Castres Olympique held off a late charge from Munster Rugby to secure a gritty 16-14 victory in their Investec Champions Cup encounter on Dec. 13 in Pool 3 action. 

The match at Stade Pierre-Fabre was defined by defensive grit and pivotal moments, with Castres’ discipline and precision under pressure proving decisive.

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It is the first loss for Munster since the team moved on from Graham Rowntree in October after going 2-0-0 since the change, which includes a 33-7 win over Stade Francias in Round 1. 

For Castres, the win is a bounce-back victory after a 38-8 loss to Northampton in Round 1. 

Castres Rugby Takes The Lead

Castres struck first in the 12th minute when Abraham Papalii crossed the line for a try, though Jeremy Fernandez missed the conversion, leaving the score at 5-0. 

Quentin Walcker extended the lead with a try in the 29th minute, but another missed conversion kept Castres from pulling further ahead.

Munster responded late in the half, as John Hodnett scored a crucial try in the 37th minute, converted by Jack Crowley, narrowing the gap to 10-7 at halftime.

Munster Rugby Fights Back, Castres Holds On

Castres added to its lead in the 48th minute with a penalty by Jeremy Fernandez, making it 13-7. 

However, the game turned in Munster’s favor after Nicolas Corato was shown a yellow card in the 67th minute. 

Munster capitalized immediately, with Hodnett scoring his second try of the game, converted by Crowley, to take a 14-13 lead.

In the 72nd minute, Louis le Brun slotted a decisive penalty for Castres, reclaiming the lead at 16-14. 

Despite late efforts by Munster, the French side’s defense held firm, securing a narrow victory.

Castres Vs. Munster Rugby Scoring Summary

Castres Olympique: Tries: Papalii (12’), Walcker (29’); Penalty: Fernandez (48’), le Brun (72’)

Munster Rugby: Tries: Hodnett (37’, 68’); Conversions: Crowley (38’, 69’)

What's Next For Munster Rugby, Castres In Champions Cup?

Munster heads back to Ireland for a Round 3 match against Saracens on Jan. 11. Meanwhile, Castres will play the Vodacom Bulls in South Africa on Jan .11. 

Watch Castres Vs. Munster Free Live Stream

Watch the match for free on FloRugby!

Castres Takes Lead! 

Try! Former Connacht player Abraham Papalii gets the score for the home side who have had all of the possession and territory so far through 14 minutes.

Conversion is Missed!

CO 5 - MUN 0#InvestecChampionsCup #COvMUN

— FloRugby (@FloRugby) December 13, 2024

Castres Olympique hit the front following 14 minutes of sustained pressure as Abraham Papalii crashes over! 🇫🇷#InvestecChampionsCup #COVMUN pic.twitter.com/EaZT1rX800

— FloRugby (@FloRugby) December 13, 2024

Castres On The Attack So Far Against Munster Rugby

Castres are making all of the moves inside these first five minutes. Munster conceded two penalties but looked exceptionally solid defensively. #InvestecChampionsCup #COvMUN

— FloRugby (@FloRugby) December 13, 2024

Castres Vs. Munster Rugby Underway!

Kick-off! Jack Crowley gets us underway!#InvestecChampionsCup

— FloRugby (@FloRugby) December 13, 2024

Castres Vs. Munster Rugby Set For No. 19

Munster have made six changes to their side for this evening's fixture with Castres. Headling the changes is 20-year-old star backrow Brian Gleeson who many have tipped to be a future star whilst captain Tadhg Beirne returns to the starting XV.#InvestecChampionsCup

— FloRugby (@FloRugby) December 13, 2024

Speaking about the rivalry this week, Munster winger Calvin Nash said, “It’s mental, actually, when you look at how many times Munster and Castres have played, isn’t it?

“We know Castres to be massively physical, especially at home. It’ll be another battle.”

— FloRugby (@FloRugby) December 13, 2024

Munster Rugby Lineups

Munster have made six changes to their side for this evening's fixture with Castres. Headling the changes is 20-year-old star backrow Brian Gleeson who many have tipped to be a future star whilst captain Tadhg Beirne returns to the starting XV.#InvestecChampionsCup

— FloRugby (@FloRugby) December 13, 2024

Castres Vs. Munster Rugby Live Updates From Champions Cup Round 2

Munster Rugby Lineup

1. Dian Bleuler
2. Niall Scannell
3. Stephen Archer
4. Fineen Wycherley
5. Tadhg Beirne
6. Peter O'Mahony
7. John Hodnett
8. Brian Gleeson
9. Craig Casey
10. Jack Crowley
11. Thaakir Abrahams
12. Alex Nankivell
13. Tom Farrell
14. Calvin Nash
15. Mike Haley

Substitutes: 16. Diarmuid Barron, 17. Dave Kilcoyne, 18. Oli Jager, 19. Thomas Ahern, 20. Alex Kendellen, 21. Paddy Patterson, 22. Rory Scannell, 23. Jack O'Donoghue

Castres Olympique Rugby Lineup

1. Quentin Walcker
2. Gaetan Barlot
3. Will Collier
4. Gauthier Maravat
5. Leone Nakarawa
6. Mathieu Babillot
7. Tyler Ardron
8. Abraham Papali'i
9. Jeremy Fernandez
10. Louis Le Brun
11. Remy Baget
12. Adrea Cocagi
13. Jack Goodhue
14. Geoffrey Palis
15. Julien Dumora

Substitutes: 16. Loris Zarantonello, 17. Wayan de Benedittis, 18. Nicolas Corato, 19. Paul Jedrasiak, 20. Feibyan Tukino, 21. Santiago Arata, 22. Theo Chabouni, 23. Adrien Seguret

Munster Rugby Vs. Castres Kickoff Time

The match kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Dec. 13 at Stade Pierre-Fabre in Castres, France. 

Investec Champions Cup 2024-2025 Round 1 Results

• La Rochelle 24, Bath Rugby 20
• ASM Clermont Auvergne 28, Benetton Rugby 0
• Hollywoodbets Sharks 39 Exeter Chiefs 21
• Northampton Saints 38, Castres Olympique 8
• RC Toulon 24, DHL Stormers 14
• Munster Rugby 33, Stade Francais Paris 7
• Saracens 27, Vodacom Bulls 5
• Glasgow Warriors 38, Sale Sharks 19
• Racing 92 23, Harlequins 12
• Union Bordeaux-Bègles 42, Leicester Tigers 28
• Stade Toulousain 54, Ulster Rugby 21
• Leinster Rugby 35, Bristol Bears 12

Investec Champions Cup Fixtures In Round 2

All Times Eastern. 

• Sale Sharks 29, vs. Racing 92 7
• Castres Olympique 16 vs. Munster Rugby 14
• Vodacom Bulls vs. Northampton Saints, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 8 AM, Loftus Versfeld
• Ulster Rugby vs. Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 10:15 AM, Kingspan Stadium
• Leinster Rugby vs. ASM Clermont Auvergne, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 12:30 PM, Aviva Stadium
• Leicester Tigers vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 12:30 PM, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
• Stade Rochelais vs. Bristol Bears, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 3 PM, Stade Marcel Deflandre
• Harlequins vs. DHL Stormers, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 3 PM, Twickenham Stoop
• RC Toulon vs. Glasgow Warriors, Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 8 AM, Stade Felix Mayol
• Benetton Rugby vs. Bath Rugby, Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 8 AM, Stadio Monigo
• Stade Francais Paris vs. Saracens, Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 10:15 AM, Stade Jean Bouin
• Exeter Chiefs vs. Stade Toulousain, Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 12:30 PM, Sandy Park

Investec Champions Cup Fixtures In Round 3

• Glasgow Warriors vs. Racing 92, Fri, Jan 10, 2025, 3 PM, Scotstoun Stadium
• DHL Stormers vs. Sale Sharks, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 8 AM, DHL Stadium
• Exeter Chiefs vs. Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 10:15 AM, Sandy Park
• Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Stade Toulousain, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 10:15 AM, Hollywoodbets Kings Park
• Munster Rugby vs. Saracens, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 12:30 PM, Thomond Park
• Stade Francais Paris vs. Northampton Saints, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 12:30 PM, Stade Jean Bouin
• Leicester Tigers vs. Ulster Rugby, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 3 PM, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
• Castres Olympique vs. Vodacom Bulls, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 3 PM, Stade Pierre-Fabre
• RC Toulon vs. Harlequins, Sun, Jan 12, 2025, 8 AM, Stade Felix Mayol
• Stade Rochelais vs. Leinster Rugby, Sun, Jan 12, 2025, 10:15 AM, Stade Marcel Deflandre
• Bristol Bears vs. Benetton Rugby, Sun, Jan 12, 2025, 10:15 AM, Ashton Gate
• Bath Rugby vs. ASM Clermont Auvergne, Sun, Jan 12, 2025, 12:30 PM, The Rec

Investec Champions Cup Fixtures In Round 4

• Ulster Rugby vs. Exeter Chiefs, Fri, Jan 17, 2025, 3 PM, Kingspan Stadium
• Vodacom Bulls vs. Stade Francais Paris, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 8 AM, Loftus Versfeld
• Northampton Saints vs. Munster Rugby, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 10:15 AM, cinch Stadium @ Franklin's Gardens
• ASM Clermont Auvergne vs. Bristol Bears, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 10:15 AM, Stade Marcel-Michelin
• Benetton Rugby vs. Stade Rochelais, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 12:30 PM, Stadio Monigo
• Leinster Rugby vs. Bath Rugby, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 12:30 PM, Aviva Stadium
• Harlequins vs. Glasgow Warriors, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 3 PM, Twickenham Stoop
• Racing 92 vs. DHL Stormers, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 3 PM, Paris La Defense Arena
• Union Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 8 AM, Stade Chaban-Delmas
• Saracens vs. Castres Olympique, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 10:15 AM, StoneX Stadium
• Stade Toulousain vs. Leicester Tigers, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 10:15 AM, Stade Ernest Wallon
• Sale Sharks vs. RC Toulon, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 12:30 PM, Salford Community Stadium

Investec Champions Cup Format 

Key points of the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup:

• A multi-pool format, as launched in the 2023-2024 season
• 24 elite clubs - eight each from the Gallagher Premiership, URC and TOP 14 - in four pools of six
• Sporting jeopardy, with each club playing against four different opponents, home or away, in the pool stage
• Four highest-ranked clubs in each pool qualify for the Round of 16
• The Investec Champions Cup will be played over eight weekends, with four pool rounds and four knockout rounds culminating in the 2025 final, which will be staged at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday, May 24.

Investec Champions Cup Weekends

• Round 1 – 6/7/8 December 2024
• Round 2 – 13/14/15 December 2024
• Round 3 – 10/11/12 January 2025
• Round 4 – 17/18/19 January 2025
• Round of 16 – 4/5/6 April 2025
• Quarter-finals – 11/12/13 April 2025
• Semi-finals – 2/3/4 May 2025
• 2025 Investec Champions Cup final – Saturday, May 24, Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Champions Cup Qualifications 

Twenty-four clubs have qualified for the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup as follows:

• United Rugby Championship (8): The eight highest-ranked clubs based on their final finishing positions.
• TOP 14 (8): The eight highest-ranked clubs based on their final finishing positions.
• Gallagher Premiership Rugby (8): The eight highest-ranked clubs based on their final finishing positions.
• If not already qualified, the winner of the 2024 Investec Champions Cup will take the place of the eighth-ranked club in its league.

Investec Champions Cup Qualifiers 

• TOP 14 – Stade Toulousain, Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Stade Français Paris, RC Toulon, Stade Rochelais, Racing 92, Castres Olympique, ASM Clermont Auvergne
• GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP – Northampton Saints, Bath Rugby, Sale Sharks, Saracens, Bristol Bears, Harlequins, Exeter Chiefs, Leicester Tigers
• UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP – Glasgow Warriors, Vodacom Bulls, Munster Rugby, Leinster Rugby, DHL Stormers, Ulster Rugby, Benetton Rugby, Hollywoodbets Sharks

When Does The 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup Begin? When Is The Champions Cup Final?

The Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup begin Dec. 6, and the four-round pool-play action ends Jan. 19, 2025. The Round of 16 starts on April 4, while the quarterfinals are April 11-13. The semifinals are May 2-4. 

The EPCR Championships weekend is in Cardiff, Wales at Principality Stadium. There are championship games on May 23 (EPCR Challenge Cup) and May 24 (Investec Champions Cup). 

How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby

FloRugby and FloSports also are the US home to: 

• Investec Champions Cup
• EPCR Challenge Cup
• Currie Cup
• Top 14
• Super Rugby
• And more

FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays. 

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