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Michael Cheika reacts to Leicester win and tragedy behind player's performance
By PA
Michael Cheika felt that Leicester were rewarded for “playing the long game” after his reign as Tigers head coach began with a dramatic 17-14 Gallagher Premiership victory over Exeter.
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Former Australia and Argentina boss Cheika was appointed this summer, succeeding Dan McKellar and charged with reviving the fortunes of a club that finished eighth in the Premiership last term.
And the early signs look good as Leicester prevailed at Sandy Park through flanker Tommy Reffell’s stoppage-time try despite having their former Exeter centre Solomone Kata sent off following a high challenge late in the game.
“We talked about playing the long game, not being too anxious to get things going early on,” Cheika said.
“You need to be in the pressure cooker of the game and be prepared to defend for long periods.
“I felt like the way we played the long game, we were always going to be in it right until the end. We didn’t panic – even me!”
Cheika had particular praise for flanker Olly Cracknell, who produced an outstanding display following the death of his father earlier this week.
“Respect to him and his family from everyone at Tigers. We are feeling for him,” Cheika added.
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“I left him all week and he called me up and said that his family wanted him to play, that that’s what his dad would have wanted.
“That type of performance, under that strain is fantastic. He played 80 minutes, was physical, went hard at it.
“It’s more about the collective. I just wanted to mention that because it was a fantastic effort from a fantastic person.”
An error-strewn contest meant the game rarely moved out of second gear, yet second-half tries from number eight Greg Fisilau and scrum-half Tom Cairns appeared to give Exeter breathing space.
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Chiefs full-back Josh Hodge kicked two conversions but Tigers would not go quietly and flanker Hanro Liebenberg’s touchdown gave them hope, while Jamie Shillcock landed a drop-goal and conversion, and Ben Volavola added the extras to Reffell’s clincher.
Exeter rugby director Rob Baxter described Chiefs’ defeat as “a slap in the face” and he was at a loss to explain some of his team’s performance.
“It is hugely disappointing to lose the game the way we did,” Baxter said.
“I said to the players I hoped we were further down the line than to look so callow and inexperienced in the last 20 minutes as we did today. We did some very odd things.
“You are left shaking your head and saying ‘I am not sure what we are doing’.
“It just seemed like a scenario where we were inviting Leicester to get back in the game like they did, and that is exactly what we did. We invited them back into the game.
“Fair play to Leicester, they stuck in there in the first-half, and in the second-half they didn’t let that gap get too big and they have forced the win.
“The reality is this is a slap in the face, and you have to accept it as that.”
