'That's what I keep telling the players': Edinburgh finally taking in the message from head coach Cockerill
Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill was delighted with their victory over Sale Sharks but has urged his players to build on this result.
The Scottish outfit kept themselves in the Champions Cup after coming from 12-0 down to defeat the English side in a 16-15 success.
Mark Bennett’s converted try and three penalties from Jaco Van Der Walt snatched the win from Sale, whose scores came from Denny Solomona and Rohan Janse Van Rensburg tries, and Rob Du Preez’s three-pointer.
It was a key triumph for the visitors, who have struggled in the PRO14 and sit in fifth position in Conference B.
“In the previous games, we haven’t been playing that poorly, we have just made critical errors at critical times and that’s what I keep telling the players,” Cockerill said.
“It’s the tiny things that hurt you, not the big things. It’s all the little errors that add up and those are the bits that cost you the game.
“Sale are a good side, they’re a quality outfit with quality players, and we’re delighted to be competing and staying in the fight. If you stay in the fight, games turn all the time.
“We rode our luck a little bit but we’re delighted with the win. It keeps us in Europe and we should be proud of our performance and our effort to come here against a good team.”
Cockerill also praised the mental strength of fly-half Van Der Walt, who was capped by Scotland in the Autumn Nations Cup, after he kicked 11 points, including the winning penalty nine minutes from time.
He added: “The boy’s got some minerals, hasn’t he? He’s an international 10 so I expect him to kick his goals, but he’s a good man, he works hard for the team. When push came to shove, he was very, very good.”
Edinburgh’s victory over Sale effectively ends the Sharks’ hopes of progressing in the Champions Cup, having also succumbed to Toulon in their opener.
Head coach Paul Deacon said: “At half-time, I was really pleased, I thought our first half was up there with one of our best. In the second half, we were against it on the penalty count and we let Edinburgh into our half a little too easily.
“We played some good stuff in the second half last week and some good stuff in the first half this week, so we want to try and put two halves together as soon as we can.”
Deacon also reiterated his desire to remain in charge of the team having taken over from Steve Diamond, who departed the club earlier this month.
“I’ve enjoyed the last two weeks, even though I would enjoy it more if we were getting the wins,” he added. “I’ve enjoyed the experience and it’s one that I want to keep going.
“Whether the owners see me as the man to take charge, that’s their call. I don’t see myself as a director of rugby, I see myself as a head coach, but we’ll see what the owners think.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Wow, never thought I would read that
1 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments“We need eight or nine new players, who are hard-wearing and durable and experienced Premiership performers”. So why are they scouting a retired fullback who himself admits that his “body is broken”?
1 Go to commentsBrumbies hand, knocked a Crusaders hand. Therefore, knock on in goal. Crusaders, goal line drop out should’ve been awarded. most likely after that 24 each at full time, so extra time would’ve been the right an entertaining outcome. Act Jim
1 Go to commentsSpeell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
6 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
6 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
5 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to comments