Munster's out-half Jack Crowley faced a challenging performance against Castres in the Champions Cup.

With missed opportunities early and late in the game, including a crucial penalty kick near the end, Crowley's struggles were evident.

Despite this, interim head coach Ian Costello expressed confidence in Crowley's resilience and ability to recover, emphasizing that the young player's decisiveness and commitment during gameplay are valued.

Costello also discussed the rationale behind the squad rotations, attributing them to the need for fresh legs due to the demanding schedule and acknowledging that certain decisions aimed to strengthen squad depth.

The absence of key players like Gavin Coombes in the starting lineup was a strategic choice with the long season and a series of consecutive challenging matches in mind.

Munster's performance was further hampered by scrum difficulties, exacerbated by prop Dian Bleuler's head injury, requiring Dave Kilcoyne to extend his playtime significantly.

Castres capitalized on these weaknesses to secure a narrow victory.

Looking ahead, Costello remains optimistic about Munster's capacity to regroup and address areas for improvement as they prepare for their upcoming United Rugby Championship clash against Ulster.