How Munster unravelled at Thomond Park

Castres Olympique winger Geoffrey Palis took advantage of Munster's stretched 14-man defence to score a 68th minute try. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

In a pulsating Champions Cup contest between the competition’s most familiar rivals, Castres registered their first victory in nine attempts over Munster in Limerick. 

After two decades of arm wrestles between the sides, this was a classic European encounter which broke the mould in this fixture.

Yet Munster’s inability to hang onto the lead saw them eliminated at the pool stage for just the fifth time since they reached their first quarter-final in 1998-99. 

These are the moments in each half when Clayton McMillan’s team imploded and Castres had the last laugh.

First-half

In a rollercoaster opening 40 minutes at Thomond Park, Munster took their turn to swing the game in their favour on 31 minutes. They thwarted a period of intense pressure with a crucial turnover in front of their posts from captain Tadhg Beirne. 

Following on from that ruck penalty, there was some Thaakir Abrahams magic as excellent footwork allowed him to dance out of trouble on halfway with Munster winning a penalty at the next ruck.

From the resulting lineout inside the 22, Munster took a 12-10 lead through Craig Casey’s skilful finish off the back of a strong maul, the scrum-half’s second try of the half.

Having trailed 10-0 after 11 minutes, Munster should have been taking their newly won momentum into the half-time break with the lead with five minutes to play before the interval… BUT 

35:25: Jack Crowley misses his second conversion of the night as the ball hits an upright but it would not have counted as referee Matthew Carley had already blown his whistle. The Ireland fly-half had run down the shot clock and had missed his window of opportunity on an evening when his kicking from the tee was off kilter. Munster’s lead is 12-10.

36:55: Castres are enjoying prolonged periods of possession but going nowhere in particular along the halfway line until loosehead prop Atunaisa Sokobale breaks between Jack O’Donoghue and Michael Ala'alatoa, busting the former’s tackle. The bulky front rower charges to the 22 where a timely tackle from Crowley temporarily halts the Castres attack.

37:43: Munster concede a penalty advantage after lock Fineen Wycherley is deemed offside just inside his 22 and Castres' advantage is extended when O’Donoghue slows the ball at the continuing ruck.

38:00: Castres' attacking stutters on the 22 but still with the double advantage, their full-back Theo Chabouni picks the ball off the deck, chips and charges and though O'Donoghue wins the chase he spills as he slides under the posts and Chabouni is only too grateful to pounce for his club's third try of the half.

39:27: Jeremy Fernandez manages the shot clock to his advantage, dispatching the conversion directly in front of the posts to make it 17-12 at the interval. Munster’s hard work to engineer the lead is undone.

Second-half

Munster restart after the break much the stronger with a 46th minute try from Abrahams and although Crowley again misses the conversion from wide out, replacement power forward Edwin Edogbo breaks the 17-all tie with a 59th-minute try. 

The try bonus point is secured, now Munster have to see out the win from 22-17 up with 20 minutes left to play… BUT 

60:13: Crowley again misses his conversion, his third from four, and two more points go begging for Munster.

63:29: A Tom Farrell neck roll on Castres wing Christian Ambadiang sees the Munster centre yellow carded. Munster are down to 14 players.

64:12: From the ensuing penalty, Munster steal Castres’ attacking 5m lineout but Fineen Wycherley is pinged for a knock-on jn the process and the visitors get a five-metre scrum.

65:55: The Frenchmen spill the ball after it leaves the set-piece but Munster’s defensive line is offside and Castres get yet another chance, opting to scrum again, closer to the posts.

67:42: The pressure tells as wing Geoffrey Palis scores in the left corner as Munster’s 14-man defence is stretched to breaking point.

68:32: The try levels the scores at 22-22, though replacement fly-half Enzo Herve makes no mistake with his touchline conversion and Castres take the lead by two.

71:51: Palis collects his own kick with a super aerial take to get Castres back on the front foot.

72:07: Herve's crossfield kick to the right wing again exploits the extra space in Farrell’s absence and finds Ambadiang, who ploughs through Shane Daly's tackle just inside the Munster 22 and scores Castres' bonus-point try, Herve again nailing the touchline conversion for a 31-22 lead. The damage is done. 

A late try from Edogbo, his second in an excellent impact performance off the bench, is too little, too late, as is Crowley conversion from in front of the posts. 

Munster have fallen short by two points to a French side for the second time in six days and are out of the Champions Cup.