| Leicester: (17) 23 |
| Tries: Wiese, Montoya; Pens: Atkinson (2); Cons: Atkinson (2) |
| Clermont-Auvergne:(6) 16 |
| Tries: Bezy; Pens: Belleau (3); Cons: Belleau |
Leicester made it two wins out of two in the Heineken Champions Cup after a battling display against ASM Clermont-Auvergne at Welford Road.
Two converted first-half tries gave the Tigers a lead extended by Charlie Atkinson's second-half penalties.
Anthony Belleau landed two early penalties before tries from Jasper Wiese and Julian Montoya helped Leicester to a 17-6 lead at the break.
Clermont earned a bonus point through Sebastien Bezy's late converted try.
The French side, three-time runners up in this competition, were 6-0 ahead after 15 minutes thanks to the boot of Belleau.
But Leicester, watched by head coach Steve Borthwick following a week of speculation linking him to the vacant England post, were ahead when number eight Wiese went over near the corner, with Atkinson landing the conversion.
Hooker Montoya bundled over from a line-out and, after a second successful conversion, Atkinson extended the lead with a penalty.
Two more long-range penalties from Atkinson stretched Leicester's lead to 23-9 in the second half, but Clermont finished strongly.
Full-back Alex Newsome crossed after a superb run, but the Australian was then held up over the line by a combined effort from Atkinson and Dan Kelly.
And the French side still had time to earn a bonus point in reducing Leicester's lead to seven points as scrum-half Bezy darted over from the base of the scrum for a converted try that turned out to be the last action of the game.
The two sides face each other in the return Pool B fixture on 13 January 2023.
Line-ups
Leicester: Steward, Watson, Porter, Kelly, Potter, Atkinson, B Youngs, Cronin, Montoya, Cole, O. Chessum, Green, Liebenberg, Reffell, Wiese.
Replacements: Clare, Leatigaga, Hurd, Wells, Cracknell, Wigglesworth, Burns, Ashton.
Clermont Auvergne: Newsome, Penaud, Tiberghien, Naqalevu, Delguy, Belleau, Bezy, Falgoux, Behergaray, Kubriashvili, Jedrasiak, Lavanini, Tixeront, Fischer, Iturria.
Replacements: Boudou, Bibi-Biziwu, Slimani, Amatosero, Lanen, Jauneau, Plisson, Barraque.
Referee: Andrew Brace
Source: BBC Rugby Union News