Rassie Erasmus: Too early yet for Peter O’Mahony

Rassie Erasmus is confident captain Peter O’Mahony will be able to continue his comeback from long-term injury with a more significant contribution against Racing 92 next Sunday than his 40-minute effort against Leinster.

O’Mahony made his first start for Munster since April 2015 in the 25-14 derby defeat at the Aviva Stadium, building on his 20-minute spell off the bench the previous week against Zebre with a half in Dublin.

The Ireland flanker scored a try from a driving maul before being replaced at half-time but Erasmus said it would be too early for O’Mahony to go a full 80 minutes in Paris when Munster open their Champions Cup pool campaign against the French champions.

“I don’t think so. His first game was 20, this was 40, he’ll probably go 60 the next time,” the director of rugby said.

Erasmus was pleased centre Rory Scannell had got through 70 minutes on his comeback from a neck injury while Andrew Conway could return following his recovery from concussion.

Dan Carter remains a doubt for Racing 92 for Sunday’s clash in Paris. The former All Black did not feature at the weekend in the Paris derby against Stade Francais as he battles back from a calf injury picked up two weeks earlier away to Castres. Carter, along with another former All Black Joe Rocokoco and Argentinian winger Juan Imhoff, are expected to be cleared at a hearing on Wednesday in Paris after traces of a banned substance were discovered when they were tested after the Top 14 final win over Toulon in Barcelona in June.

All players on the winning team in the final are routinely tested and French media reports suggested all three players will be cleared on Wednesday as it is understood the substance showed up following a local injection, generally used to ease pain in a joint, ligament or tendon, and that Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) are not required in such cases.

Racing, beaten in the Champions Cup final in May by Saracens, maintained their 100% home record this season when they saw off neighbours Stade Francais 29-22 at Stade Yves du Manoir on Saturday, with Imhoff and French hooker Camille Chat getting their tries, and international scrum-half Maxime Machenaud kicking 19 points. The champions are seventh in the table, having lost all four away matches this season in the Top 14.

Castres, who travel to the RDS on Saturday, went down 28-19 away to Montpellier. Both teams are in Leinster’s pool, with Leo Cullen’s men travelling to Montpellier on Sunday week. It was Montpellier’s fifth win in eight games, with Jake White, having guided them to their first ever trophy when winning the European Challenge Cup in May, anxious to finish on a high when he is replaced by Vern Cotter at the end of the season. Remy Grosso, a late call-up to the French squad for the World Cup last year, got Castres’ only try. Ian Madigan was an unused replacement as Bordeaux-Begles saw off Brive 29-27 at home as they prepare to host Ulster at Stade Chaban-Delmas next Sunday.

Toulouse, who travel to the Sportsground to play Connacht on Saturday, went down 29-25 to Clermont Auvergne. They scored three tries but slack defending and poor kicking cost them in their quest for a first win at Stade Marcel Michelin in 14 years