Castres 16
Munster 14
THERE WAS A brief moment when it looked like Munster might have dug out another Champions Cup win after looking down and out.
Jack Crowley punched the air when his conversion of John Hodnett’s second try left Munster 14-13 in front with 10 minutes to go, leaving them within sight of a victory that their performance hadn’t merited.
But rather typically of the night, Munster were back behind within a couple of minutes as their error-strewn ways returned and Jeremy Davidson’s gritty Castres continued to pile on the misery in what was a scrum massacre, out-half Louis le Brun kicking the winning penalty from one of many penalties at that set-piece.
Munster had the territory and possession required to back up last weekend’s bonus-point win over Stade Français with a crucial victory on the road but they were totally lacking in precision and composure in attack as they repeatedly made mistakes with their passing.
They ran laterally all night and kicked poorly too, the final chance to rescue a win ending with Crowley missing touch with a penalty on a tough night for the out-half. A losing bonus point could come in handy but that’s not what the southern province travelled for.
Munster scored both of their tries through Hodnett while Castres players were in the sin bin, Quentin Walcker in the first half and Nicolas Corato in the second, but they failed to fire in the other Castres yellow-card window as the home side won 3-0 during Geoffrey Palis’ spell in the bin early in the second.
The Irish side had to deal with first-half injuries as scrum-half Craig Casey was carried off with in worrying fashion, while loosehead prop Dian Bleuler had to leave permanently after suffering a nasty head injury while tackling.
Peter O’Mahony had started the game with a heavily-strapped right ankle and he limped off in the 52nd minute, left wing Thaakir Abrahams was forced off with a shoulder injury, and replacement loosehead Dave Kilcoyne had to be replaced himself late in the game to add to the injury concerns.
But despite those setbacks, this was a game Munster absolutely could have won but for their sheer lack of accuracy. Time and time again, they gifted the ball back to Castres with their errors, while conceding 17 penalties was damaging even if the home side conceded 17 of their own.
This defeat leaves Munster with lots of work to do in Pool 3 of the Champions Cup in January when they welcome Saracens to Limerick and visit Northampton. Those won’t be easy tasks and Munster will simply have to be much, much better than they were here tonight.
A madcap first minute featured a Tyler Ardron break, Julien Dumora winning an aerial battle with Craig Casey, a Niall Scannell jackal penalty, and Jack Crowley missing touch. The tone was set for a slightly bonkers game in front of a baying Castres crowd.
Crowley’s missed line kick was nearly a swing moment as the home side were swiftly down the other end via two penalty concessions, the first pair of a total of nine in the first half as hey got on Christophe Ridley’s wrong side. But Munster showed defensive mettle as they defended strongly and cleared their lines after Castres lock Leone Nakarawa threw a loose offload.
They soon needed Gleeson to hold opposite number Abraham Papali’i up over the Munster tryline from a close-range maul, a superb play from the 20-year-old.
Yet Munster’s lack of discipline kept inviting Castres in and their 13th-minute try felt inevitable. Stephen Archer’s second high tackle allowed the Top 14 to kick back into the right corner and they produced a clever lineout play as Papali’i came thundering down the shortside to score past the relatively diminunitive Casey and Thaakir Abrahams.
An aerial win by Calvin Nash finally gave Munster some momentum and they earned a penalty off it, only for Crowley’s 42-metres shot at goal to drop short. They were soon back in the Castres 22 after opting for touch with another penalty but this time, former All Blacks centre Jack Goodhue delivered a breakdown turnover for Castres.
Peter O’Mahony looked to lift his team with some eye-catching passing and some enforcing after Casey was roughed up by Castres, but Munster just kept delivering errors.
They had an attacking lineout stolen, then Crowley kicked out on the full after fullback Mike Haley had caught his own bomb into the Castres half.
All the errors meant Munster were soon on the retreat and Castres struck again in the 30th minute, Papali’i quick-tapping after Peter O’Mahony was penalised for side entry into a defensive ruck in his own 22. Papali’i was stopped just short but loosehead prop Quentin Walcker finished through Dave Kilcoyne on the next phase.
Scrum-half Jeremy Fernandez was wide again with the conversion but things appeared to be going from bad to worse as Casey was helped off the pitch.
Then suddenly, a momentum-shifter. Walcker tackled Gleeson high, making firm head contact, and he was binned. Munster botched the ensuing lineout attack as Hodnett threw a forward pass but they made their next visit count.
Kilcoyne won a scrum penalty and though Crowley’s touchfinder left Munster a good 12 metres out, their maul fired up and slingshotted Hodnett at Castres, with the openside showing his power to beat three defenders and finish. Crowley converted for 10-7.
Typically of their first-half effort, Munster then gave Castres one last chance with the clock in the red as they passed back into their 22 for Haley to kick out on the full. A breakdown penalty followed but to Munster’s great relief, Castres overthrew the five-metre lineout and the Irishmen somehow trailed only by three at the break.
Walcker returned from the sin bin early in the second half but Castres’ discipline was now causing major issues as two penalties in quick succession allowed Munster down into their 22, where right wing Geoffrey Palis cynically slapped down a Crowley pass and was shown yellow.
Munster had a big chance with the resulting five-metre lineout but the lack of accuracy had carried over and there was a case of pinball as Hodnett knocked on. Castres followed up by winning a scrum pressure to fully lift the pressure.
Abrahams then knocked on a high ball in his own half and the bullish home pack won another scrum penalty to give Fernandez a shot at goal. Third time lucky. The scrum-half nailed it from out to the right of the uprights.
13-7 down, Munster were still struggling in attack, Crowley throwing another forward pass as the game entered its final 30 minutes.
They badly needed a big play and centre Alex Nankivell came up with a superb jackal penalty. Down into the Castres 22 they went again but though they won the lineout this time, their maul was choked up for a turnover.
Palis returned from the bin with Castres having won that 10-minute period 3-0 and they rubbed salts in the wounds again by warning another big scrum penalty to exit their territory.
Munster were soon defending near their 22 but replacement lock Tom Ahern got up for a crucial lineout steal. A reckless moment from Papali’i, who drove into a tackle on Abrahams with no effort to wrap and forcing the left wing off with a shoulder injury, saw Munster kick a penalty down into Castres’ half.
Once again, they left empty-handed and Davidson’s men should have extended their lead to nine points when Munster skipper Beirne was penalised for going off his feet at the breakdown. From 30 metres out in a central position, Castres fullback Dumora pulled his effort wide.
Somehow, Munster were still alive with 15 minutes to go.
Two penalty wins soon left Crowley kicking into the right corner and a brave throw to the tail by Diarmuid Barron saw their maul get motoring only for Castres tighthead Nicolas Corato to haul it down illegally and get sin-binned barely a minute after coming on.
Munster went back to the lineout, barely holding onto possession with a much messier effort, but they were in position to strike. Barron, Jack O’Donoghue, and Beirne carried strongly before Castres stopped them illegally again, scrum-half Santiago Arata diving over the ruck to grab opposite number Paddy Patterson’s arm.
The ball came loose and appeared to travel forward out of Patterson’s hands but Hodnett reacted smartly to grab it and dive over for his second score, Ridley confirming it with his TMO. Crowley held his nerve with the conversion and Munster led with 10 minutes to go.
But it was short-lived as Castres earned a scrum from the restart and turned it into a penalty straight in front of the posts, around 35 metres out. It was out-half Louis le Brun who took responsibility this time, the third Castres kicker of the game, and his left-footed effort flew between the posts for 16-14.
There were late chances but Haley passed forward to O’Donoghue with space beckoning wide on the left. Munster won a penalty in the final minute just inside their own half but Crowley felt he didn’t have the distance off the tee.
Instead, he aimed for touch and came up short. It summed up his and Munster’s night.
Castres scorers:
Tries: Abraham Papali’i, Quentin Walcker
Conversions: Jeremy Fernandez [0 from 2]
Penalties: Jeremy Fernandez [1 from 1], Louis le Brun [1 from 1], Julien Dumora [0 from 1]
Munster scorers:
Tries: John Hodnett [2]
Conversions: Jack Crowley [2 from 2]
Penalties: Jack Crowley [0 from 1]
CASTRES: Julien Dumora (Theo Chabouni ’67); Geoffrey Palis (yellow card ’44), Jack Goodhue, Andrea Cocagi (Adrien Seguret ’63), Rémy Baget; Louis le Brun, Jeremy Fernandez (Santiago Arata ’52); Quentin Walcker (yellow card ’33) (Wayan de Benedittis ’63), Gaetan Barlot (Loris Zarantonello ’63), Will Collier (Nicolas Corato ’67 (yellow card ’68)); Gauthier Maravat, Leone Nakarawa (Paul Jedrasiak ’63); Mathieu Babillot (captain) (Will Collier ’71), Tyler Ardron, Abraham Papali’i (Wayan de Benedittis ’36 to ’42) (Feibyan Tukino ’63).
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams (Rory Scannell ’59); Jack Crowley, Craig Casey (Paddy Patterson ’32); Dian Bleuler (Dave Kilcoyne ’22 (Stephen Archer ’76)), Niall Scannell (Diarmuid Barron ’55), Stephen Archer (Oli Jager ’55); Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (captain); Peter O’Mahony (Tom Ahern ’52), John Hodnett (Alex Kendellen ’71), Brian Gleeson (Jack O’Donoghue ’50).
Referee: Christophe Ridley [England].
No shame losing to a boxer of that quality, the Cuban is class. Great to get a bronze Conlon, be proud.
Michael Conlon must have the heart of a lion. To know your down, and to hang on in there and give it your all, right to the bell shows Michael is a brave sportsman. he done himself and all of us proud!!!!
Conlon gave it his best, but the Cuban was just unbeatable. Still, Conlon got bronze, he can go home happy enough.
That Cuban was brilliant. Michael Conlan did Ireland proud, another Bronze medal. Well Done
This group of Irish athletes have done this country proud for a country that does not give them world class training facilities. We should not forget that.
That can’t be an excuse, alot of the smaller countries don’t have world class facilities and have done alot better than Ireland, the athletes just aren’t good enough, Katy & Annalise & John Joe apart!
The Cuban will win gold for sure. Conlan done himself and country proud
Would have done better Sean???
Can someone tell me, whats the story with the bronzes for boxing? Do both the loosing semi-finalists get one?
Hi Val, there’s two bronze medals for the loser of each semi final in boxing, rather than a fight off for 3rd place
Well done Michael, you did your country and your family proud. Learn from the experience and build on it for Rio in 2016.
That was the worst fight I’ve seen by an Irish boxer at these games! Why the hell did he turn his back on the Cuban?
He turned his back because he was unfortunately outclassed…. He won bronze and well done. Conlon will learn and will come back stronger in Rio. Come on John Joe