Traditional means to serve Munster

European Cup/Castres Olympique v Munster: They tend not to do things straightforwardly, but rarely have Munster been in as tight a squeeze as this during their run of seven consecutive appearances in the knockout stages of the Heineken European Cup. History has taught us they rarely panic, that the fear of failure concentrates their minds wonderfully, and, as ever in their hour of need, the Red Army will show up in strength.

Whether staying in Toulouse, as many will do to remain on for a Toulouse-Wasps match tomorrow with a discernible Irish flavour to it, or in Castres, Munster's supporters could probably arrive in the Stade Pierre Antoine blindfolded at this stage.

The competition wouldn't be the same without Munster and Castres renewing their often bitter rivalry. This is the 10th meeting between the sides since they met in their opening European Cup tie over a decade ago. The stakes are higher for Munster, admittedly, and the presence of 2,000-plus supporters in a small ground which barely holds 9,000 could be a fillip.

Munster must win to stay alive. Ideally, a fifth point for scoring four or more tries would keep them within reach of Sale before next Saturday's dramatic, do-or-die climax at Thomond Park. But failure to obtain a five-point haul would see first place in Pool One beyond Munster's reach were Sale to acquire five points at home to the Dragons on Sunday. The only route to the quarter-finals for Munster then would be as one of the two best losers.

In reality, though, a fifth point on French soil really would be bonus territory, and as examples have shown, not least Munster's hard-earned wins away to Harlequins last season and at home to the Dragons last time out, they can ill-afford to take that mindset into the game. Even free-scoring Sale could only score two tries here in eking out a hard-earned, 20-16 win in December.

Last weekend's timely win in Edinburgh ought to have restored some self-confidence, although converting possession and pressure into points remained a problem, so most likely Munster will need to do something of a number on the Castres forwards to win.

Declan Kidney has restored Marcus Horan, Denis Leamy and Anthony Foley to a strong-looking pack in front of an unchanged back line, which thus sees Iain Dowling hold on to the left wing slot ahead of Anthony Horgan, with another 23-year-old, Barry Murphy, at outside centre.

Kidney was alerted to Dowling, a former Kilkenny Towns Cup player now in his third season with Shannon, by Mick Galwey, and said his selection was more a reflection of his form than Horgan's, even if the latter has clearly been scarred by the All Blacks Test.

"He's always looking to get on the ball, making himself available off rucks and he carries it well," said Kidney of Dowling, who is making only his fourth appearance in his rookie representative season.

As with the Trevor Halstead-Murphy axis in midfield, Kidney said the preference for the established secondrow partnership of Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell was as much a case of combinations as individual form. Handed a much-changed Castres team from the one which played Munster in Thomond Park last October, or the one which thrashed Montpellier last week, Kidney maintained he expected a "fiercely tough and competitive game".

Yet encouragement of a sort has been provided by the team Castres will supposedly line-up with, given seven or eight of what might be deemed first-choice players will not be on the pitch come kick-off.

Laurent Seigne may not be playing Castres' best hand, but it is a handy team nonetheless, with pace aplenty out wide now their former New Zealand sevens winger Brad Fleming has returned from injury. Their confidence is high, and while Kidney reckons their backrow and secondrow might be stronger than in Limerick, he wouldn't want to see Castres emptying a strong-looking bench featuring a five-two split with the game still very much alive. Nor, he admitted, were Munster too sorry to see Freddie Tuilagi depart early on in Limerick.

Castres will look to make a flying start, and Munster will have to be alert to quick taps or moving the ball wide from the off. With the forecast for a dry, clear, if cold night, an early Castres breakthrough, on the back of their recent big wins, would also make it a long night.

If Munster can control the ball, apply a few rolling mauls and, as ever, pin the home side into the corners and take their chances through the boot of Ronan O'Gara - again the most accurate barometer of Munster's well-being as well as their key man - then it is the visiting hordes who will become loudest. And, as this isn't an especially intimidating place, nor one Munster aren't familiar with, then maybe Castres will become a little disheartened. Nothing too fancy required. In this latest hour of need, the traditional virtues will do nicely.

CASTRES: P Christophers; L Milford, N Raffault, F Tuilagi, B Fleming; R Teulet, M Barrau; C Hoeft, D Romieu, D Attoub, R Capo-Ortega, K Ghezal, J Puricelli, R Froment, G Taussac. Replacements: R Vigneux, J Castex, N Spanghero, G Bernad, P Volley, A Albouy, Y Fior.

MUNSTER: S Payne; J Kelly, B Murphy, T Halstead, I Dowling; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, D Leamy, D Wallace, A Foley (capt). Replacements: D Fogarty, F Pucciariello, M O'Driscoll, S Keogh, T O'Leary, J Manning, G Connolly.

Referee: Chris White (England).

Previous meetings: (1995-96) Castres 19 Munster 12. (00-01) Castres 29 Munster 32; Munster 21 Castres 11. (01-02) Munster 28 Castres 23; Castres 21 Munster 13; (s/f) Castres 17 Munster 25 (Beziers). (04-05) Castres 19 Munster 12; Munster 36 Castres 8. (05-06) Munster 42 Castres 16.

Formguide: Castres - 29-24 v Dragons (h); 16-42 v Munster (a); 16-20 v Sale (h); 3-35 v Sale (a). Munster - 13-27 v Sale (a); 42-16 v Castres (h); 24-8 v Dragons (a); 30-18 v Dragons (h).

Leading try scorers: Castres - Laloaoa Milford 2. Munster - Jerry Flannery 2.

Leading points scorers: Castres - Laurent Marticorena 25, Romain Teulet 19. Munster - Ronan O'Gara 48.

Betting (Paddy Power): 10/11 Castres, 22/1 Draw, 10/11 Munster.

Forecast: Munster to win.