Cockerill - we need to get those tiny bits better

• 20 February 2021
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Head Coach Richard Cockerill admitted that his side need to tidy up the smaller parts of their game if they are to turn pressure into points moving forward.

With tonight's loss to Munster ultimately coming down to small margins, Edinburgh struggled to make the breakthrough at vital moments in the game, with Munster closing out the match and showcasing why they have been so successful this season.

"There were some good parts and some bad parts," said Cockerill. "It was a tough physical game. We knew it would come down to small margins and we made some errors."

"They looked good at their set piece, we struggled at scrum and line out time on occasions and if you do that in this weather and you get marched up the field it’s always going to be tough.

"I’m pleased with the players effort and attitude. We stayed in the game at 17-10 when they kicked the ball dead and we had a centre field scrum some of our game management could have been better but we stayed in the fight.

"What did we play? 88-89 minutes, we were trying to get another score to take a point. They’re a good team and we didn’t do parts of our game as well as we’d have liked to but that was credit to them because they put us under pressure.

"We were camped on their line at 3-3 and we had some confusion about what we were doing and suddenly it’s a knock-on, from that scrum we get penalised, then they march us up the field and score the other end and the swing’s massive."

"Another set of scrums under the pitch when it’s 17-10, there’s an opportunity there and we didn’t manage to take it."

"They’re a good team, they played well and they deserved to win. We just need to get those tiny bits better."

Two positives to take out the defeat were the debut appearances of recent signing Boan Venter and Academy centre Matt Currie, both of whom saw game time late in the encounter.

"Matt Currie’s been brilliant, he’s worked really hard, he’s come through the academy and he’s made his debut tonight so very proud of him and what he’s been doing.

"Boan’s only trained for four days so it’s good to get him on the field, get him integrated. We hope he’ll kick on and get better and better."