The Castres Olympic put in a great performance on Friday night, beating the Munster (16-14) on the Pierre-Fabre lawn. This success relaunches the Tarnais in the race for European qualification.
A domination carried by the forwards
From the kick-off, the Castres imposed their power. Abraham Papali'i showed the way by scoring the first try after a nice combination in touch (13th). A few minutes later, Quentin Walcker doubled the bet, cementing Castres' dominance in the scrum (28th). At the break, despite a yellow card inflicted on Walcker and an Irish try just before the siren, the CO led 10-7.
In the second half, the Castres scrum continued to be a strong point. It is on a penalty obtained thanks to this sector that Louis Le Brun sealed the victory in the 73rd minute.
A discipline to review
The Tarnais suffered from their indiscipline with three yellow cards, undermining their defensive organization. These moments of hesitation allowed the Munster to return to the game thanks to a double of John Hodnettwhich gave the Irish a short advantage ten minutes from the end (13-14).
Fortunately for Castres, the Munstermen were unable to capitalize on the opposing errors. The last kick of Jack Crowleyuninspired throughout the match, lacked precision, offering the CO a snatched victory in the final moments.
Landmark performances
Among the Castres players, Abraham Papali'i et Quentin Walcker particularly shone, embodying the combativeness of the team. Collective defense and melee dominance were key elements of this victory. Conversely, Munster number 10, Jack Crowleyhad an off day, missing several decisive opportunities.
A victory that revives Castres
With this success, the CO regains hope in its Champions Cup group. After an inaugural defeat against Northampton, this victory shows that the Castres take the competition seriously. The next European meeting, against the Bulls in January will be an opportunity to confirm this dynamic.
In the meantime, the Tarnais are looking towards the Top 14 with important matches against Bordeaux-Bègles and Bayonne to close the year. Their performance against Munster could well be a trigger for the rest of their season.
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I grew up in a family where rugby was at all times. I was at the edge of the pitch when Castres beat Pau and joined the elite, I was in the Stade Pierre Antoine facing Gary Whetton when he did his Haka to celebrate the 1993 Brennus and I was always rocked legends of this sport. Now, it is with XV Ovalie that I intend to extend the adventure. #TeamCO
