Following Leinster’s 15-7 win over Clermont Auvergne, here are our winners and losers from the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Winners 

Leinster front-row

The big winner tonight was certainly the Leinster front-row, who were just destructive throughout. The all-Irish Test unit of Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Tom Clarkson set the tone early doors with a dominant showing, and replacements Cian Healy, Gus McCarthy and former Clermont man Rabah Slimani came on and tore things up too. It was just a complete scrummaging performance from all six men tonight.

Sam Prendergast

It’s been a meteoric rise for the Leinster fly-half, and he was immense yet again. He got his side on the front-foot early with some classy touches and crucially brought the likes of Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose into the mix, but what was more impressive was the way he changed his game to adapt to the worsening conditions. As the rain hammered down, he steered his side around the park well and just showed proper maturity to get his side over the line. He is proving to be the real deal at the moment, and long may it continue.

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Jordie Barrett

What a signing he is proving to be for Leinster. Barrett notched his second try in as many games for his new employers, but he was at the heart of their victory too. Deployed at full-back for the first time in a while, he was steady under the high ball, contributed well to the attack and also crucially came up with a brilliant try-saver. Another fine showing from the All Black in a Leinster jersey, and you would imagine Leo Cullen doesn’t ever want him to leave.

RG Snyman

A spectacular cameo from the Springbok, who came on and added real impact around the pitch. His introduction swung momentum back towards the hosts just as Clermont looked to strike, while he certainly complemented the scrummaging with his brute strength. Snyman also just made himself very busy around the park, which will please Cullen.

Alivereti Raka

A real standout in defeat. The experienced winger grabbed his side’s only try of the evening and he also made himself very busy around the park too, seemingly popped up everywhere. His powerful carrying also helped get his side over the gainline.

Clermont Auvergne

It might seem weird to say, given they actually lost the game, but tonight was a sign they can mix it with the big dogs in the Champions Cup. They put in an ultra-competitive performance and certainly gave as good as they got against a star-studded Leinster side. Clermont packed a real punch in defence and brought heaps of physicality to proceedings, but the vital thing that they will take away from the game is they actually looked fairly comfortable despite the serious pressure Leinster put them under. Not getting the losing bonus-point will hurt them, but no doubt they will be pretty pleased with their night’s work.

Losers

Leinster hookers

The lineout simply failed tonight. Yes the conditions hampered things, but with two Irish internationals in their hooker unit tonight they should have been better than they were.

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Leinster wingers

With the options available to Leinster in the back division, if you’re given a chance you need to grab it with two hands. However, Jimmy O’Brien and Liam Turner just didn’t do that. They didn’t really do anything wrong, mind, but they just didn’t set the pitch alight, which they needed to do to cement their spots long-term.

Backlines

Conditions were pretty grim, and that limited the work either backline could really do around the park. After the first 30 minutes, the ball virtually didn’t get out to the wide channels, with the forwards taking most of the load. You imagine they would have got pretty cold…

Clermont front-row

Just absolutely obliterated in the scrum, which isn’t a good sign for a pack with that much quality. No matter which unit was on, they were unable to change the momentum in the scrum and found themselves wanting in this department.

READ NEXT: Leinster v Clermont: Five takeaways including the ‘signing of the season’ Jordie Barrett who could transform the Champions Cup’s ‘nearly men’

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/leinster-v-clermont-auvergne-winners-and-losers-ireland-prodigy-proves-he-is-the-real-deal-while-ultra-competitive-french-outfit-prove-they-can-mix-it-with-the-big-dogs