 Cockerill says the game's lawmakers have "issues to deal with" |
Leicester boss Richard Cockerill has lashed out at rugby's "cheats" after watching his side draw 22-22 with Heineken Cup rivals Perpignan. Cockerill also claimed Irish referee Peter Fitzgibbon failed to punish breakdown offences during the match. "Sides that want to cheat, lie down at the breakdown, kill the ball and not roll away are getting away with it more and more," fumed Cockerill. "The referee doesn't deal with it. How are you meant to play?" The interpretation of the breakdown rules has long been a contentious issue in the modern game. In December 2009, the International Rugby Board approved new directives designed to encourage more running rugby. The revision attempted to reinforce the distinction between tackling and rucking - supposedly allowing the tackled player to play the ball immediately after he is tackled.  | We spoke to [ERC match officials performance manager) Donal Courtney and he assured us there would be zero tolerance at the breakdown. Clearly, there wasn't zero tolerance today |
The law is also meant to make it clear that the tackler must not get in the way of the ball once a tackle is completed, thus enabling a swift clear-out. Insisting rugby's lawmakers had "issues to deal with", Cockerill claimed the Perpignan players "killed the ball and didn't roll away". He added: "They came with a plan to not let us play. We spoke to [ERC match officials performance manager) Donal Courtney and he assured us there would be zero tolerance at the breakdown. Clearly, there wasn't zero tolerance today." Cockerill is not the only coach unhappy with the game's rules and regulations. Saracens boss Brendan Venter claimed referees were inconsistent in their application of the law following what he deemed as injustices during his side's 23-25 Heineken Cup loss to Leinster in October. The South African was fined £21,850 by tournament organisers European Rugby Cup (ERC) for the outburst. Cockerill could face a similar punishment following his assessment of officiating in Sunday's Pool Five clash. However, Cockerill conceded it was "not the referee's fault" his side drew at Welford Road. Billy Twelvetrees - a late replacement for abductor muscle injury victim Toby Flood - missed two late penalties that should have turned his team's territorial dominance into four points for a win. The Tigers had led 13-6 after a try from Alesana Tuilagi. Scrum-half David Mele touched down after the restart to edge the Catalans in front but Twelvetrees' missed kicks were punished by Nicolas Laharrague's 79th-minute equaliser. | 606: DEBATE |
The result leaves Leicester second in the pool, two points behind the Scarlets, whom Cockerill's troops must now beat in Wales on 15 January as well as bottom-of-the-table Treviso at home the following weekend to stand any chance of qualification. "You'd like to think you'd win your home games but it is still all to play for," added Cockerill. "If we want to qualify we have to win both games. Whether it is top of the pool will come down to bonus points." Perpignan's former Leicester prop Perry Freshwater said: "Not many teams come here and get any kind of result. "We're very happy. Our form isn't great away from home. It feels like a win. The boys are very happy in the changing room."
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