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We're better than that says Heyneke

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Heyneke Meyer will be looking for his Leicester Tigers team to bounce straight back after the “hurt” of a first defeat of the season against London Wasps on Friday.

After winning the opening three games of the season – against Gloucester, London Irish and Worcester Warriors – head coach Meyer experienced defeat for the first time at Welford Road on Friday.

“We started well tactically, we played well in the first half and we were ahead at half-time,” said Meyer.

“But in the second half there were no set-plays in their half. Every time they got into our half there was a penalty at the breakdown and they kicked their goals.

“We gave away unnecessary penalties, especially within kicking distance, and that makes it very difficult.

“At the breakdown we conceded penalties and we need to look at that and adjust. If we want to be a championship side we need to be better there.

“The defeat hurts, definitely, because every defeat hurts, especially because we want to play good rugby in front of our own crowd. It hurts me and the players but that is probably when you get tested as a champion and you need to stick together and bounce back.”

There is no time for Tigers to lick their wounds as Welford Road hosts the second half of a Guinness Premiership double header against East Midlands rivals Northampton Saints on Wednesday.

 “It is a quick turnaround for Wednesday,” added Meyer. “We have got to get our act on the road and be focused for the next game, we are a much better team than that.”

Meyer refused to blame defeat on the move to uncontested scrums during the second half, just after the introduction of Julian White from the Leicester bench, and said: “I am not making excuses there, we should have played better and got more set-pieces in their half but we did not.

“But we wanted to attack them at the lineout and at scrum time. We worked hard at scrums and the plan was to bring on Julian and really put them under pressure.”

Tickets for Wednesday’s match against Northampton Saints are on sale from the Tigers ticket office now. Contact 08701 28 34 30, book online or call in at Welford Road. Kick-off is at 7.45pm.