The closest of calls but Clermont’s hunger may prove decisive

Copious praise has been thrust at Clermont Auvergne this week, but perhaps the most notable aspect to the French side is its patience.

They endured 98 barren years and three successive Top 14 final defeats before breaking their domestic league duck with defeat of Perpignan in May 2010, and now here they are chip, chip, chipping away at a similar, European rock face.

Make no mistake, Vern Cotter’s side was good enough to win the Heineken Cup in any of the previous four years but each and every time they have had the door shut in their face by either Munster or Leinster.

Talk about added motivation.

In many ways, Clermont mirror Leinster, who fell so short so often in Europe while a rival — Toulouse or Munster — sealed the deal and the law of averages states that the French will get over the line, sooner or later.

Both sides are equipped with physical packs, devastating runners, standout talents at nine and 10 and daunting defences and there were no major surprises in the teamsheets released to the public yesterday lunchtime.

Joe Schmidt has opted to make just two changes to the side which started the quarter-final against Cardiff. Shane Jennings comes in for Kevin McLaughlin at seven, moving Sean O’Brien to the blindside, while Isaac Boss starts at scrum-half instead of Eoin Reddan.

Vern Cotter’s opening hand is positively boring in its predictability with Brock James confirmed as out-half thanks to David Skrela’s ongoing injury problem. The memory of James’ dog day with the boot at the RDS in the 2010 quarter-final remains vivid but the Australian’s radar is rarely so skewered and Schmidt noted yesterday that he once landed 38 straight kicks for the club.

Clermont will have 30,000-plus people roaring them on in Bordeaux and the feeling persists that they have endured a more difficult road to get this far.

Jonathan Sexton admitted only last Monday that the reigning champions have yet to put in an 80-minute performance this campaign and Leo Cullen admits it will take “close to” Leinster’s best to pull through. The forecast suggests it may be wet and these are two of the best rearguards in Europe so it may not be pretty. It is impossible to call but Clermont’s hunger may shift the scales inches their way.