News

Lamerat looking to end club season on high before South Africa Tests

Inpho
France centre Rémi Lamerat wants to end the Top 14 season on a high prior to their three-match series with South Africa this coming summer.

France centre Rémi Lamerat wants to end the Top 14 season on a high prior to their three-match series with South Africa this coming summer.

Lamerat, who started every game in the 2017 RBS 6 Nations, is looking to overcome the disappointment of losing the European Champions Cup final to Saracens two weeks ago.   Follow the RBS 6 Nations on Facebook and Twitter

The 27-year-old will take to the field on Saturday alongside RBS 6 Nations teammates Damien Chouly, Camille Lopez and Scott Spedding as they take on Racing 92 in the Top 14 semi-final.   Clermont have reached the final stage of French rugby twelve times but have emerged victorious only once, but Lamerat is grateful for the chance to put their European loss behind them.   The 16-cap France international said: “The day after the final, we went for a drink together to try and get rid of any bad feelings.   “We also had a few days rest but it’s not pleasant to go through times like that, but what’s done is done.   “We are lucky and it’s down to us that we still have the chance to succeed this season.   “We’re drawing positives from the European campaign as a whole and confidence from the fact that we deserved our place in the final, even if it ended in failure – we must use that to try to win something.”   The French centre was also full of praise for former international teammate Yannick Nyanga, who last represented his country in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.   Nyanga forms part of the Racing 92 side which will travel to Marseille and look to upset Clermont’s plans of becoming Champions of France for a second time.   Lamerat took the flanker’s efforts against Montpellier last week as a warning of what awaits Clermont on Saturday.   He said: “We mustn’t forget the performance of Yannick Nyanga, without his work rate Joe Rokocoko would maybe have had fewer opportunities.   “We all recognise that Racing 92, with their big players, stand up to be counted in big meetings – we have been warned for Saturday.”