Munster go top of pool

Munster 36 Castres 8

Ireland international Ronan O’Gara became the Heineken Cup’s leading points scorer as Munster gained full revenge on Castres, scoring five tries in a 36-8 Pool Four triumph at Thomond Park.

O’Gara had a bittersweet night on his 50th European cap, converting tries from Anthony Foley, Denis Leamy and Paul O’Connell as he racked up a tournament tally of 649 points, before being sin-binned in the second half.

Benjamin Lhande’s fourth-minute try promised much for the visitors, however Alan Gaffney’s side pulled clear with both Frankie Sheahan and Christian Cullen touching down in the latter stages.

The Irish province made three changes from the side which lost 19-12 in France last Friday, but began what was to be a 50-minute first half in disappointing fashion.

O’Gara missed a lengthy first shot at goal and lock Donncha O’Callaghan was sin-binned for a ruck punch inside the first six minutes.

Castres full-back Ugo Mola then created the space for Castres’ only try, exposing Munster’s midfield defence before unleashing right wing Lhande to ghost over unopposed from 25 metres out.

Laurent Marticorena pulled the conversion wide from the left flank, but the try alone was enough to spark heat from Munster.

An altercation between Peter Stringer and Castres lock Lionel Nallet on 17 minutes led to a midfield melee but English referee Roy Maybank kept his card firmly in his pocket.

Six minutes later, captain Foley took a quick tap to barge over past meek tackles from Romain Froment and Mola to see the home side back level.

O’Gara’s conversion was cancelled out by Marticorena’s penalty on 29 minutes, but with Argentina international Mauricio Reggiardo off the field for a kicking offence on Foley, Munster’s bulldozing maul saw them retake the lead.

The way was cleared then seven minutes into injury time for young flanker Leamy to bag his second European try.

After repeated pops at the French line, hooker Sheahan’s five-metre throw was taken by O’Connell, neatly recycled by Foley and lunged over by Leamy, under the challenge of former Ulster prop Justin Fitzpatrick.

O’Gara converted and in kicking a second penalty in the 10th added minute, became Europe’s highest ever scorer, edging clear of Diego Dominguez’s mark of 645.

Leading 17-8, O’Connell gave Munster the perfect start to the second half, fending off both Alexandre Albouy and Paul Volley to stretch his 6ft 6in frame over in the left corner.

O’Gara clawed the touchline extras brilliantly over and Castres’ woes were compounded when close-in lineout drive saw hooker Sheahan muscle over on 68 minutes for the bonus point.

By that stage, O’Gara had been yellow-carded for a confrontation with Fitzpatrick, but Munster rounded off their night in style – with referee Maybank red-carding Castres tighthead Alessio Galasso for yet more punching – as former All Black Cullen sailed over for his first European try on 80 minutes.