Ellis Genge 'gutted' after Champions Cup exit
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The Leicester Tigers' 2021/22 Champions Cup journey came to an end on Saturday after going down 23-14 to Leinster at Welford Road.
“I was gutted,” the Leicester Tigers captain said.
"The difference from the first half to the second half… From 20-0 down to win the second half 14-3 shows where we should have been at. They are a brilliant side and if you play like that in the first half against a team like that then you are going to get punished, and then we had to chase the game."
“It is hard to win from 20-0 down. We did not stop fighting. We did what we did all year for 40 minutes, I just wish we had done it for 80 minutes.
“I don’t want to give an excuse and say they had two weeks off and we were knackered. I would play again now if it meant we had another crack of the whip. Being centrally contracted (with the IRFU), they benefit from being able to rest players as and when. I am just upset at the missed opportunity.”
The England prop was frank in his response when asked if it is difficult to compete against Leinster who fielded 13 internationals in their starting 15.
“Look mate, I am not trying to be a p**** here but I don’t want you saying that. We came out there and we fought as hard as we could.
“They have 13 internationals but don’t put us in that bracket of ‘we gave it a good crack’. We could have won that game. I think you know that as well. If anyone is going to say that to me, please don’t because it is going to wind me right up.
“Our boys fought all game so I am not going to come here for someone to say we gave it a good crack and we’re plucky losers. I am not having a pop, but I am just ,saying please don’t say that to me.”
