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Rugby News

European Round 3 Reaction: Richard Wigglesworth

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Richard Wigglesworth put Friday night’s away win over ASM Clermont Auvergne down to two things.

Speaking after the game, the Leicester Tigers Head Coach could not hide the pride he had in his players for their performance away from home at Stade Marcel-Michelin.

“If I had to sum it up with just a few words, they’d be fight and desire.”

“They didn’t stop tonight, at any point, getting up off the ground - again and again - for one another and for Leicester Tigers.

“I’m a very proud coach tonight and even more proud to be a part of this group.”

Tigers were without “a dozen” players, unavailable through injury for the trip to France, but the Head Coach said neither he - nor his players - were in the business of doing anything other than delivering in the shirt.

“There’s no secret we’ve done it a bit tough and faced plenty of challenges as of late, but what we expect - whoever is playing - is that when you go out to represent Leicester Tigers, you produce a performance like we saw tonight,” said Wigglesworth.

“It’s about a dozen we don’t have to pick from, give or take a few, and aren’t expecting many back next week either. We are where we are, there’s no whinging or excuses to be made.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned international or making your European debut, of which we had both tonight, there is a standard that we expect from whoever is selected to play.

“You don’t have performances like tonight without that standard, across the club, and that effort out there this evening was one that every single player has contributed to with what they’re doing - whether they played or not.”

Expanding on the depth-testing period for the squad, he added: “We’re battered and bruised, as we’ve only got a small group who are having to keep going out there every week at the moment.”

“But, there has been no complaining and no slowing down from anybody.

“We’ll enjoy this, the players deserve to enjoy this and then it’s back to it on Monday ahead of Ospreys at home.”

After three successive away games, Tigers return home on Friday night in the final pool stages fixture of the 2022/23 European campaign and Wigglesworth was already excited about being back with the entire Tigers Family in seven days.

“It has been a month, so feels like a very long time and is one since we’ve played at Mattioli Woods Welford Road,” Wigglesworth said.

“The unique position we have at Leicester Tigers is that thousands of fans travel to away games, so we’re never without support.

“But, playing at home is something else. Playing at Mattioli Woods Welford Road is no like nothing any other English team has.”