the hosts who extended their lead to 23-13 by the time the Australia-born former Scottish international returned to the fray.

Parra made it 26-13 in the 54th minute leaving Montpellier head coach Fabien Galthie staring pensively at the ground – his frown deepened as the metronomic Parra converted another penalty for 29-13.

The visitors had fallen apart and their woes were compounded when Charles Geli was yellow-carded with 12 minutes remaining.

Clermont were shortly afterwards awarded a penalty try which Parra converted to take his points tally to 19 for the match with the visitors replying with a nicely worked try by replacement Benoit Paillaugue in the dying minutes.