Reds boost as Castres rotate

MUNSTER’S hopes of continuing their winning start in Heineken Cup Pool 1 received an eve-of-game boost yesterday when Castres Olympique rang the changes to their starting line-up for today’s clash at Stade Ernest Wallon.

Tony McGahan’s side, fresh from their remarkable overtime drop-goal victory over Northampton Saints last week, arrived in Toulouse yesterday afternoon to learn that Castres coaches Laurent Travers and Laurent Labit had made nine changes and two further positional switches to the team which started last Saturday’s opening pool defeat at Scarlets.

Having already ceded some advantage by switching the game from their intimidating 10,000-capacity Stade Pierre Antoine to the wide expanses of Toulouse’s home ground, Castres’ management have taken a further gamble by making drastic alterations to their line-up.