'I see that incident a lot in the Premiership and it's not a red card'
Geordan Murphy has urged his Leicester Tigers players to keep fighting as his side’s relegation fears increased following a heavy 52-20 loss to Premiership league leaders Exeter Chiefs at Welford Road.
The Tigers had captain Tom Youngs sent off in a defeat which leaves Leicester 10th in the table, five points above bottom-of-the-table Newcastle Falcons, who currently occupy the relegation spot.
Leicester take on Newcastle in a crunch Premiership fixture next week.
Murphy, who was joined by veteran coach Mike Ford in the week in a bid to revitalise the struggling Tigers, now wants to see his players rally for the final four games of the season.
“Things went against us today, some big decisions, but the boys stuck at it,” Murphy said.
“We have to be tight as a group and battle through everything. They worked hard for each other, even though we made mistakes. I want them to stick together and keep working hard.
“Every game is important. It’s really tight but teams in and around us have tough games.
“It’s a precarious position. We have a huge game next week, and then the week after that we have to prepare for another three tough games against Harlequins, Bristol and Bath.”
Tigers were comfortably beaten by a ruthless Chiefs side and now have just one win from their last six Premiership games.
Exeter ran in seven tries, including four in the first-half to seal a deserved bonus-point victory.
When asked about fans leaving after an hour, Murphy said: “To be honest, I wanted to leave with them. I thought there was some fight in the boys, but after 15 or 20 minutes without a score, it’s hard for the boys.”
When asked about fans leaving after an hour, Murphy said:
? “To be honest, I wanted to leave with them. I thought there was some fight in the boys, but after 15 or 20 minutes without a score, it’s hard for the boys.”
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) April 6, 2019
Murphy’s woes deepened on 56 minutes when captain Youngs saw red for a shoulder charge on Ollie Atkins at a ruck, adding to the news that his brother Ben would miss the rest of the season through shoulder surgery.
Murphy accepted Youngs’ dismissal but wants to see more consistency from referees in that area.
“It’s a difficult call,” admitted Murphy.
“It’s a red card to the letter of the law and I get that, especially for player safety but it just needs to be refereed across the board. I see that incident a lot in the Premiership and it’s not a red card.”
Exeter head coach Ali Hepher praised his side’s mental strength as they sent out a statement to their title rivals.
“The way our attack functioned and the pace we got into the game was pleasing,” he said.
“We were able to keep the ball for good periods and find some space. We’re building nicely, we’re a mentally strong side now and that bodes well for the future.”
Hepher insists finishing in top spot in the regular Premiership season is irrelevant at this stage and wants to see his side improve.
He added: “It’s not at all important [finishing first]. It’s important how we perform through the rest of the season.
“We have to make sure we don’t let the foot off the gas. We can get better, certainly on the defensive side and elements of our attack are just gaining momentum.
“We’ve introduced a few things recently, which will soon come to fruition.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
82 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments