The Albany Gazette - Sale sweep aside Racing as stumbling Castres edge Munster

Meanwhile, Castres rebounded from their own first-round disaster and survived their own wasteful kicking and poor discipline to edge visiting Munster 16-14.

Sale suffered a heavy defeat in Glasgow in their opener in Pool 4 but were ruthless in slippery conditions against the Parisians, who had opened with a win over English club Harlequins.

Jean-Luc du Preez battered over after 18 minutes but brother Robert missed the conversion. With defenders slipping and sliding, Tom Roebuck added a second try in the corner. This time Robert du Preez converted.

Guram Gogichashvili replied for the visitors and Nolann le Garrec converted with the last kick of the half.

But second-half tries by Joe Carpenter and skipper Ben Curry secured a bonus point.

"That loss last week wasn't us so the messaging all week was about returning home and doing what we do best and that was more like us," said Curry.

Of four French clubs who faced English clubs in the first round, only Castres, thrashed in Northampton, lost.

On Friday, they quickly took control against two-time champions Munster.

No.8 Abraham Papali'i powered over from a lineout after 13 minutes. Quentin Walcker smashed over after 30 minutes. They only led 10-0 because Jeremy Fernandez missed both conversions and had also missed a penalty.

Three minutes after scoring, Walcker saw yellow for a high tackle. While he was off, Munster flanker John Hodnett went over from a maul and Jack Crowley converted.

No sooner did Walcker return than Geoffery Palis went off for a deliberate knock on. But with his team a man down, Fernandez finally landed a penalty. His replacement Julien Dumora missed with a 63rd minute penalty which would have put the hosts two scores ahead.

Castres replacement prop Nicolas Corato, who had just come on, then received a yellow as his team committed a series of offences defending their line.

Munster capitalised with a second Hodnett try, again converted by Crowley.

But Louis Le Brun. the third Castres kicker of the night, landed a 73rd minute penalty to win an ugly game.

(P.Clark--TAG)