1 week Ago By Andrew Ryan
MUNSTER have travelled to France as they look to make it two wins from two in the Investec Champions Cup. Ian Costello's side started their campaign with a heated victory over 13-man Stade Francais last weekend. Here is everything you need to know about the match.
Castres vs Munster takes place on Friday, December 13, at Stade Pierre-Fabre. Kick-off is scheduled for 8pm. Castres vs Munster is being televised on Premier Sports 1 with coverage starting at 7:30pm.
It is part of a blockbuster weekend of rugby on Premier Sports, with the broadcaster also carrying Ulster vs Bordeaux, Leinster vs Clermont, and Perpignon vs Ulster. Munster: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams, Jack Crowley , Craig Casey; Dian Bleuler, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (C), Peter O’Mahony , John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Dave Kilcoyne , Oli Jager, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Paddy Patterson, Rory Scannell, Jack O’Donoghue.
Castres: Julien Dumora, Geoffrey Palis, Jack Goodhue, Andrea Cocagi, Remy Baget, Louis Le Brun, Jeremy Fernandez; Quentin Walcker, Gaetan Barlot, Will Collier. Gauthier Maravat, Leone Nakarawa, Mathieu Babillot, Tyler Ardron, Abraham Papali'i. Substitutes: Loris Zarantonello, Wayan de Benedittis, Nicolas Corato, Paul Jedrasiak, Feibyan Tukino, Santiago Arata, Theo Chabouni, Adrien Seguret.
Castres are 5/6 favourites to beat the Irish province, with Munster out at 6/5 to leave France with the win. The draw is out to 12/1. While Ian Costello is interim head coach at the moment, he has said before that he does not want the job full-time.
Munster are on the look-out for a new head coach following the shock exit of Graham Rowntree. And in a potential sign of things to come, Mike Prendergast has thrown his hat in the ring for the job . The current attack coach said: "My name is in the pot, if you want to say it that way, along with a number of good coaches I would say.
"The more experience you get of different environments, the different coaches I've been under, you take a lot from that. "It gets you thinking, the longer you’re in your career what direction you want to go. "It’s something I would have envisaged.
If it’s now, or if it’s in the future, the club will decide that." He added: "As of now I have signed as the attack coach. I’m really happy, I love doing that as well.
Time will tell on that side. "I’ve signed up for two years to be the attack coach, and then obviously the head coach role will be something the club will make a decision on. "The club have been very clear on it, they're not rushing into anything because they have to get it right - and I think everyone respects that.
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