24-24 draw against Castres boosts Leinster's hope of home quarter-final

Castres 24-24 Leinster, Stade Pierre Antoine
Scorecard

Replacements Dan Leavy and fly-half Ross Byrne contributed with a late try and a conversion as Leinster made a comeback from 17-10 down to draw the game 24-24 against Castres in the European Champions Cup clash at Stade Pierre Antoine on Friday.

Leinster are already through to the knock-out stage after topping Pool 4 and it will need a special effort from Connacht to trounce Toulouse on Sunday to deprive them a home quarter-final game.

The first 10 minutes in the game saw the Irish team jump to a 10-point lead when centre Robbie Henshaw crossed over while fly-half Johnny Sexton scored a penalty and a conversion.

However, Castres made a terrific comeback with scrum-half Antoine Dupont and wing David Smith going past the line in the 19th and 33rd minute respectively and fly-half Julien Dumora contributed with a penalty and also two conversions taking the French team to a seven-point lead at half-time.

The scores were levelled 17-17 when Henshaw scored his second try in the 42nd minute and replacement Byrne, who took the kicking responsibility from Sexton in the 21st minute added the extras.

Smith rumbled past the post to nudge Castres in front again with a 52nd minute try and Dumora got his third conversion right but they lost Pierre Berard temporarily when he was sin-binned in the 62nd minute allowing Leavy and Bryne to contribute with seven points combined and level the scores.

Leinster were put in a spot of bother when Mike McCarthy was yellow-carded with four minutes to go but they managed to held on to their nerve and completed the game with 24-24 draw.