MUNSTER RIGHT TO BE WARY
DESPITE AWFUL EUROPEAN RECORD, CASTRES CARRY A NEW-FOUND EDGE
THERE is a rugby podcast doing the rounds in French media this week whose central theme is ‘Castres are up for Europe this season’.
In it, two animated French pundits go through why the club are bidding to banish a horrendous history in the European Cup to reach the knockout stages for only the second time — their only qualification to date occurring 16 years ago when they reached the 2002 semi-final and were beaten by Munster in Beziers.
The feeling in France is that, on the back of their surprise Top14 triumph last season (when Castres qualified for the play-offs in last position and then turned over Toulouse, Racing and Montpellier on successive weekends), there has been a change in focus and willingness to broaden their horizons.
Even last weekend’s dire home loss to basement-dwellers Agen has been spun as the squad holding back in advance of their trip to Limerick for Sunday’s showdown with Munster at Thomond Park.
If true, it represents a pretty radical shift in perspective for a club that have always prioritised the Top14 while making little attempt to mask their overt apathy when it came to Europe.
French indifference is most readily apparent on the road and Castres’ away record in this competition is shameful — their sole victory over the last 10 years was a turgid 9-6 win over Glasgow before 3,000 people in Scotstoun in 2012/13. Much has been said about French teams’ attitude to the European Cup versus the Top14. The likes of Toulouse, Clermont, Toulon, and Racing 92 in recent years, have shown how much they value the competition but others have made little attempt to hide their disregard, the low point arriving when Bourgoin barely bothered to tog out before getting hosed 92-17 by Leinster in Lansdowne Road in 2004. Given their regular appearances, Castres are the poster-boys for French unfulfillment in the European Cup, to the point where drawing them in your pool is a reason for celebration rather than trepidation — regardless of their Top14 form.
They can never be taken lightly at home (as Leinster discovered in 2008, when their loss in Castres prompted the ‘Ladyboys’ tag going public) but the likes of Munster and Leinster would be expected to get a five-point return when Castres come calling. As Munster are on Sunday. So, does this French talk about a new Castres attitude have any meat behind it or will they throw their hands at it as usual after half-time in Thomond and spur Johann van Graan’s men to their bonus-point win? Munster are making all the right noises this week, publicly buying into the French analysis of Castres undergoing a European reformation, and there are reasons to be cautious based on pool evidence thus far.
While their domestic form is mixed — seventh in the Top14 with six wins from 11 games — Castres threw some impressive shapes in the opening two rounds in Europe. On a filthy day in Kingsholm made to quell Gallic enthusiasm, the French side fronted up to The Shed to gain a losing point on a 19-14 scoreline in their Pool 2 opener.
They then hosted a highly-fancied Exeter outfit at home and, despite losing No8 Maama Vaipulu after just 36 minutes, played some stunning rugby on the way to a 29-25 victory that has gone down as one of their most famous in Europe (it’s a small list).
It was a bad result for Munster in that Castres arrive in Limerick with five points secured and qualification ambitions intact while coach Christophe Urios has been urging his men to focus on leaving Thomond Park with at least a losing bonus point to set up the return fixture in Stade PierreFabre the following week.
It speaks to a pragmatism that has been glaringly absent in the past and reflects the character of Urios, a no-frills hooker who won the French Championship with Castres as a player in 1993 before guiding them to the title 25 years later in his second stint in charge. His team reflects the personality of their rugged director sportif — giant forwards providing posses-
sion for an attacking game that relies far more on boot and crash than backline nuance. The Castres budget, while big by Irish standards at around €22million, lags well behind the financial heavyweights of the Top 14 who all come in over the €30m mark and, consequently, their teamsheet is not sparkling with marquee talents.
That said, it is one that demands to be taken seriously. Steve Mafi and Loic Jacquet form a monstrous, experienced second row, tighthead Daniel Kotze is rated as one of the finest scrummagers in the Top14, while fellow South
African French international Rory Kockett is still using his excellent kicking game to good effect from scrum-half.
Nonetheless, with Munster’s improved injury profile widening their options and the team buzzing on the back of excellent recent form, even Castres showing up with a unusual sense of purpose may not be enough to get a result. However, it would restore some credibility and, given their shocking history in this competition, that is a good place for Castres to start.