Munster will set out to dictate the pace

CASTRES OLYMPIQUE won’t view this latest Heineken Cup challenge as insuperable until persuaded otherwise but the Limerick citadel can be an intimidating backdrop, especially when Munster are in their pomp. The primary issue for the home side will be to quickly find a rhythm to their patterns and if they accomplish this feat Castres will be ruthlessly appraised of their circumstances.

The visitors are without talismanic captain Chris Masoe, Luc Ducalcon, Joe Tekori, top points scorer Romain Teulet, Max Evans and Marc Andreu. They have retained just seven of the team – there are two positional switches – that almost toppled Munster in Stade Municipal, Toulouse. Centres Paul Bonnefond, Pierre Manuel Garcia, halfbacks Pierre Bernard and Thierry Lacrampe and three of the pack, Anton Peikrishvili, Yannick Caballero and Jannie Bornmann have made the journey.

Castres have lost seven of their last 11 matches and were spanked 45-0 last time out in Europe at Franklin’s Gardens and can not qualify for the play-offs. They may not roll over but they are likely to be rolled over if Munster’s performance graph continues to nudge upwards. The Irish province are the only side in the tournament that have won all their matches. It’s easy to quibble with the aesthetics of those wins but also important to acknowledge the character in adversity.

In looking to dismantle the Castres’ challenge, Munster will begin with the set-piece. BJ Botha’s contribution in the scrum can not be understated while Paul O’Connell’s lineout savvy, allied to the athleticism of Donnacha Ryan and Peter O’Mahony, can harass the French club out of touch. Castres rely on the brute strength of their pack but without Masoe and Tekori’s muscular ball-carrying may be a little more predictable.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has never sought refuge in other people’s assertion that the province was going through a developmental phase. The honesty culture remains undiminished, O’Connell has been leading by deed, demonstrating a voracious appetite in carrying ball. Niall Ronan has shone in a backrow with Peter O’Mahony and James Coughlan. The forward play is more direct without losing the occasional more circumspect tactical nuances.

Lifeimi Mafi has rediscovered his best form, Simon Zebo looks more accomplished with each game, while scrumhalf Conor Murray is attuned to the weak points of defences in terms of his running game. Then there is Ronan O’Gara, a picture of measured assurance when the moment of judgment arrives.

Munster need to dictate the pace, keeping the tempo reasonably high and to facilitate this offload more out of the tackle. This requires good supporting lines and intelligent decisions on the ball. An incremental improvement on their previous matches would be a bonus.

MUNSTER: D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O’Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O’Connell (capt); P O’Mahony, N Ronan, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, Donncha O’Callaghan, B Holland, T O’Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.

CASTRES OLYMPIQUE: R Martial; V Inigo, P Bonnefond, P-M Garcia, PG Lakafia; P Bernard, T Lacrampe; S Taumoepeau, M-A Rallier, A Peikrishvili; M Rolland, R Capo Ortega; Y Caballero, S Malonga, J Bornman. Replacements: M Bonello, M Coetzee, K Wihongi, S Murray, I Diarra, R Kockott, S Bai, M Nicolas.

Referee: Andrew Small (England).

Verdict: Munster to win.