Castres a tougher test than was expected

Castres 16 Leinster 21

The French club’s record this season at home and in Europe had not hinted at a performance which had them heading the visitors until ten minutes from time.

Indeed, by registering the game’s only try after just five minutes with a powerful display of forward power the home side quickly gave Leinster notice that there would be no stroll in the warm sunshine of Stade Pierre Antoine.

A relieved Jamie Heaslip admitted his side made too many errors but praised his players for sticking to the task and showing gritty determination when, perhaps, a more expansive style would have been more natural.

“We’ve won two out of two, and we’re happy,” said the skipper. “We’d have taken that at the start of the competition so we’re in a good position.”

He would not have anticipated Castres’ early strike. Out-half and captain Remi Tales sent a searching diagonal kick to the right and found Remy Grosso, but scrambling Leinster defence doused the initial danger at the expense of a line-out. Yannick Caballero plucked the ball out of the sky, the French pack drove the visitors back and prop Saimone Taumoepeau was credited with the touchdown which full-back Geoffrey Palis converted.

Leinster didn’t panic, and dominated territory and possession from the restart, but any nerves were settled finally with Madigan’s first penalty success in the 16th minute.

Nine minutes later referee Madigan cut the deficit to one point from 47 metres and put his team ahead for the first time in the 36th minute with another fine penalty from distance.

And he might have put the result in no doubt either side of half-time but was slightly short with his first effort and after the break a further penalty glanced off a post.

With Castres now taking the game to the visitors, and sensibly using their set-piece advantage, a straightforward penalty from Palis had the home crowd finding their voice for the first time.

Palis missed soon after, but when Isaac Boss was penalised for aimlessly throwing himself into a ruck on the Leinster ten-metre line, Palis onverted from 48 metres to stretch his team’s lead to 13-9.

Caballero’s influence in the maul produced another Leinster indiscretion, duly punished by Palis from distance in the 57th minute.

Eoin Reddan’s introduction at scrum-half certainly galvanised Leinster, and Noel Reid replaced Gordon D’Arcy, who’d taken a heavy ‘knock’ early in the half on his 100th European appearance, while Mick McCarthy came on for lock Kane Douglas.

A good Leinster scrum on the hour was illegally dragged down, and Madigan slotted the penalty from far out on the right to leave the visitors just four adrift. In the 70th minute the gap became just one after Castres infringed in the maul.

Castres suddenly showed frailty in the tight and in the loose, and when Reddan started a sharp drive down the left, a despairing high tackle from the otherwise impressive Plula Faasalele on his opposite number Heaslip brought a penalty which the imperturbable Madigan kicked to put Leinster in front with just three minutes remaining.

Livewire Reddan had one more dart down the right in the 78th minute but French over-eagerness was penalised and, despite almost being ‘timed out’ by referee Garner, the unflustered Madigan completed a 21-16 win.

CASTRES: G. Palis; M. Evans, C. Tuatara, R. Cabannes, R. Grosso; R. Tales (capt), C. Garcia; S. Taumoepeau, B. Mach, R. Herrera, R. Gray, R. Capo Ortega, M. Babillot, Y. Caballero, P. Faasalele

Replacements: Diarra for Babbilot, 51; Montes for Herrera, 67; Bonello for Mach, 67; Dupont for Garcia, 70; Samson for Gray, 71

LEINSTER: Z. Kirchner; D. Fanning, G. D’Arcy, I. Madigan, L. Fitzgerald; J. Gopperth, I. Boss; J. McGrath, S. Cronin, M. Bent; D. Toner, K. Douglas; R. Ruddock, D. Ryan, J. Heaslip (capt).

Replacements: Reddan for Boss, 54; McCarthy for Douglas, 58; Reid for D’Arcy 61; Strauss for Cronin, 71; Conan for Ruddock, 73.

Referee: Greg Garner (England).