Munster rue below par performance in 13-12 loss to Castres

Munster will have to wait for round 4 and 5 to get the required points to make it out of Pool 2 of the Champions Cup after a below and ill tempted 80 minutes agains the French Champions.

Castres hooker Kevin Firmin got the only try while Munster will regret some poor place kicking and decision making leaving 12 points behind them with a relatively straight forward 3 pointer before the break being the most galling missed opportunity.

Munster still top of the pool but Castres have now closed to within three points with Exeter and Gloucester both a point further back. Johann van Graan’s side still have their fate in their own hands but with Gloucester up next in Kingsholm, it promises to be a difficult assignment. Castres will travel to Sandy Park in a make-or-break battle against Exeter in their round 5 tie.

Castres made the most of the scoring chances that came their way while Munster paid the price for failing to convert their possession into points. Despite gaining more metres and threatening several times, Munster couldn’t cross for a try.

Carbery missed three penalty attempts and scrum-half Conor Murray also saw a long-range effort drift wide of the posts as Munster were unable to score as freely as they had in round three – including during the two periods when Castres were down to 14 players.

Castres scrim half Rory Kockott was sin-binned in first-half stoppage time but Munster opted for a quick-tap penalty and failed to get over the line when a kickable penalty was on offer. It would prove to be a costly error of judgment.

Castres replacement hooker Marc-Antoine Rallier was also sin-binned in 69th minute with Andrew Conway knocking on while trying to ground the ball in the same passage of play. There was a case for it being red as there was no arms in tackle and O’Mahony landed awkwardly.

Munster did have one last chance but a blown lineout meant Castres would see out the remaining minutes to secure a precious win.

Castres: Spedding; Laveau, Combezou, Vialelle, Paris; Urdapilleta, Kockott; Fa’anunu, Firmin, Clerc, Lassalle, Jacquet; Caballero, Babillot, Vaipulu.

Replacements: Rallier, Tichit, Hounkpatin, Samson, Gimeno, Ebersohn, Batlle, Radosavljevic.

Sin bin: Kockott (40), Rallier (69)

Munster: Haley; Conway, Arnold, Scannell, Earls; Carbery, Murray; Kilcoyne, Scannell, Ryan; Beirne, Holland; O’Mahony (C), Cloete, Stander.

Replacements: O’Byrne, Loughman, Archer, Wycherley, Botha, Mathewson, Hanrahan, Taute.

Sin bin: Niall Scannell (56)