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LTTV

Guy reviews 'bitterly' disappointing loss

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Leicester Tigers back-rower Guy Thompson speaks to LTTV following the loss to London Irish in Round 4 of the 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership season.

Guy Thompson admits that and he his Tigers team-mates need to take a "strong look" at themselves after what the Leicester back-rower described as a "bitterly disappointing" performance in the loss to London Irish away from home in Round 4 of this season's Gallagher Premiership.

Speaking to LTTV pitch-side at the Madejski Stadium following the 36-11 defeat at the hands of The Exiles, a sombre Thompson said: "There is not much to say at all really."

"We are bitterly disappointed, it feels like we haven't learnt the lessons we need to.

"We have got to take a real, strong look at ourselves moving forward ... we know that's not good enough."

Asked what the "issues" were for the Leicester squad, Thompson pulled no punches in a blunt assessment of the display from he and his fellow Tigers when he admitted the home side were "hungrier" and energised by a fast start that had the visitors chasing the game.

"They looked hungrier than us today," Thompson replied.

"They turned up and we didn't.

"We got left on the bus in that first twenty ... then we were always up against it.

"You can't turn up away from home and start the way we started ... you are always chasing the game."

Focus now turns to the first fortnight of European fixtures, starting next weekend when Tigers welcomed Pau to Welford Road on Saturday (November 16) afternoon in Round 1 of the Challenge Cup competition.

"We are disappointed ... that's not good enough, we know that"

With a month of Premiership action now complete, Thompson admitted the review of the opening block of league fixtures will be a negative one but does provide a break from the competition to take a deeper dive into the issues and lessons that need learning.

"It gives us a good opportunity to look at the four," he said.

"I said in an interview at the start of the season ... we would know where we are after the first four games."

The Tigers back-rower also admitted that, while Leicester would be focused on taking maximum points from their opening two European matches, there will be one eye on rectifying their Premiership form in the "massive" derby fixture in three week's time against arch-rivals Northampton Saints.

"We have got two European [games] but we are already looking at that Saints game ... that is going to be massive for us," said Thompson.

The senior member of the Leicester squad also called for younger players to be handed an opportunity in the coming weeks, as well as pointing out that the side would welcome back several internationals after their World Cup campaign with England and from injury.

"We have got a lot of young guys who have not got an opportunity yet and, hopefully over the next couple of weeks, they will get that opportunity," Thompson told LTTV.

"We will have the England boys coming back ... we can't get too bogged down, we can't get too upset."

Open and honest in his appraisal, Thompson also stopped short of deferring from today's performance but said it was vital to move on and welcome the "boost" the internationals will provide the group.

"Yes, we are disappointed ... that's not good enough, we know that," he said.

"We have got a hell of a squad here ... and we have got to make sure that when those boys come back, they give us the boost we need."

Watch the full interview with Thompson above on LTTV.