Leinster 17 - 10 Leicster: Richard Cockerill has no answer to Leinster skill

Published on Friday 8 April 2011 18:31

Leicester manager Richard Cockerill has made no excuses for the Tigers' Heineken Cup demise after they lost a titanic quarter-final against Leinster.

Four Jonathan Sexton penalties and an Isa Nacewa try saw off Leicester 17-10 at the Aviva Stadium to book a semi-final appointment with Biarritz or Toulouse later this month.

The Tigers replied with a late Rob Hawkins touchdown that Toby Flood converted to add to an earlier penalty, but the Aviva Premiership title favourites never seriously threatened the 2009 European champions.

"We can't complain," said Cockerill. "We had opportunities to win, but we didn't take them, and against a side like Leinster it will come back to bite you on the backside. When the pressure comes on in the big games, you have got to execute those chances, but I have nothing but praise for our boys. "We showed great attitude and spirit. That fighting spirit will always be there, but the result is hugely disappointing - it was that tight."

Those fine margins were illustrated early in the second period when Leicester wing Alesana Tuilagi appeared to have crossed Leinster's line, despite a crunching Sean O'Brien tackle, but it was ruled out by the video referee.

Leicester struggled in the lineout, their cause not helped by England lock Louis Deacon's early departure through injury, yet Cockerill was left to reflect on Tigers' failure to top their qualifying pool after drawing at home with Perpignan in December.

"It was our own fault we didn't qualify as winners of the group, and more often than not you get what you deserve in this game.

Sexton, who booted 14 points when Ireland defeated England last month, came up trumps again. Leicester's defeat leaves their midlands rivals Northampton as the sole English survivors in this season's Heineken Cup. Saints face Ulster in Milton Keynes today.

Scorers: Leinster:Try: Nacewa Pens: Sexton 4. Leicester: Try: Hawkins Con: Flood Pen: Flood.

Leinster: I Nacewa; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross; L Cullen (capt), N Hines; K McLaughlin, S O'Brien, J Heaslip. Replacements:F McFadden for Horgan 75, I Boss for Reddan 59, H van der Merwe for Healy 78, D Ryan for McLaughlin 68.

Leicester: S Hamilton; H Agulla, M Tuilagi, A Allen, A Tuilagi; T Flood, B Youngs; B Stankovich, G Chuter, D Cole; L Deacon, S Mafi; T Croft, C Newby (capt), J Crane. Replacements: White for Stankovich 75, R Hawkins for Chuter 75, M Castrogiovanni for Cole 52, E Slater for Deacon 29, T Waldrom for Crane 62.