Meyer lauds Hoogaard skills

Heyneke Meyer paid tribute to fly-half Derick Hoogaard after the South African marked his Leicester debut with a 14-point haul.

Tigers coach tips fly-half for Premiership success

Heyneke Meyer paid tribute to fly-half Derick Hoogaard after the South African marked his Leicester debut with a 14-point haul in the 19-15 EDF Energy Cup victory over Bath. Tigers' head coach admitted his countryman was a vital component in the win at the Rec after Hoogaard added a 70th-minute drop goal to three earlier penalties and a conversion. "It's great to have a guy who is used to playing tactically and we used our chances better in the game," he said. "You need very good number 10 in these competitions and Derrick is a good tactical player who can turn a game around. "He will be one of the best players in the Premiership especially as he learns to play in different conditions. He's got a lot to offer." Bath coach Steve Meehan backed his players after their attacking, adventurous tactics failed to come off. "I would rather go down playing rugby rather than relying on kicking and penalties. The players' attitude was to attack and I'm not going to berate them for that. "It's all about their development and maturity and learning to execute skills under pressure. We learnt a lot about our players today."