O'Gara kicked 14 points in Munster's Pool 1 defeat against Clermont Auvergne on Sunday. © Getty Images

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Munster did it again - picking up a losing bonus point at Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin for the second successive season - but captain Paul O'Connell knows that at fortress Thomond Park on Saturday only a win will do for the reigning Heineken Cup champions in the quick-fire return against ASM Clermont Auvergne.

Results went with home advantage last season, Munster winning 36-13 in Limerick, and they will be after a repeat result as they chase Pool 1 leaders Sale Sharks in the only group where three teams have each won two of their matches in the first half of the six Pool games.

"We were looking for a win last week in Clermont and were of course disappointed not to get it but we know that the losing bonus point could make all the difference at the end of the Pool stages," said O'Connell. "Having said that, if we don't go and beat them this weekend in the return fixture then that losing bonus point will count for nothing.

"And we'll need to look at a lot of things this week. There were a few issues in the scrum and we were disappointed with the number of penalties we conceded in the away leg. We pride ourselves on our discipline which we think is one of the strongest parts of our game.

"However, we've also taken some good points from the match. We had a strong first half and did some things very well, at times we defended exactly how we wanted to. Ronan (O'Gara) was solid as a rock in terms of his kicking. The pressure penalty at the end to give us the losing bonus point was massively important and could make the difference in a few weeks time."

The late penalty took O'Gara to 993 Heineken Cup points and just seven more will see him become the first to break the 1,000-points barrier. And with Sale Sharks travelling to Montauban this Saturday the Pool 1 qualifier looks set to go down to the wire in the New Year.

"We know that Clermont's away form has not been great but obviously we can't rely on that," added O'Connell. "Every game in the group is vitally important and we are only halfway through. And this Pool is wide open. Sale did well to get a bonus point on Friday night so it's going to be very tough for us. We're still right in the mix so it's in our hands - we just need to get it right this weekend.

"However, looking back to last weekend it proved that this really is a simple game and if you concede the gain-line in rugby it doesn't matter what you do at the breakdown, you're going to be chasing your tail. We did that once or twice and Clermont punished us for it. We went through phases very well but seemed to get pinged a lot at the 3rd or 4th phase and passes went astray, which is disappointing given how our skill level has improved a lot this season.

"During that first 15-20 minute spell in the second half, we just conceded momentum too many times and let them get moving with their pick-up-and-go tactic and then throw the ball wide - which is what we knew is the way they like to play. It is up to us to get it right in the return."

Heineken Cup Stats:

Ronan O'Gara is poised to become the first player to break through the Heineken Cup 1,000-points barrier.