Peter Jackson: Clermont continue long quest for European coronation

Clermont are back on familiar territory this morning for another attempt to avoid going down in history alongside a bookmaker’s son from Connemara straight out of Munster’s Red Army.

Peter O’Toole and the Michelin Men of the Auvergne share something in common which has nothing to do with the strange fact that the late thespian graduated from playing Rugby League for Raggy-Arsed Rovers in Hunslet to Lawrence of Arabia.

Not even Stephen Spielberg’s all-time favourite movie could save O’Toole from being the best actor never to win an Oscar despite eight Academy Award nominations. As the best rugby club not to have won the Champions’ Cup, Clermont will know how one of Munster’s more celebrated supporters must have felt.