Munster storm into Champions Cup 1/4 finals with 48-3 demolition of Castres

Munster made the Champions Cup knockout stages for a record 17th time with an emphatic 48-3 bonus-point victory over Castres at Thomond Park.

The kick-off was delayed by three hours until 4pm due to heavy rain in Limerick. However  the Trojan efforts of the ground staff ensured the game went ahead as Munster went on to top the pool and set up a home 1/4 final against Toulon.

Here are your Champions Cup quarter-finals. #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/jNxBL8CZ20

— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2018

The three hour delay would have done little to help with either side’s preparations but it was the visitors that had the better start but Munster were composed in defence and were able to repel wave after wave of French attacks.

MUNSTER UPDATE: You can still catch Munster v Castres on Sky Sports Action at 4pm. #MUNvCO has been delayed due to a waterlogged pitch. #ChampionsCup https://t.co/ac3Ave1z2U

— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) January 21, 2018

Indeed it was the French side that had the better of the opening fifteen minutes and when Ben Whitehouse reversed a penalty for a needless intervention from Jean Kleyn. Kockott slotted the resultant kick and Castres were three points up.

Munster settled and finally enjoyed a sortie inside the Castres. With the French side back peddling, Whitehouse gave Peter O’Mahony the option of two penalty marks with the most advantageous being dead in front of the posts.

Keatley stepped up to slot the kick and Munster were now level and back in the ¼ final shake up as the clock ticked past the 17^th minute.

A big knock saw Dave Kilcoyne leave the field but James Cronin came in to great effect and when he forced a scrum penalty on 25 minutes, Keatley again had the range and nudged Munster into a 6-3 lead.

Munster were now starting to exert some real control and pressure now and when Ben Whitehouse finally ran out of patience with the Castres defence and sent Thomas Combezou to the bin.

O’Mahony opted for the scrum dead in front of the posts and after a reset, Munster were awarded a free kick. Some quick thinking from Murray saw them tap and go wide with Keith Earls on the end of the move to finish brilliantly in the corner. Keatley added the extras and Munster now enjoyed a hard earned 13-3 lead.

HIGHLIGHTS: @Munsterrugby secured a home #ChampionsCup quarter-final with convincing 48-3 win over Castres. WATCH #MUNvCO – https://t.co/euAStcFQGz

— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) January 21, 2018

After the break Munster came back out in a more composed and clinical fashion and an early lineout maul was turned into the second try of the night and meant the home side now had half an hour to get the bonus point.

Keatley again added the extras and with a 20-3 lead, it meant Munster could focus on doing just that. News that La Rochelle failed to claim a bonus point against Quins meant that Munster now only had to win the game to seal a home 1/4 final but despite the fact, van Graan’s side pressed ahead fro maximum points.

The floodgates opened in the second half as Rhys Marshall’s maul effort and a scintillating bonus-point score from Simon Zebo, either side of a penalty try, had Castres in disarray.

Replacements Alex Wootton and James Cronin made it five unanswered tries in the second half as Munster reconfirmed their absolute dominance. Indeed it took Munster just four second half minutes to lay down a marker of what was to come.

Rhys Marshall dotted down at the end of a well structured maul as Munster continued to use their set piece to great effect.

Minutes later  CJ Stander was held up on a bulldozing drive past the line. From an ensuing series of 5 metre scrums, Castres coughed up a series of penalties. Ben Whitehouse ran out of patience and binned replacement prop Daniel Kotze while going under the posts to award a penalty try.

Man of the match, Keith Earls was again at his devastating best and when returning a Castres kick the Limerick man cut through the defensive line to offload to Simon Zebo who beat two defenders to claim the bonus point try.

https://twitter.com/ChampionsCup/status/955133489795485696

Keatley converted and his replacement JJ Hanrahan added the extras to Wootton’s maiden European score, which saw him wriggle over after Munster ball had gone loose on the ground.

Munster were not done however as a last-minute touchdown from prop Cronin who was on the end of another well constructed and executed maul to cap what was a dominate display.

FULL TIME: @MunsterRugby finish the pool stage with an impressive bonus point victory over @CastresRugby. #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/dcquvKa6l0

— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2018