Aviva Premiership: Richard Cockerill says Leicester's win over Bath puts them back 'in the mix'

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill was pleased with his side's defensive efforts in keeping a star-studded Bath backline quiet at Welford Road on Sunday.

The 17-8 win for the Tigers puts them in fifth place in the Premiership, on the same points as fourth-placed Wasps who are above them due to a superior points difference.

The victory was the perfect start to 2015 for Cockerill, who says that other sides in the Aviva Premiership will have been given a reminder by the Leicester performance that they are still in play-off contention.

"It was a big game for us, and I thought we played very well against a good side," Cockerill said.

"In isolation, it's a massive win for us - a great building block.”

The former England hooker said his team was not influenced by the 45-0 loss they suffered at the hands of Bath at the Recreation Ground in September.

"We didn't talk about it," he added. "I didn't really want to revisit it too much because every time you watched it they looked so good.

“We focused on ourselves and what we can do well.”

Bath’s celebrated backs - including league convert Sam Burgess at outside centre - were unable to impose themselves at Welford Road. The attitude in defence pleased Cockerill, who says his team has voiced a threat to the other teams in the Premiership.

Appetite

"Across the board, I think we wanted it more than they did," said Cockerill. "We defended exceptionally well and we didn't give their back-line the opportunity to create the opportunities that maybe they normally get.

"It proves we can beat the sides that have been on really good form. It puts us right back in the mix.

"It sends a little bit of a bullet across the bows of everybody that we are still in the mix and we have still got the appetite to compete. We needed to win today."

Meanwhile, Bath’s Mike Ford said his team lost due to a lack of discipline.

"We were on the wrong side of the referee,” said Ford, “We couldn't adapt.

"We are the best-disciplined team in the competition by a country mile, but today we conceded nine or 10 penalties in the first 25 minutes, so we will have to look at that.

"At 17-3 behind in those conditions, the game got away from us a little bit.

"Can we get better? Of course we can. We played the better football, but that doesn't mean you win games. There are loads of different ways to win a game.

"We are in a good place, and we will lick our wounds and learn from today."