Stats and highlights as Clermont and Saracens reach Champions Cup Final

Reigning champions Saracens will face French giants Clermont in the European Champions Cup Final in Edinburgh following a thrilling weekend of semi final clashes. If you haven’t yet seen the highlights, catch up below, and we’ve also got some interesting stats for you.

Saracens beat Munster 26-10 while Clermont edged Leinster 27-22. The two teams will meet in Edinburgh on May 13th, with Saracens gunning to defend their title, and Clermont aiming to upset the champions.

NOTEWORTHY STATS:

• The combined attendance of 91,324 for the two Champions Cup semi-finals was the biggest since 2009 when the matches were played at Dublin’s Croke Park and at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
• The 51,300 attendance at the Aviva Stadium for the Munster v Saracens clash was the second largest for a European Cup semi-final after Croke Park’s 82,208 for Munster v Leinster in 2009.
• Holders, Saracens, will be attempting to become the fourth club in history to win Europe’s premier club title in back-to-back seasons. Leicester Tigers were first to achieve the feat in 2001 and 2002, followed by Leinster in 2011 and 2012 and then RC Toulon in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
• ASM Clermont Auvergne have reached the final for the third time – their two previous appearances in 2013 and 2015 ended in defeats to RC Toulon. At BT Murrayfield next month, they will be attempting to become the 12th club to win the European Cup.
• David Strettle, a try scorer for Clermont in the dramatic 27-22 win over Leinster at the Matmut Stadium de Gerland, played for Saracens in their 2014 final defeat to Toulon in Cardiff.
• Twenty years apart, Clermont’s Damian Penaud and Alain Penaud, who captained Brive to a famous victory in the 1997 final, could become the first father and son combination to win the European Cup.
• Chris Wyles, who scored a try off the bench for Saracens in their convincing 26-10 success against Munster, as well as Marcelo Bosch, both made their 50th European Cup appearances at the Aviva Stadium. Leinster captain, Isa Nacewa, also reached the half-century mark in Lyon.
• The Champions Cup final at BT Murrayfield on Saturday, 13 May will be Clermont’s 100th tournament match.
• Owen Farrell has brought his points total for the current campaign to 113 and a good day in Edinburgh next month could see him eclipse the 127 points he amassed for Saracens last season.
• Clermont’s match-winner, Camille Lopez, become the second player in history to drop two goals in a European Cup semi-final. The first was Munster’s Ronan O’Gara against Toulouse in 2003.
• Sebastien Vahaamahina leads the tournament tackling statistics with an impressive total of 90 while Saracens’ Michael Rhodes is in second place with 82.

SARACENS vs MUNSTER HIGHLIGHTS

CLERMONT vs LEINSTER HIGHLIGHTS