Five-star Munster demolish Castres

SALE Sharks still have the edge in Pool One, but they will watch the video of this rollicking good Munster display with a measure of trepidation.

Not that it was an entirely different Munster to the one Sale defeated last week. According to captain Anthony Foley, the difference was a little fine tuning and the absence of mistakes that cost them at Edgeley Park.

Certainly, any lingering disappointment wasn’t evident as they set about demolishing a Castres side described as “about the most physically demanding opposition you could get” by Foley. ”

Victory was never in doubt; the worry was that Munster wouldn’t get a bonus point and Castres might. That concern was brought sharply into focus when Munster were pegged back to a 19-16 lead eight minutes into the second half.

No need to worry. Munster displayed both patience and panache to destroy the visitors with a flurry of scores in a 20-minute spell.

Then, after securing all five precious points, Munster tested their own defensive resolve for ten full minutes. Castres battered the Munster line but ran up against a red brick wall. Even when reduced to 14 men (Shaun Payne was yellow carded), Munster held firm. For the team management, resolve was as satisfying as the creativity that brought them five tries.

Coach Declan Kidney’s delight was tempered by the fact that there are still four games to play. He stressed the win merely put Munster back in contention. “Had we lost this game, it would have been mathematically very difficult, if not impossible, to even qualify from the group. All we have done by winning is to stay alive. The bonus point is helpful, but will only be helpful in the long run if we win our matches.

“Things have changed in this competition with the bonus point system. It’s more complicated than it was. If I had been offered a choice before this, I would have settled for the win. You can’t afford to chase bonus points without first establishing a solid platform for victory.”

He didn’t need to advise Foley of that. The captain had already made up his mind to go for the win rather than for broke, when O’Gara succeeded magnificently with penalty kicks in the 53rd and 57th minutes.

That stretched the Munster lead to nine points, and patience was rewarded as John Kelly skipped over for the fourth try 15 minutes from the end.

The tactics throughout were spot on, Foley drawing experience from victories over Connacht and Leinster when Munster won the toss and played against the wind.

“I think you need to put pressure on yourself, and you’re forced to play up to speed when playing against the wind,” he said.

This Munster did, despite an early Castres penalty from Laurent Marticorena.

When Munster got a sniff of a try in the fifth minute, they took their chance. Donncha O’Callaghan flopped over from a thunderous rolling maul and O’Gara converted.

Marticorena pegged them back with a second penalty, but Munster’s maul, launched through precision throwing from man of the match Jerry Flannery and brilliant varied line out work from Mick O’Driscoll, Donncha O’Callaghan and Denis Leamy, proved unstoppable. Flannery scored a 17th minute try after Munster drove Castres 30 metres back. O’Gara converted for a 14-6 lead.

It got better when Foley crashed his way through the Castres defence to set up a ruck and Gary Connolly guided a grubber kick through for Anthony Horgan to score.

Tomain Toulet responded, Marticorena converting, but while the centre gave them hope with that second half penalty, Munster quickly got their house back in order.

O’Gara kicked those penalties and brilliantly created and then converted Kelly’s try to make it 32-16.

Trevor Halstead was rewarded for his efforts when he scythed through for the fifth. Again, O’Gara converted.

MUNSTER: S. Payne, J. Kelly, G. Connolly, T. Halstead, A. Horgan, R. O’Gara, P. Stringer, M. Horan, J. Flannery, J. Hayes, D. O’Callaghan, M. O’Driscoll, D. Leamy, A. Foley (capt), D. Wallace.

Replacements: F. Pucciariello for Hayes (56), B. Murphy for Connolly (78), J. Manning for O’Gara, T. O’Leary for Stringer, D. Fogarty for Flannery, S. Keogh for Foley, T. Hogan for O’Driscoll (all 86).

CASTRES: J-B Peyras Loustalet, L. Milford, F. Tuilagi, L. Morticorena, P. Christophers, R. Teulet, M. Barreu, C. Hoeft, R. Ivigneaux, K. Meeuws (capt), N. Spanghero, L. Nallet, J. Pericelli, F. Faure, P. Volley.

Replacements: N. Raffault for Tuilaga (32, injured), F. Capo-Ortego for Spanghero (50), Y. Fior for Barreu (63), S. Aussac for Faure (66), Y. Forester for Hoeft (69), A. Albouy for Milford (71).

Referee: D. Pearson (England)