This is a fortnight as demanding as it is English for Clermont, visiting Bath this Sunday, before continuing with the reception of Bristol next Saturday, i.e. confrontations with the leader of the Premiership then its runner-up. This second Champions Cup parenthesis could have seemed like a trap for the Auvergnats, since the first, where they had mastered the Italians of Treviso (28-0) before giving a good response to Leinster (7-15), had been followed by two defeats in the Top 14, at La Rochelle (15-20), then against Montpellier (18-22, first loss at home this season). Energy-intensive, the transcontinental competition can be exhausting and take its toll on the national scene, especially for a squad that does not have the bench depth of teams like Toulouse, UBB or Leinster.
