A pat on the back, or a 'tough luck' shrug ,is just not enough, especially in a professional world. How can you speak to an elite sportsman who has entered a high-profile game with high hopes only to see them come crashing down an hour-and-a-half later?

There will have been some nervous phone calls to the Tigers players from their family and friends last week after defeat in Belfast. There will not have been many in-depth conversations – least said soonest mended as they say.

There would not have been much said in the dressing room at Ravenhill either because there is nothing that can be said in the immediate aftermath of such disappointment. Nothing that will change the situation for the better anyway.

You can bet your life things were said when the players returned to training on Monday. And it wouldn’t have just been the coaches and management doing the talking. Tigers have always called on honest players with honest attitudes, and they will have led any ‘regrouping’ this week with the future in mind.

We've got important games coming up and wallowing in disappointment is not going to help win any points.

Cockers has said the key thing now is how players react to defeat, Peter Tom say the Tigers have always addressed disappointments “head on” and Geordan Murphy promises everyone will have to learn from the experience of defeat by Ulster.

The Tig also heard Cockers say that one result should not affect the mood for the entire season – that cannot be allowed to happen in the hurly-burly season of English club rugby.

Also, a team that won 10 of the previous 12 games is not a bad team, whatever was said at the final whistle in Belfast. Another 10 wins on the run-in would come in very handy too.