Ben Youngs led Leicester to a record-breaking win in one of Europe’s most forbidding arenas, to halt their free-fall since Steve Borthwick’s departure and confirm a Champions Cup knock-out place.

What a revitalising result this is for the Tigers. Stade Marcel Michelin is no longer the fortress of old, as Clermont are enduring a difficult, transitional phase – and it wasn’t full for this Anglo-French showdown. 

But it remains a place which visitors approach with trepidation, so the few hundred Leicester fans in attendance were understandably euphoric.

After previous pool-stage wins over the Ospreys and in the home fixture against Clermont, the East Midlands club are heading for the last 16 with cause for renewed optimism. But the implications of this performance and this victory extend far beyond the tournament itself. 

When they beat these Gallic rivals at Welford Road in December, it served as a fitting send-off for Borthwick and Kevin Sinfield, before they left the Premiership champions to answer their country’s call.

England’s gain has been Leicester’s loss. That much has been evident already. The Tigers beat Gloucester at home days after Richard Wigglesworth was appointed as interim head coach, but then came heavy defeats at Sale and Newcastle, with a combined total of 85 points conceded. 

It looked as if a crisis was developing, but this was a stunning riposte. No away team has ever scored more than 40 points at Clermont in the Champions Cup, until now.

Youngs was magnificent. If he is unsure of his place in the England squad to be named by Borthwick on Monday, he played like a man on a mission, with authority and passion. 

He brought the victors tempo and attitude, while prop Joe Heyes – in danger of being dropped from the Red Rose ranks – led a scrum onslaught and another game-changer from Norfolk made his presence felt as Harry Simmons danced over for a superb try.

This was a rip-roaring, Anglo-French classic featuring 73 points and nine tries. It was end-to-end chaos, from start to finish. What a shame the ground wasn’t full as more people should have been on hand to see the glorious mayhem. 

From the moment Matt Scott scored the first of his two tries for Leicester with an early interception, the pendulum kept swinging and the points kept coming.

It was Youngs who set up Simmons, with a precise, flat pass on the left. The 25-year-old is primarily a scrum-half but showed how adept he can be out wide too. 

His finish was breath-taking, as he darted inside and back out past a flailing Alivereti Raka for a memorable try, which Handre Pollard converted, as part of the Springbok fly-half’s 14-point haul.

Once James Cronin’s late try and Jimmy Gopperth’s nerveless late goal-kicking clinched this famous win, Wigglesworth said: ‘I’m so proud of the fight and desire to keep getting up off the ground and making tackles. I’m a very proud coach tonight. 

'It’s not easy away in Clermont when you’re playing a massive team, but we’ve set a standard which I’m sure we’ll live up to.’

Asked about qualifying for the last 16, he added: ‘I didn’t know that. We’ll see how many points we end up with then we’re playing knock-out rugby, which is exciting. We’ll have some bodies back then as well, so watch out.’

Wigglesworth confirmed that wing Anthony Watson would not be available for England selection on Monday, saying: ‘It won’t be long-term. He’ll be back in a few weeks.’