Leinster seek 'miracle' after Clermont Auvergne overpower them in Heinken Cup again I don't think we have the same depth as some of the big-spending French clubs. It's hard to take defeat two weeks in a row, with the amount of effort the players put in. Champions always look pretty good when they are on top. It is how they come back from adversity that is the real challenge. At times Leinster have defied the odds to claim unprecedented success in Europe but the power of French rugby's finances is beginning to show. These back-to-back defeats by Clermont signify a changing of the guard. Elimination at the group stage, for only the second time in the past nine years, would be regarded as a major failure for Leinster. But they can cling to the knowledge that they went on to lift the Heineken Cup after the last time they lost successive games in the competition four seasons ago. Brian O'Driscoll was missing in Dublin for this tie but even the great centre would have struggled to influence the result. Clermont scrum-half Morgan Parra was in scintillating form again, marshalling his beast of a pack will adding a touch of guile and subtlety to the backs. He even kicks his goals as well. Parra and Jonathan Sexton traded penalties before France centre Wesley Fofana barged over from short-range as Clermont set up a 16-6 half-time lead. Parra then took full advantage after Sean O'Brien was shown the yellow card for a late tackle to leave Leinster stunned and trailing at 22-6. Schmidt's men rallied as Shane Jennings and McFadden claimed tries that could yet prove a saving grace. While Clermont waited 100 years to win the French championship in 2010, on this display European domination will come much sooner. Head coach Vern Cotter said: "Last year we lost a semi-final in Bordeaux so we didn't get a crack at the final. We would like to get there and see if we can get over the line and take the title.