Castres watch.

[browner]

Toulouse 23 v 22 Castres.

[jamsodonnell]

Toulouse 23 v 22 Castres.

Toulouse 1 try, E Matanavou 72minute, Beauxis 5 pens, McAlister 1 pen.

Castres 1 Try and 1 con + 5 pens . scrum half Rory Kockott, formerly of Natal Sharks.

Crowd 17999 . Referee R Poite.

Pedriewatch, Pedrie came on as sub in the 42nd minute.

The match appears (using my humble translation ) to have been as close as the score suggests. Castres coach Labit was annoyed at their kick-off receipt and their inability to win by drop goal. They made too many mistakes throughout. Lack of precision cost them a match which they should and could have won.

[MightyRearranger]

I'm slightly worried about Castres. I doubt they're going to start focusing their efforts on the ERC this year but I wouldn't be surprised if the notion of taking the scalp of last years finalists at home appealed to them, regardless of whether they have a chance of qualifying or not.

[ruckover]

If they're out of the HEC by Round 6 then they should roll over. They'll have the Top14 to worry about and that should be their main focus.

[Rooster]

If they're out of the HEC by Round 6 then they should roll over. They'll have the Top14 to worry about and that should be their main focus.

Don't bet on it.

[OneMore]

Actually happen to be in France at the minute, managed to watch the game on Friday night. For my money Toulouse were the better team for the vast majority. Even when they were 4 points down to Castres with 10 minutes to go they always looked like they had something left. Which they did - a try. The drop goal attempt was fairly speculative IIRC, between 10m and halfway I think. Just wasn't caught well enough. The final score was still a little kind to Castres for me.

Pedrie came on due to an injury to the Castres 6. Their 8 went to the flank, and Pedrie went to 8. That's how it looked to me anyway.

Decent game.

[ruckover]

If they're out of the HEC by Round 6 then they should roll over. They'll have the Top14 to worry about and that should be their main focus.

Don't bet on it.

You gonna give me odds?

History would back me up and if we were in the same situation I'd like us to be preparing for the rest of the Rabo season instead of sending out a full team to get baked and battered in southern France for no reward.

[Aird]

With Ulster's record in France we cannot afford to treat any French side lightly.
I know that we are on an upward curve, but Castre Must have finished in the Top half of the afresh league to be in the ERC so cannot be written off entirely.

[rumncoke]

French sides must be taken seriously but away from home frequently it depends on which mindset the players are in and whether what they attempt to do comes off on the night.

But French rugby like English rugby is a mix of rich and poor the rich make hard for the poor not to sure where Castres would be in on the rich list but I doubt if its in the top 5

[browner]

Castres 30 v 13 Grenoble...try for Pedrie.

[ruckover]

Castres 30 v 13 Grenoble...try for Pedrie.

Home win to a newly promoted team, no less than expected. Good to see Pedrie maintaining his form (or maybe not!).

[MightyRearranger]

But French rugby like English rugby is a mix of rich and poor the rich make hard for the poor not to sure where Castres would be in on the rich list but I doubt if its in the top 5

They finished fourth in the Top 14 last year, but unlike teams like Toulouse, Youlon and Clermont they don't really have the firepower to compete on two fronts. I severely doubt they'll suddenly start seriously competing for qualification this year, but if if they turned out their first XV against us at home then it'd be a pretty tall order to beat them.

[rumncoke]

MR the point was how rich are Castres not how successful are the they 4 riches side in France I doubt it thus to maintain success they need to perform in the French league because it is their bread and butter to start chasing success above that may result in high investment, which they cannot afford, with little return.

Thus they may conserve their players for league rather than the ERC .

[Seamus]

Castres 30 v 13 Grenoble...try for Pedrie.

Home win to a newly promoted team, no less than expected. Good to see Pedrie maintaining his form (or maybe not!).

Just watched the highlights there. He didn't score a try (he might have got one off a scrum that was pushing over when the ref gave a penalty try) and was sent off for two late yellow cards

[browner]

Castres loose forward Pedrie Wannenburg has been handed a ten-day suspension after receiving a red card last weekend.

Wannenburg came off the bench on the hour mark in Saturday's 30-13 win over Grenoble but took just six minutes to be handed his first yellow card in the Top 14 for a dangerous tackle.

Two minutes after returning to the fray the South African saw yellow again - and thus red- this time for a professional foul which prevented Grenoble from scoring in the dying minutes.

The former Ulster loose forward will be allowed to play again on September 4, meaning he will miss this weekend's Top 14 clash with Bayonne.