Ronan O'Gara: This will take a mammoth effort from Munster to beat Castres

Also, on Sam Prendergast, my bad. I now see where all the hot air about the Leinster kid was coming from. He's good.

THREAT: Castres' fly-half Louis Le Brun has been called into the French squad.

MUNSTER have an important ace in the hole for Friday night’s Champions Cup test of their mettle in Castres. Mike Prendergast knows the dog nights of the French rugby badlands better than anyone at home could possibly hope to. If one were to blend into a cocktail all the key ingredients of a Top 14 away day, one would hardly come up with as perfect a storm as Castres, the small rugby town with the big heart.

It’s Munster in Europe and that will always bring a sprinkle of something with it but scanning the Castres selection for the Stade Pierre-Fabre, I assure you this will take a mammoth effort from Munster to beat that team.