EDWIN EDOGBO’S FIRST try has just taken Munster into the lead for the second time in the game, heading into the final quarter of a seesawing contest against Castres.
Now 22-17 in front, it seems that the impetus is back in Munster’s favour as the first use of their bench shows.
If they can back up this positive swing of momentum in their direction, they can begin to kill off Castres’ confidence.
But what follows for Munster is more of what has held them back so far in this game.
Firstly, Jack Crowley is wide with his conversion attempt in a kickable position.
The out-half’s frustration is clear as he shakes his head in annoyance at missing a chance to give Munster a seven-point advantage.
Still, they’re in front and feeling better about themselves.
Munster’s attack sparks from the ensuing restart as they run the ball out of their own 22 and all the way up to the halfway line.
They swing the ball from right to left and Tadhg Beirne’s slick handling frees Crowley for a linebreak.
Crowley has Dan Kelly to his left, but appears to have seen pacy Castres wing Christian Ambadiang turning back downfield to fill that possible passing lane.
He quickly seems to rule out a possible kick down the left to Kelly for the same reason, instead turning inside to where scrum-half Craig Casey is running a support line.
Crowley decides to hit Casey although the pass is behind his scrum-half, forcing him to check to gather the ball.
Casey does well to hold the pass as he catches it one-handed, then shows remarkable skill to get the ball out in front of himself to nudge a grubber kick ahead.
A more accurate pass from Crowley would obviously give Casey more time to make a decision – Gavin Coombes is working hard up on his right – but the dink in behind means Munster are applying major pressure on Castres.
Ambadiang wins the race to the ball and the French side kick to touch just outside their 22, so it’s a big win overall for Munster a minute after receiving the restart.
Momentum in rugby can be difficult to clearly define, but most of us know it when we see it. And it seems obvious that Munster have it now. Another score of any kind here, even a penalty or drop goal, would give them a two-score lead and a bit of separation.
But they will rue what comes next.
Brian Gleeson makes a cracking carry into the 22 on first phase of their lineout attack but they turn the ball over on second phase.
Despite having just won a big gainline, Munster seem ill-prepared to take advantage.
Replacement out-half JJ Hanrahan tips a pass back inside to sub hooker Lee Barron, who spills the ball. It looks like a knock-on but referee Matthew Carley says, “Off his head,” as play continues.
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However, the Munster players closest to the ball fail to react and hit the breakdown.
They seem to stop playing for a couple of seconds and Castres hooker Teddy Durand is quickly over the ball.
Suddenly, Castres have a pressure-relieving penalty as Munster leave the 22 empty-handed.
The French side actually miss touch from the penalty, giving Munster a chance to build more pressure, but another breakdown error costs the home side.
As we see above, Kelly carries for Munster but he’s a little isolated as he gets tackled.
Ambadiang turns in to have a crack at the ball, leaving Tom Farrell and Crowley playing catch-up.
They have lost the race to the breakdown and as we see below, struggle to get impact into their clearout.
It ends with Farrell resorting to the ‘croc roll’ action that was outlawed in rugby in 2024.
The Musnter centre is yellow-carded upon TMO review and so, just four minutes after Edogbo’s try to give them the lead and an apparent surge of momentum, Clayton McMillan’s men find themselves on the other side of a big swing.
Castres kick into the Munster 22 and leave with seven points thanks to Geoffrey Palis’ try and a touchline conversion from Enzo Hervé.
The visitors are back in front and go on to add another try before Farrell returns from the sin bin.
Just before that score, Munster would have been disappointed with letting Castres take a quick lineout when they had bodies near the ball.
As a Crowley grubber kick rolls into touch, he, Shane Daly, and Kelly are close enough to prevent or at least dissuade a quick lineout. There are only two minutes left on Farrell’s yellow card at this stage, so slowing Castres down seems key.
Ambadiang goes straight for the ball and with Crowley, Daly, and Kelly having started to move away into their lineout defence positions, he throws the ball back in quickly, allowing his team to kick deep behind the retreating Daly.
That sparks a brief exchange of kicks that sees Palis win back his own garryowen over Crowley before fullback Théo Chabouni cross-kick for the athletic Ambadiang to break Daly’s tackle and score their fourth try.
The frustration for Munster is that they will probably feel they could have nipped the score in the bud with a little more alertness.
But so it is that after Edogbo had given them an encouraging lead, a string of errors from Munster has left them trailing Castres by nine points. It’s a margin they never make up.
McMillan and co. will have similar regrets about how they managed the minutes just before half time.
Casey’s second try has put them 12-10 in front and there are only four minutes until the break.
But they concede momentum at a time when Castres seem to be going nowhere.
20-year-old Fijian prop Atunaisa Sokobale makes a simple one-out carry and barrels right through the tackle attempt of Michael Alaalatoa and Jack O’Donoghue.
Castres are in behind but Crowley makes a good tackle on Sokobale just outside his 22, giving his team-mates time to scramble back.
They recover shape and seem to be getting to grips with Castres’ carrying, only to give up two penalty advantages in swift succession as Carley takes issue with Beirne’s breakdown entry and O’Donoghue’s actions post-tackle.
That means that Castres now have a free shot in attack and fullback Chabouni dinks a dangerous chip in behind.
The fiendish bounce makes it difficult for Thaakir Abrahams and the retreating O’Donoghue to deal with and Chabouni gleefully dots the bobbling ball down for a try.
Once again, Munster have been unable to keep hold of momentum as Castres convert and carry a 17-12 lead into half time.
Even for Castres’ opening try, Munster will feel they had some impetus before soon finding themselves on their own tryline.
Some slick handling sees Munster get Ben O’Connor and Beirne away up the left-hand side.
Castres have to scramble hard – they did so brilliantly throughout this game – but Munster are up over the French side’s 10-metre line.
Yet their breakdown work isn’t clinical as O’Connor is beaten to the ball by Castres number eight Florent Vanverberghe.
Although O’Donoghue arrives to help clear Vanverberghe away, his poach effort sees the ball bobble loose, leaving Casey under pressure.
Ambadiang thunders in for a turnover tackle on Casey and, having just been in the ascendancy, Munster have to switch back into defence mode.
Castres shift the ball to their left, where Farrell gives up a penalty for a deliberate knock-on.
Castres still retain the ball but the touch from Farrell prevents Castres from doing more damage down the left.
Carley gives Castres a generous advantage here as they make nearly 30 metres of ground but he comes back to the penalty.
Pierre Popelin’s good linekick leaves Castres 10 metres out from the Munster tryline and their strong maul effort produces penalty advantage, again giving the French side the freedom to have a cut.
The use advantage in a very direct manner on this occasion, with outside centre Vuate Karawalevu backing his power on a brave running line back against the grain to shatter the Munster defence.
Moving at high speed, Karawalevu smashes right through the tackle attempt of Coombes and Fineen Wycherley.
Just two minutes after Beirne was surging up the left into the Castres half, Munster are behind their own tryline and 10-0 behind.
The best teams tend to double down when they have momentum, turning it into control of games, but this Munster side has increasingly struggled to keep the foot on their opposition’s throat.
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Munster's inability to hold momentum costs them against Castres
EDWIN EDOGBO’S FIRST try has just taken Munster into the lead for the second time in the game, heading into the final quarter of a seesawing contest against Castres.
Now 22-17 in front, it seems that the impetus is back in Munster’s favour as the first use of their bench shows.
If they can back up this positive swing of momentum in their direction, they can begin to kill off Castres’ confidence.
But what follows for Munster is more of what has held them back so far in this game.
Firstly, Jack Crowley is wide with his conversion attempt in a kickable position.
The out-half’s frustration is clear as he shakes his head in annoyance at missing a chance to give Munster a seven-point advantage.
Still, they’re in front and feeling better about themselves.
Munster’s attack sparks from the ensuing restart as they run the ball out of their own 22 and all the way up to the halfway line.
They swing the ball from right to left and Tadhg Beirne’s slick handling frees Crowley for a linebreak.
Crowley has Dan Kelly to his left, but appears to have seen pacy Castres wing Christian Ambadiang turning back downfield to fill that possible passing lane.
He quickly seems to rule out a possible kick down the left to Kelly for the same reason, instead turning inside to where scrum-half Craig Casey is running a support line.
Crowley decides to hit Casey although the pass is behind his scrum-half, forcing him to check to gather the ball.
Casey does well to hold the pass as he catches it one-handed, then shows remarkable skill to get the ball out in front of himself to nudge a grubber kick ahead.
A more accurate pass from Crowley would obviously give Casey more time to make a decision – Gavin Coombes is working hard up on his right – but the dink in behind means Munster are applying major pressure on Castres.
Ambadiang wins the race to the ball and the French side kick to touch just outside their 22, so it’s a big win overall for Munster a minute after receiving the restart.
Momentum in rugby can be difficult to clearly define, but most of us know it when we see it. And it seems obvious that Munster have it now. Another score of any kind here, even a penalty or drop goal, would give them a two-score lead and a bit of separation.
But they will rue what comes next.
Brian Gleeson makes a cracking carry into the 22 on first phase of their lineout attack but they turn the ball over on second phase.
Despite having just won a big gainline, Munster seem ill-prepared to take advantage.
Replacement out-half JJ Hanrahan tips a pass back inside to sub hooker Lee Barron, who spills the ball. It looks like a knock-on but referee Matthew Carley says, “Off his head,” as play continues.
However, the Munster players closest to the ball fail to react and hit the breakdown.
They seem to stop playing for a couple of seconds and Castres hooker Teddy Durand is quickly over the ball.
Suddenly, Castres have a pressure-relieving penalty as Munster leave the 22 empty-handed.
The French side actually miss touch from the penalty, giving Munster a chance to build more pressure, but another breakdown error costs the home side.
As we see above, Kelly carries for Munster but he’s a little isolated as he gets tackled.
Ambadiang turns in to have a crack at the ball, leaving Tom Farrell and Crowley playing catch-up.
They have lost the race to the breakdown and as we see below, struggle to get impact into their clearout.
It ends with Farrell resorting to the ‘croc roll’ action that was outlawed in rugby in 2024.
The Musnter centre is yellow-carded upon TMO review and so, just four minutes after Edogbo’s try to give them the lead and an apparent surge of momentum, Clayton McMillan’s men find themselves on the other side of a big swing.
Castres kick into the Munster 22 and leave with seven points thanks to Geoffrey Palis’ try and a touchline conversion from Enzo Hervé.
The visitors are back in front and go on to add another try before Farrell returns from the sin bin.
Just before that score, Munster would have been disappointed with letting Castres take a quick lineout when they had bodies near the ball.
As a Crowley grubber kick rolls into touch, he, Shane Daly, and Kelly are close enough to prevent or at least dissuade a quick lineout. There are only two minutes left on Farrell’s yellow card at this stage, so slowing Castres down seems key.
Ambadiang goes straight for the ball and with Crowley, Daly, and Kelly having started to move away into their lineout defence positions, he throws the ball back in quickly, allowing his team to kick deep behind the retreating Daly.
That sparks a brief exchange of kicks that sees Palis win back his own garryowen over Crowley before fullback Théo Chabouni cross-kick for the athletic Ambadiang to break Daly’s tackle and score their fourth try.
The frustration for Munster is that they will probably feel they could have nipped the score in the bud with a little more alertness.
But so it is that after Edogbo had given them an encouraging lead, a string of errors from Munster has left them trailing Castres by nine points. It’s a margin they never make up.
McMillan and co. will have similar regrets about how they managed the minutes just before half time.
Casey’s second try has put them 12-10 in front and there are only four minutes until the break.
But they concede momentum at a time when Castres seem to be going nowhere.
20-year-old Fijian prop Atunaisa Sokobale makes a simple one-out carry and barrels right through the tackle attempt of Michael Alaalatoa and Jack O’Donoghue.
Castres are in behind but Crowley makes a good tackle on Sokobale just outside his 22, giving his team-mates time to scramble back.
They recover shape and seem to be getting to grips with Castres’ carrying, only to give up two penalty advantages in swift succession as Carley takes issue with Beirne’s breakdown entry and O’Donoghue’s actions post-tackle.
That means that Castres now have a free shot in attack and fullback Chabouni dinks a dangerous chip in behind.
The fiendish bounce makes it difficult for Thaakir Abrahams and the retreating O’Donoghue to deal with and Chabouni gleefully dots the bobbling ball down for a try.
Once again, Munster have been unable to keep hold of momentum as Castres convert and carry a 17-12 lead into half time.
Even for Castres’ opening try, Munster will feel they had some impetus before soon finding themselves on their own tryline.
Some slick handling sees Munster get Ben O’Connor and Beirne away up the left-hand side.
Castres have to scramble hard – they did so brilliantly throughout this game – but Munster are up over the French side’s 10-metre line.
Yet their breakdown work isn’t clinical as O’Connor is beaten to the ball by Castres number eight Florent Vanverberghe.
Although O’Donoghue arrives to help clear Vanverberghe away, his poach effort sees the ball bobble loose, leaving Casey under pressure.
Ambadiang thunders in for a turnover tackle on Casey and, having just been in the ascendancy, Munster have to switch back into defence mode.
Castres shift the ball to their left, where Farrell gives up a penalty for a deliberate knock-on.
Castres still retain the ball but the touch from Farrell prevents Castres from doing more damage down the left.
Carley gives Castres a generous advantage here as they make nearly 30 metres of ground but he comes back to the penalty.
Pierre Popelin’s good linekick leaves Castres 10 metres out from the Munster tryline and their strong maul effort produces penalty advantage, again giving the French side the freedom to have a cut.
The use advantage in a very direct manner on this occasion, with outside centre Vuate Karawalevu backing his power on a brave running line back against the grain to shatter the Munster defence.
Moving at high speed, Karawalevu smashes right through the tackle attempt of Coombes and Fineen Wycherley.
Just two minutes after Beirne was surging up the left into the Castres half, Munster are behind their own tryline and 10-0 behind.
The best teams tend to double down when they have momentum, turning it into control of games, but this Munster side has increasingly struggled to keep the foot on their opposition’s throat.
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Analysis control Momentum Munster