Isa Nacewa says Joey Carbery has proven himself capable of leading Leinster — but warned Johnny Sexton would not welcome any attempts to force him into a period of rest.

It might not have been a barnburner but for Leinster head coach Leo Cullen a valuable victory over Munster more than proved there is life still in this age-old rivalry.

Five-try Racing extended their advantage at the summit of the Top 14 with a bonus-point 39-35 triumph, as late tries from Xavier Chauveau and Joe Rokocoko broke Grenoble’s stubborn resistance.

THE most satisfied man in Irish rugby last Sunday night was Joe Schmidt. On a weekend that saw the return to action of Rory Best, Conor Murray, Simon Zebo and Cian Healy, following hot on the heals of Chris Henry and Tommy O’Donnell, Ireland’s squad for the upcoming Six Nations — announced yesterday with all bar Zebo included — received a serious boost.

Leinster 19 Castres 7

Ulster 41 Castres 17

Three stitches under Mike Ross’s right eye told you all you needed to know about the physical toll a Test match in Paris takes on a player but the Ireland tighthead prop believes he will be fresh and ready to go again when duty calls this Saturday against the Scots.

Munster 26 Castres 10

THERE are those of us who remember the very first Munster clash with Castres in the inaugural Heineken Cup way back in 1995 under lights in the nearby town of Mazamet because the host club didn’t have the required facilities at Stade Pierre Antoine.

Simon Lewis looks at the battle ahead

DRAMA and Ronan O’Gara appear joined at the hip these days with the Corkman once again delivering the final blow with Saturday’s Pool 1 cliff hanger deep in injury-time.

Munster outside half Ronan O’Gara believed a helpful wind in the south of France made hitting an incredible winning drop goal against Castres an easier task than the one he scored against Northampton last weekend following his side’s 27-24 Heineken Cup win.

Castres 24 Munster 27

Castres lock forward Matthias Rolland tells Ian Moriarty why the French side are no longer prepared to make up the numbers at Europe’s top table

Scarlets 31 Castres 23

Edinburgh 24 Castres 22

Castres 21 Edinburgh 16

MUNSTER’S opening European Cup game, on November 1, 1995, ended in triumph against Swansea at Thomond Park, but it was left to the captain Pat Murray to save the blushes with a late try to seal a 17-13 victory.

It should have been the perfect day. Croke Park, brimful with expectation, had opened its doors to rugby for the first time but, on a historic day of outward celebration for Irish sport, all was silenced by a piece of late Gallic magic.

Castres 21 Wasps 15

Edinburgh 32 Castres 14

Castres 18 Leinster 15

Aussie centre Steven Kefu and full-back Cameron McIntyre and scrum-half Kevin Senio, both Kiwis, give Castres a southern hemisphere flavour for their Herineken Cup trip to Leinster tomorrow.

PROUD Edinburgh coach Andy Robinson said yesterday: “We’re still in it,” after his side’s 13-6 win over Castres in France in the Heineken Cup. The former England coach looked back on his side’s historic first cross-channel Heineken Cup success, and declared: “Courage was the key.”

Leeds Carnegie shrugged off their Premiership blues to take pole position in Pool Five of the European Challenge Cup at Headingley tonight with a 35-18 win over Castres Olympique, while Connacht lost away at Brive.

CASTRES blew Pool One of the Heineken Cup open with a 36-28 win over Perpignan. The fact that the losers didn’t earn a bonus point means Wasps are in with a shout after beating Benetton Treviso 55-0 yesterday.

Castres Olympique 9 Munster 46

CASTRES fans are turning up the heat in anticipation of Munster’s arrival this weekend, with one of their chief supporters calling on the club’s fans to come out in numbers to cheer on the French side in this Friday’s crucial Heineken Cup encounter.

MUNSTER have had some good news in advance of their Heineken Cup clash with Castres on Friday as Kees Meeuws cannot fulfil a promise to lead the French side to victory.

IN the sporting arena, the team that reacts best to pressure invariably comes out on top.

CASTRES captain Kees Meeuws smiles when asked about the powerful Munster rolling mauls, which resulted in two tries for the home side.

Munster 42 Castres 16

Castres Olympique 29 Newport Gwent Dragons 24

Castres 58 Harlequins 13

Castres 58 Harlequins 13

SOMETHING had to give after last week’s disappointing performance and so it’s no surprise coach Alan Gaffney has made four changes, one positional, in the Munster side to tackle Castres Olympique in this evening’s crucial Heineken European Cup tie at Thomond Park.

WHEREAS Denis Leamy will be available for Munster, their Heineken Cup opponents Castres have a number of injury worries for Saturday’s all-important fixture at Thomond Park.

Former Wasps flanker Paul Volley came back to haunt Munster and help Castres to a 19-12 pool four Heineken Cup win at Stade Pierre-Antoine tonight.

Castres centre Laurent Marticorena ended Munster’s nine-game winning streak and dealt their Heineken Cup quarter-final hopes a blow, kicking four crucial penalties in a 19-12 Pool 4 win at Stade Pierre-Antoine.

L’IRLANDE envahit Castres. Or, for those of you who, like myself, never progressed beyond pass French for the Inter: ‘The Irish invade Castres’.

Castres have dropped veterans Yann Delaigue and Richard Dourthe for their home tie with Munster at Stade Pierre Antoine tomorrow evening.