European Rugby Cup: Castres heckles Munster

Castres, the only Top 14 club on the grounds of the European Cup this weekend, battled but ended up giving up on the ground of Munster (19-13), Saturday for the second day.

The test for N.8 Kevin Kornath (77th) came too late but he has the advantage of securing the defensive bonus point, precious in the race for qualification.

The Irish, them, scored a try, by the third line Jack O’Donoghue (58th), and four penalties from the opener Ben Healy (8th, 29th, 35th, 70th) to get rid of a courageous Castres team but limited.

Because the CO, with a largely overhauled team, which still lacked Mathieu Babillot, Quentin Walcker, Florent Vanverberghe, Baptiste Delaporte, caused concerns to his opponent. Without ever really worrying him.

Munster, in its characteristic direct style, was able to be effective if not brilliant, sanctioning the Tarn indiscipline (13 penalties conceded) from Healy’s foot.

The Irish have not lost in their home at Thomond Park in their last fifteen matches in the Champions Cup group stage.

A week after having titillated the Harlequins (20-18), reigning English champions, the CO showed that it was not far. But that remains insufficient: beaten by experience, Pierre-Henry Broncan’s men have complicated their task in the race for the round of 16 … if the European Cup continues in this form.

The day before, the organizers have indeed canceled the matches of Montpellier and Racing 92 before postponing five other European Cup matches due to the pandemic and new restrictions between France and the United Kingdom.

The matches of La Rochelle in Bath, Clermont in Sale or Bordeaux-Bègles against the Scarlets (Llanelli) will therefore be played at a later date. Just like the reception of the English from Bristol and the Wasps by the Stade Français and Toulouse respectively.

Castres was able to travel to Limerick to play their game as the Republic of Ireland is not part of the UK.

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