Munster booked a Heineken Cup quarter-final place in Limerick next Saturday with a hard-earned but deserved Pool 4 victory over Castres at Musgrave Park today.
They did well to recover from a poor start. Castres hooker Raphael Ibanez sent full-back Guillaume Delmotte in for a try after only five minutes. Gregor Townsend failed to convert however, in the wind and driving rain.
Munster then piled on 15 points in the space of 13 minutes. Ronan O'Gara's penalty goal from 25 metres began the comeback, number eight Anthony Foley got over for an unconverted try from a powerful drive by the pack and then full-back Dominic Crotty scored out on the left after concerted Munster pressure, O'Gara converting superbly from the left touchline.
Castres' sole response was a well-taken drop-goal from Townsend just before half-time.
At the interval, Munster led 15-8 and though they had the wind in their favour in the second period, Castres were well within striking range.
The second half was marred by handling errors by both sides, as the wind increased and the rain became heavier.
O'Gara's second penalty goal, from 32 metres out, came nine minutes into the second half, but Townsend replied immediately with a similar score, after a sustained offence by Castres, with good ball retention and recycling.
Midway through the half, O'Gara landed his third penalty goal to put Munster back into the comfort zone, and they held Castres out with no great difficulty in the time remaining.
"I think that we over-complicated things in the first-half", said Munster team manager Jerry Holland afterwards.
"I think we were over-elaborate, when a more basic approach may have paid better dividends.
"The weather certainly did not help either team, to be fair. But we have got what we wanted, a home quarter-final at Thomond Park, and that's all that matters."
Munster captain Mick Galwey said: "We worked hard in the first half into the wind, and while we were a bit disappointed that we didn't show better control in the second half, we won, and that's what we set out to do.
"Castres are a very good, strong side, and we had to really work hard against them. They had scored 13 tries in the competition before today, and we knew they'd try to run at us.
"But we kept our discipline, and I think overall that we performed well in very difficult conditions." PA