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Rugby’s premier club competition, the European Champions Cup has announced changes to how sides from the Guinness PRO12 will qualify for the tournament.
Tournament organisers European Professional Club Rugby said that the top seven-ranked PRO12 clubs this time next year will qualify for the 2018-19 tournament.
Those qualifiers will be regardless of country of origin, replacing the current format which requires that at least one club from each of Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales is included in the seven qualifiers.
Show all 31 1 /31Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings We run the rule over the two teams.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Scott Spedding – 6 out of 10 Showed impressive footwork to get himself out of trouble when collecting the high ball but he could not stem the wave of pressure coming his way. Failure to collect the ball when chiped behind proved costly.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings David Strettle – 6 out of 10 Relatively quiet against his former side. One notable play saw him flick a Lopez cross-field kick to Spedding, but otherwise did little of note.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Aurélien Rougerie – 7 out of 10 Won a pressure-relieving penalty on his own 5m line, and his powerful run off an attacking 5m scrum and subsequent offload set-up the try for Lamerat. A shame that he departed before the game was done.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Remi Lamerat – 7 out of 10 Scored Clermont’s first try after supporting centre partner Rougerie. Had a spikiness to his game that showed in a clash with Michael Rhodes.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Nick Abendanon – 7 out of 10 Caught out of position for Ashton’s try as the former England international went AWOL. However, he made up for it by finishing one of the tries of the season as he dived over after a length of the field socre.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Camille Lopez – 7 out of 10 Lovely show-and-go fooled the Sarries defence shortly before half-time and his tactical kicking was, on the whole, reliable, though he could have been smarter with his placement. A danger with the ball in hand.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Morgan Parra – 6 out of 10 Rarely looked to snipe around the edges and spurned points with the boot as he missed a crucial penalty attempt straight after the final Saracens try.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Raphael Chaume – 8 out of 10 Took on Koch and got the better of him with a very powerful display in the scrum. Defended well as he had to do a lot of work.
Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Benjamin Kayser – 7 out of 10 Very impressive in the lineout given the dangers that lurked in the Saracens line. Scrummaged well and can be proud of his performance.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Davit Zirakashvili – 7 out of 10 Had to leave the field early for treatment on a blood injury but returned and added weight to a strong Clermont front-row.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Arthur Iturria – 6 out of 10 Had to take on the responsibility when Vahaamahina limped out, and he struggled to impose on the Sarries jumpers.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Sébastien Vahaamahina – 6 out of 10 His weight added serious brawn to the scrum but he was relatively anonymous in the loose and limped out of the game when he damaged his ankle around the hour mark.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Damien Chouly – 7 out of 10 The skipper was very impressive in the ruck and caused problems for the Saracens rucks.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Peceli Yato – 7 out of 10 One charge down the right wing in the first half produced a chance for his side that they couldn’t convert, despite his 40m gain.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Fritz Lee – 6 out of 10 The broad No 8 could have done more in the loose as he was overshadowed by his opposite man.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Alex Goode – 8 out of 10 His kick when Saracens were on the attack set-up Nick Abendanon’s incredible try, but he more than made up for it with the match-sealing score.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Chris Ashton – 7 out of 10 Needed just 13 minutes to break Vincent Clerc’s European record of 36 tries as he finished with a trademark Ash Splash. Kept quiet in the second half but he’d already done his bit.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Marcelo Bosch – 7 out of 10 Emerged triumphant in a gruelling battle with Aurelien Rougerie, and it was his hard running that forced Clermont’s wingers inside to set-up the final try.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Brad Barritt – 7 out of 10 His best work came in defence as he won a penalty when turning over opposite man Lamerat, and took his leave around the hour mark looking battered and bruised, as always.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Chris Wyles – 7 out of 10 Didn’t see as much of the ball as Ashton did, but he chased kicks relentless and it was his pressure that forced Spedding into a knock-on and paved the way for Goode’s try.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Owen Farrell – 8 out of 10 Looked to bring his back line into the game early that brought success and stretched the Clermont defence. Displayed his excellent hand work in the second half and was a defensive rock.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Richard Wigglesworth – 7 out of 10 Didn’t need to kick as much as we’ve become accustomed too as Sarries dominated possession. Started to get around the edges as Clermont tired.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Mako Vunipola – 8 out of 10 Very impressive with the ball inn hand as he made his presence felt, and also put in shift in defence as ha rarely took a backwards step. Involved in a to and fro battle with Zirakashvili in the scrum that he just about edged.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Jamie George – 7 out of 10 Spotted the smallest of gaps to break the line and surge in the Clermont 22 but it was one of many missed opportunities for Saracens. Ultra-reliable at the lineout and it was a display that pushed his starting Lions claims once again.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Vincent Koch – 7 out of 10 Struggled slightly with Chaume but he was far more effective in open play, with his surge into the 22 a particular highlight.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Maro Itoje – 7 out of 10 Disrupted Clermont ball superbly to make life uncomfortable for their pack, and was a force in defence. Faultless at the lineout.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings George Kruis – 8 out of 10 Supported Goode well to pick-and-go for his try, and he called the lineout to perfection. Back to his best, there’s no doubt about it.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Michael Rhodes – 7 out of 10 Very much the Sarries enforcer as he tried to bully the Clermont pack, both on the ball and off it.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Jackson Wray – 6 out of 10 Relatively quiet and was replaced by Schalk Burger midway through the second half.
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Clermont vs Saracens: Player ratings Billy Vunipola – 8 out of 10 Set the tone with a brilliant catch above former teammate Strettle and Clermont could not cope with his power, with one second-half run producing nearly 15 metres after contact.
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Based on this season's finishing places, Italy would not have a team in the competition.
Aviva Premiership and French Top 14 qualifying, which is based on the highest-ranked clubs, will not change.
EPCR also announced that the 2018 European Challenge Cup winner will automatically qualify for the 2018-19 Champions Cup.
If the Challenge Cup winner has already progressed via its league finishing position, then the Challenge Cup runner-up will filll the 20th and final Champions Cup spot.
"These changes are designed to strengthen both the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup," EPCR director general Vincent Gaillard said.
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