Munster aiming to land knock-out punch

European Cup: Castres has become one of those European outposts Munster have begun to look on with a fearful kind of affection.

Hoping to reach the knock-out stages of the European Cup for the seventh successive season as well as facing the southern French side for the seventh time and equal the record rivalry between Toulouse and Edinburgh Rugby, Alan Gaffney's side will arrive in Stade Pierre Antoine a little more heavily armed than the first trip in the 1996.

Back then it was belt and braces, a step into the unknown for many of the players, some of whom had not played on the continent before. But with a core of internationals, Munster fancied they'd a good enough side for their debut in the competition and arrived in France coming off a good 17-13 win over Swansea.

Shannon's Pat Murray lined out with Mick Galwey, Peter Clohessy, Terry Kingston, Paul Burke, Anthony Foley and David Corkery but it wasn't that straightforward.

"It was under lights, the first Heineken Cup match under lights," remembers Murray. "They brought us to another ground near Castres to get the crowd and it was packed. At that time you'd get a good enough crowd in Limerick for the matches but in France it was 99.9 per cent home support and point one per cent Munster.

"When we went out to practice kicking, Kenny Smith went down the quiet end to kick a few. The match started and we got our first penalty. Then the band started up just as he began to get ready. His first kick almost hit the corner flag and they counter-attacked. Anthony Foley and myself finally stopped their winger in our 22. So from getting a penalty and thinking we have points on the board, it was a lineout in our 22."

While the final score went against Munster, the experience was more positive than negative. The team had to wait another year for a real bad feeling when they travelled to Toulouse and came back with their tails between their legs.

"It was a reality check for us," says Murray. "It was the biggest game for a lot of us but it was also fantastic. I think it stood to a lot of guys down the road.

"They played typically like the French do and kept going for the whole game. Then at the end the pitch was invaded by supporters.

"We knew the French were more professional than us at that time. We were all working and doing our own jobs and didn't really know what to expect. But the preparation was excellent and to go so far and not get anything was disappointing.

"The following year we played Toulouse and got stuffed. With Castres they didn't know us and we didn't know them. They didn't have a lot of international players on the squad.

"In the match you don't really focus on what was happening but afterwards said 'Jaysus, thank God we got out of there in one piece'."

Munster are leading the six exchanges by four wins to two although now almost 10 years on from the first meeting, circumstances have changed significantly.

"They brought in something like 10 new quality players such as Paul Volley, Yannick Delaigue, Mark Denny and Bradley Flemming, with plenty of international experience among them," said Munster coach Alan Gaffney during the week.

Not exactly arriving wide-eyed this Friday night, it will be every bit as tough for Munster to come home with a win as it was when Murray and Foley chased down the unknown French winger.

But as lock Paul O'Connell said after Ireland's game against Argentina last week: "No player needs to get motivated for a Munster game."

That attitude will serve them well.

(Played 6 times; Castres won 2; Munster won 4)

1995/96: Castres Olympique 19, Munster 12

With the band playing during Munster penalties and constant abuse, this was a step into the unknown for Munster. The home side won it in injury time after a blatant knock-on which was ignored. Castres scored a try from the infringement and converted for the match. A draw would have given Munster a place in the semi-final.

2000/2001: Castres Olympique 29 Munster 32

Castres flew out of the blocks, scoring a pitch-length try off the first scrum and Munster were grateful to be 20-6 down. But Castres collapsed. Munster utterly out-lasted a home side which used 20 players. Ronan O'Gara's flat pass for Anthony Horgan's try was a beauty. Better followed when David Wallace broke out wide for O'Gara to complete a stunning score.

2000/2001: Munster 21, Castres Olympique 11

Munster needed a win for a home quarter-final. They played into the elements in the first-half, responding to an early Castres try by scoring 15 points. Anthony Foley was mauled over for the first try. Dominic Crotty finished off the other. O'Gara then helped tie the game up after the break by steering them home with a couple more penalties.

2001/2002: Munster 28, Castres Olympique 23

Landing seven out of nine kicks, O'Gara continually took the right options. Still, the lead exchanged hands seven times, Munster then took it for the fourth time when Dominic Crotty returned a poor chip by Gregor Townsend with a towering 70-metre touch. O'Gara then tagged on the penalties to steer Munster past the winning post once more.

2001/2002: Castres Olympique 21, Munster 13

When Munster got back to 16-13 down moving into injury time, they had done enough to earn a quarter-final but didn't realise it. They turned the ball over in their own half and were caught in the last play of the match, Castres replacement Olivier Sarramea scoring a try to give them a home quarter-final. During the game, Ismaella Lassissi famously bit Peter Clohessy on the arm.

Semi-final: Munster 25, Castres Olympique 17

A magnificent second-half team performance and the boot of Ronan O'Gara established the winning platform with an injury-time try from John Kelly sealing a memorable win in Beziers. O'Gara kicked six penalties, two of which were breathtaking, and a conversion for a personal haul of 20 points. Castres dominated early but could not score before Munster took off in the second half.