Summary

  • FT: Saracens 46-6 Clermont Auvergne

  • Six tries for Saracens as Clermont thrashed

  • Chris Ashton with two tries

  • Ashton the first player to score 11 HC tries in one season

  • Toulon and Munster meet in Marseille on Sunday

Live Reporting

James Standley

  1. PENALTY (Goode)

    I don't want to call Saracens lucky, because they are playing really well and have controlled territory for much of the half, so I guess fortune favours the brave, and here comes another penalty.

  2. TRY (Farrell, con Goode)

    Saracens v ClermontGetty Images

    Quick, someone ask Sarries for the lottery numbers tonight, because I think they've scored again!

    They have!

    Sarries pounce on a Clermont turnover, Chris Ashton flips a pass back inside and Farrell volleys the ball ahead before winning the race to touch down.

    Television replays confirm there was no knock-on - the ball came off his knee - and Alex Goode continues his perfect kicking by landing the extras.

  3. When Nigel Owens gave that last penalty against Sarries he told captain Steve Borthwick that they needed to cut out the shenanigans or else a card might be in the offing.

  4. Get Involved

    Ajps: Penalty try or no penalty try, a brilliant start by Saracens. Great Ashton try and heroic defence on the line as Clermont attacked.

    Henry: Wow. Nigel Owens has lost the plot.

  5. PENALTY (Parra)

    And there may only be eight in a second. Jacques Burger goes off his feet at a ruck and it's a very kickable penalty to Clermont.

    Parra duly bisects the sticks, here they come...

  6. Get the feeling this is going Sarries' way? The fates seem to be smiling on them but we've still got 50 minutes to play and there's only 11 points* in it...

    * Yes, it did originally say nine. There's a reason I don't work in finance.

  7. Get Involved

    Lauren Ing: Law says probable try, not definite, to award a penalty try. Right call by Owens. (see 12th minute)

  8. Nick Kennedy
    England and Harlequins lock on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    "That was a good call by the referee."

  9. Get Involved

    Saracens v ClermontGetty Images

    Mark Allison: Saracens are getting gifts in this Heineken Cup. Wrong red card v Ulster, wrong pen try v Clermont.

    Jenni Mayne: Saracens, benefiting from contentious refereeing decisions since 2014.

  10. NO TRY (Stanley)

    You wouldn't know Clermont were down a man - this is their best spell of the match.

    Canadian beast Jamie Cudmore rumbles for 20m before French artist Wesley Fofana nearly spins his way over, but Sarries concede a penalty as Schalk Brits intervenes illegally.

    The Frenchmen kick to the corner and after hammering away they score! Or do they? We go to the TMO!

    No try. Boos and whistles from the French, applause from the Londoners.

    Benson Stanley crossed on the right but the officials decide Damien Chouly obstructed Owen Farrell in the build-up.

  11. This game really has started at an explosive pace. There are mistakes aplenty but Saracens have seized control, smashing the visitors back in defence and running the ball back with real intent as Clermont are forced to kick it away.

    Add in a decent dollop of luck - not everyone would have given that penalty try - and it's the Londoners very much in charge at Twickenham.

  12. Get Involved

    Adam Harkin: I can't see how that's a penalty try. The ball was going into touch. I think a penalty would have been enough.

  13. Both sides are really getting stuck in at the line-out, and each loses their own throw in quick succession.

  14. Nick Kennedy
    England and Harlequins lock on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    "That's a huge call by the officials. It has to be a definite try to give it. But there's no guarantee that he would have caught it. It's a very harsh decision in my view."

  15. Get Involved

    John McEnerney: Great start from Saracens. They need to keep their heads for the next 10 mins or Clermont will punish them.

  16. TRY (Penalty, con Goode)

    Well, here's some early controversy. Mako Vunipola charges down Lee Byrne's attempted clearance kick from behind his own line.

    Marcelo Bosch and Brock James challenge for it in the air, the ball is claimed by neither but James then deliberately knocks it over the deadball line.

    Clearly a penalty, and James is duly yellow carded, but referee Nigel Owens decides a try would have resulted had the Australian not infringed and he awards a penalty try. The visiting fans are not happy and the team looks a little rattled.

  17. Nick Kennedy
    England and Harlequins lock on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    "Clermont need Parra to be kicking well and that's a good start by the scrum-half."

  18. PENALTY (Parra)

    "When you score, you keep your discipline, no penalties." It's the most basic of coaching instructions but Sarries infringe at a ruck and Morgan Parra gets last season's beaten finalists on the board.

  19. Nick Kennedy
    England and Harlequins lock on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    "We didn't see the famous Ash splash - it was a quiet celebration. Brits is such a dangerous runner, he's very hard to stop. He draws in defenders and is so hungry for the ball."

  20. TRY (Ashton, con Goode)

    Chris AShtonGetty Images

    That's the 10th try this tournament for Chris Ashton - equalling the all-time Heineken Cup record set by Sebastien Carrat of Brive in the 1996-97 season.

    It's a cracking score as well, with Schalk Brits featuring twice before Brad Barritt finds Ashton with the inside ball and the right winger - way over on the left - races over from the 22.