It is half-time in the European Cup

 

Munster captain Peter O'Mahony accepts it is make-or-break time, but that it is also only half-time with the quick-fire return showdown with Clermont next week.

 

The former double champions travel to Stade Marcel Michelin for the return showdown with Clermont Auvergne after their 9-16 defeat at Thomond Park – the first win in 24 attempts for a French side.

 

The  had walked off winners at Munster's fortress – put Clermont in the driving seat in the chase for Pool One honours and automatic quarterfinal qualification.

 

"We came up against an excellent side," O'Mahony said.

 

"We knew it was going to be tough – and we knew from the day that this pool was announced that we were going to have it tough.

 

"I thought Clermont played very well but I thought we could have done a lot of things better.

 

"But we have to go and dominate them physically; we were bullied at times which is not something that normally happens at home.

 

"But as I said, we have got eight days to recover and eight days to put our best foot forward to train as hard as we can and to put ourselves in the best position to do the job."

 

Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors will also be hoping to capitalise on a back-to-back game when they travel back home to Scotstoun to take on Toulouse.

 

Pervious to their match in France against Toulouse the Warriors were unbeaten but it was the French giants who came out 19-11 victors as they denied Glasgow even a losing bonus point.

 

Warriors Director of Rugby Gregor Townsend admitted that indiscipline cost his side from securing a famous victory.

 

The four-time European champions scored 16 of their 19 points in the 10 minute periods when Finn Russell and Leone Nakawara were in the sin-bin.

 

Townsend's men will now have to win the reverse fixture at Scotstoun to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the Champions Cup quarterfinals for the first time after the defeat.

 

He said: "The two yellow cards put us under a lot of pressure and gave a team like Toulouse, who were off-loading all over the place, a chance to find their gap. 

 

"But their defence was excellent so we'll have to look at ways to break that down better.

 

"The penalty count was 14 to five and when you come away from home playing against one of the best teams in Europe with two yellow cards it is very tough to win.

 

"We should have put more points on the board in the first 30 minutes when we were dominating the game."

 

Another two teams that will be looking to edge each other is Ospreys and Racing Metro who came out honours even at the Liberty Stadium 19-19.

 

Despite the draw Ospreys backs coach Gruff Rees praised his side's character after they fought back to claim a share of the spoils.

 

The Welsh side rallied from being 16-3 down to tie the scores at 19-19 with just a handful of minutes left on the clock. 

 

However they could not find a winning score, while Racing flyhalf Johan Goosen was off target with a long-range penalty inside the final minute.

 

The results leaves the injury-hit Welsh side three points behind Pool Five leaders Racing and Northampton at the halfway stage, ahead of the reverse fixture in France next weekend.

 

Rees said: "To come back from 16-3 down, and we were certainly under the pump physically, we showed incredible heart. To get a draw at least keeps us in the mix.

 

"It will be a huge ask next weekend. Historically, we know that things are against us there. It is about being physically right for the challenge ahead, and tackling it head on.

 

"If we can be accurate and execute correctly, then we can really have a go.

 

"It was incredibly gutsy. There were three players making their European debuts for the Ospreys. It was a fair effort."

 

Additionally, Leinster head coach Matt O'Connor knows his side have to beat Harlequins at the Aviva Stadium this weekend to stay in the hunt for a European Champions Cup quarterfinal slot after going down 18-24 at Twickenham Stoop.

 

"It's disappointing," said O'Connor. "But full credit to 'Quins, I thought they played very, very well and we were a bit off in the first half.

 

"I thought we fought our way back into it quite well, and then the intercept was instrumental. It was a bit too big of a hill to climb.

 

"I wouldn't say it was decision-making… I thought our execution was off in the first half. We had opportunities to build pressure and we didn't look after the ball.

 

"They slowed our release and we made errors which meant we didn't put them under enough pressure in the first half. We were not unhappy at half-time, but it got away from us when they got the intercept."

 

Finally, Leicester's famous victory against the defending champions Toulon is a big boost for the Tigers Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill – but it is not over yet.

 

"Pool Three is going to be tight. We have got to go and win away somewhere. There is a long way to go and we want to make it as tight as possible," he said.

 

"Toulon will probably still back themselves to win the Pool, but we will go there next week and try to put a cat firmly among the pigeons."