Return of Chris Cloete’s mean streak makes Munster a different animal

Two of Munster's unsung heroes come in for richly deserved praise.

Munster's 30-5 victory over Castres was a game many of the 21-odd thousand fans that were at Thomond Park were soon cast to the deepest, darkest recesses of their minds. Job done, move on. Joey Carbery and Chris Farrell, who will miss the return trip to Castres, were pulled from the matchday squad just before kick-off and the game that unfolded, on a woefully windy day in Limerick, was a grim spectacle. Handling errors, crossed wires, stray passes and malfunctioning set-pieces all contributed to the fare, in between the kick tennis. There were a few positives, however. Munster figured out and unlocked Castres after the break, Conor Murray stepped up as a leader, JJ Hanrahan continues to impress when afforded a chance and their turnover trio - Tadhg Beirne, Peter O'Mahony and Chris Cloete - ran amok. Barry Murphy and Andrew Trimble reserved particular praise for two Munster players that don't often get the credit, in the latest episode of Baz & Andrew's House of Rugby [from 24:00 below]. Cloete has been tipping away at a decent clip this season [see above] but the past three games have seen him hit a real stride ahead over a busy two months of action. Castres struggled to cope with his low centre of gravity and solid body position when it came to the breakdown and he secured a couple of turnovers in crucial stages of the second half, just as his team were gaining the ascendancy. The raw power of Cloete has a lot to do with the effort he applies, and demands of himself, in the gym. Both CJ Stander and John Ryan marvelled at the time the flanker put in within Munster's gym at their U.L High Performance Unit. That work is reflected in his high personal tallies. For example, his 1-RM (One Repetition Maximum) Bench scores are close to 180kg (max) and second only to fellow South African Jaco Taute and well clear of next best Jean Kleyn. "Cloete is another one that stepped up," said Trimble. Murphy, a former centre with Munster and Ireland, commented, "Between Pete, Tadhg Beirne and Cloete, they had eight turnovers in the game. They are all just vicious on the ground." Trimble added:

"Cloete, maybe it was around this time last year, any time there was a breakdown anywhere in his area, he would always make an impact. He either turned it over or slowed it down, time and again. Two or three in a row, he'd be doing. "It looked for a period that he had gotten away from that... but at the weekend, he was back to the way he was. He's so physical and so good over the ball that there is no shifting him. He looked like he was back to his best."

That Munster back row of O'Mahony, Cloete and CJ Stander looks their most balanced and their best until the likes of Tommy O'Donnell and Jack O'Donoghue regain fitness and form. Heading to Stade Pierre Fabre for a Saturday evening clash, with a lot of bite expected after some feisty scenes in Limerick, that back row will need to be at their best. WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE: https://youtu.be/YuZvrelFiBU