Leinster were too strong at home for Leicester Tigers as they progressed to a Heineken Cup semi final meeting with Toulouse after beating the English side 17-10 at the Aviva Stadium on the weekend.
The hosts were in control for most of the game, and while a late Tigers try gave them some hope of a comeback, Leinster showed their experience to hold on and take the deserved win.
The Tigers came close to scoring a try through Alesana Tuilagi earlier in the game, but he was ruled to be in touch. It was a bit of justice as the pass that got him there looked suspiciously forward, as did one that started Isa Nacewas great try, but the Fijian got away with it, taking the chance brilliantly.
“They are a good side. Did they deserve to win? The scoreboard says they did. We had opportunities. We didn’t take them,” said an unhappy Richard Cockerill of Leicester.
“I can’t manage the referee if he’s not penalising tackle assists and not penalising guys for not entering through the gate. That’s up to him how he referees but it was refereed very differently to how the Test matches were refereed and refereed very differently to the Premiership.”
Cockerill also took a potshot at Englands coaching setup. “Floody left us in the autumn at 80 per cent, worked with England and came back at less than that. You’ll have to ask England’s kicking coach Dave Aldred why.”
“He’s changed his kicking style, which was news to us. We weren’t consulted at all.”
Leinster will face Toulouse in the semi final, after they beat Biarritz 27-20 in San Sebastian.
Time:
06:21
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