European Champions Cup
Cockerill: Toulon deserved their victory
ESPN Staff
December 13, 2014
Toulon's Leigh Halfpenny is floored by Niki Goneva © Getty Images
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Leicester Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill accepted that his side were physically overwhelmed by Toulon as they went down 23-8 in the south of France.

Leicester were unable to get a foothold in the game or recreate the heroics of last weekend, when they beat the big-spending European Champions at Welford Road.

The visitors were wasteful but Toulon were clinical, with dead-eye Leigh Halfpenny adding 13 points and tries for Ali Williams and Mathieu Bastareaud.

"We were inaccurate and if you give a side as good as Toulon that many chances, you will get punished," he said. "They played very well and we didn't play as well as we would like. We came second best and they deserved to win.

"The motivation was different for them this week because they were at home. In games like this, you have to take your chances and we had a chance in the second half when Mat Tait went clean through and if we had scored there it would have been a different game.

"They played well, they are a big team and we struggled to break them down. We knew that. That's the difference between the squads that have been put together. No complaints, they were the better team. Different interpretations at the breakdown are key. George Clancy referees it differently and they were very good at the breakdown. We have to manage the referee better. They were very good with Steffon Armitage and Chris Masoe. They were hard at it and they were better than us at the breakdown and the contact point.

"It was as simple as the fact that we were inaccurate and you have to be accurate on the big stage. Owen Williams had a tough day at the office but he is a young guy learning his trade. He will be better for it. Physically we were beaten today by a big strong team.

"Second place is still a realistic position for us. Whether we can get enough points out of our two games though, we will have to see. That game at the Scarlets where we were very poor will come back to haunt us because coming here and losing is no disgrace."

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