Heineken Cup

Leicester coach Richard Cockerill refused to blame the demands of a lengthy season for the Tigers' failure to win a third European Cup title, saying they'd given their all.

The Tigers equalled Toulouse's record of five European Cup final appearances but just fell short of the French club's mark of three wins following a 19-16 loss to Leinster here at Murrayfield on Saturday as the Irish province won European club rugby union's showpiece match at their first attempt.

Leicester, bidding to match the English and European double successes of their 2002 and 2003 predecessors, came into this game on the back of a gruelling 10-9 Premiership play-off final win over London Irish.

The regular English Premiership season features four more matches than the Celtic League in which Leinster compete, while the Tigers also had to play in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

And while Leinster crushed Irish rivals and defending champions Munster 25-6 in the European Cup semi-finals, the Tigers needed to win 7-6 on place-kicks to get past Cardiff after extra-time ended with the sides locked at 26-26 at the Millennium Stadium.

Nevertheless, the Tigers were still 16-9 in front early in the second-half at Murrayfield after a try by back row Ben Woods was converted by French scrum-half Julien Dupuy, who also kicked three penalties.

Leinster though got back on terms thanks to a converted try from their Ireland No 8 Jamie Heaslip, made by a break by Wallaby flank Rocky Elsom, the man-of-the-match.

Flyhalf Jonathan Sexton then kicked his second and decisive penalty after following up Ireland Grand Slam-winning captain Brian O'Driscoll's early drop-goal with a monster 50 metre effort of his own.

"We couldn't have given any more, could we? The boys played their hearts out," former Leicester and England hooker Cockerill told reporters.

"Of course, we want to win. I'm not a great loser but you have to be dignified in defeat and that's us."

He added: "We should be very pleased and proud of our season, because we're English champions, we've lost by three points in the Heineken (European) final.

"We were fresh, we were into the game - I'm not going to use that as an excuse. The season is longer for us than the Celtic teams, that's just the way it is."

Cockerill, reflecting on the Tigers' climax to another lengthy campaign, said: "We had four massive games. We had a bit of luck in the [European] semifinal and maybe our luck ran out."

Leinster captain Leo Cullen, now in his second spell with the Dublin-based side having played for Leicester in between, said: "They [Leicester] have had a real tough year, 36 games.

"Maybe the Irish teams do have a slight advantage," the lock added.

Leicester's cause wasn't helped when captain and Ireland international Geordan Murphy went off injured early in the second half.

"The hip flexor went just before half time," said Dublin-born fullback Murphy, who has spent the whole of his professional career with Leicester.

"It was not nice to sit and watch that," added Murphy, who insisted the Tigers' previous European Cup triumphs did not take the edge off this reverse.

"It's always going to be bitter. We lost in the final in 2007 and that still grates. This will stay with me for a long time.

"But I can appreciate what this means to them (Leinster) and what sort of state they will be in tonight (after Saturday's match)."

AFP