Munster paid the price for a messy performance as they fell to a 16-14 defeat to Castres in the Investec Champions Cup.
A penalty from the French side’s out-half Louis Le Brun in the final eight minutes gave Jeremy Davidson’s side their first win in the competition since 2019, as Munster had to settle for a losing bonus-point at Stade Pierre-Fabre.
The province briefly led when John Hodnett scored his second try of the game on 70 minutes, but that lead was wiped out almost instantly when they gave away a scrum penalty off the restart, which Le Brun knocked over to put his side back in front.
A wasteful and error-strewn performance from the visitors was summed up in the final play of the game, when Jack Crowley missed touch from a penalty just inside his own half, as Munster chased a winning score.
The defeat also appears to have come at a cost to the province, with Craig Casey (below) suffering a first-half injury. The scrum-half had to be helped off the pitch with just 30 minutes played, and the in-form Ireland international could be seen on crutches with his right knee in a brace on the sidelines at full-time.
Peter O’Mahony, Dian Bleuler, Thaakir Abrahams and Dave Kilcoyne also departed with knocks, which could leave the province in a difficult situation when they travel to face Ulster in the URC next week.
Discipline was a major issue for Ian Costello’s side, conceding 17 penalties in total, five of those coming at the scrum in the second half. However, their hosts were equally indisciplined, also giving up 17 penalties, while they spent 30 minutes of the game playing with 14 players after yellow cards for Quentin Walcker, Geoffrey Palis and Nicolas Corato.
Castres started the game in dominant fashion, as Munster coughed up a series of early penalties, and the hosts deservedly got in for try when former Connacht number 8 Abraham Papali’i charged over for the opening try on 12 minutes.
The home side missed their conversion, and while Crowley had a chance to cut the gap shortly after, his penalty dropped short of the posts, keeping the scores at 5-0.
By the 30th minute mark, Munster had given up eight penalties, and when Papali’i took a quick-tap in the 22 after O’Mahony was pinged for coming in the side of a ruck, the home side recycled quickly as Walcker barged over to extend his side’s lead.
That score made it 10-0, but Walcker was soon sent to the sin-bin for a head-high tackle on Brian Gleeson, and Munster made the numerical advantage count as Hodnett (below) broke from a maul to score his side’s opening try on 36 minutes, which Crowley converted to make it 10-7 at the break.
Just as Castres returned to 15 players after half time, their second yellow card followed when Palis was binned for a deliberate knock-on, but after making a mess of their lineout close to the French line, Munster gave up two scrum penalties in quick succession, as Jeremy Fernandez pushed their lead out to 13-6.
After denying Munster on two entries to the 22, Castres wasted a golden chance of their own to push the lead out to two-scores with 18 minutes left to play, when Julien Dumora saw a simple penalty kick sliced wide, after Tadhg Beirne had gone off his feet at a ruck.
That let-off gave Munster some renewed energy as the home side tired, and after conceding three penalties in quick succession, Castres were again reduced to 14 players when Corato picked up their third yellow card of the game, and this time Munster made their numerical advantage count as Hodnett crossed for his second try, which Crowley converted to give them their first lead of the game, heading into the final 10 minutes.
It didn’t last long however, with Mike Haley spilling the restart, before yet another scrum penalty followed, as Le Brun kicked the winning points in a tense, but oddly thrilling game.
