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Murphy explains incident with fan as he returned to changing room
Leicester’s head coach Geordan Murphy explained an incident with a fan in the stand at the end of a frustrating game was an apology for his use of bad language.
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Exeter have gone a point ahead of Northampton in the Premiership after tries from flanker Don Armand (2) and locks Jannes Kirsten and Jonny Hill plus four conversions and a penalty by fly-half Gareth Steenson saw them home.
Leicester, with a lot of their England World Cup contingent back in action, were excellent in the first period as wing Jonny May scored two tries and flanker Jordan Taufua got one. England fly-half George Ford landed two conversions and a penalty.
But the Tigers did not get a point in the second period as Exeter turned it up a few gears.
Leicester have now won just one of their six Premiership fixtures and lay bottom but one in the table.
It has frustrated a lot of the famous club’s faithful, which spilled over with three minutes left as Murphy was heading to the changing rooms.
He walked back up the stand steps to speak with a fan but said it was only to apologise to him.
Murphy said: “There was nothing more strenuous than that (apology).
“Somebody said something which I agreed with and I swore. I realised there were kids about.”
Leicester’s first 40 minutes was one of their best for a few seasons but they ran out of steam and ideas afterwards.
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Murphy explained: “It is difficult against a side like Exeter who have numbers in their line. Things were stacked against us when we were chasing a try for a few bonus points and the rain came in and it made it easier for Exeter to defend.
“I thought there were a lot of good things which we can build on. We scored three tries, started the second half well but switched off for a little bit, a couple of things went Exeter’s way around the 60-minute mark and we were chasing from there.”
Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter believed his side looked “a million dollars” as they battled back from a 19-7 deficit to beat struggling Leicester 31-22 at Welford Road for a fourth Gallagher Premiership victory this season.
Baxter said: “Leicester have a lot of good players and, at half time, the coaches looked at each other and thought we have bumped into them on the day they are going to pull it together.
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“That is why I thought we did exceptionally well to stay together under that sort of pressure. Things were going for them and they did have momentum.
“After half time, we just aligned ourselves a little bit more like an Exeter Chiefs team and, as we managed to get used to each other and got back online, we looked a million dollars in the second half.”
Baxter also said that England centre Henry Slade will have a scan on a leg injury which he suffered during the match.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments