Richard Cockerill launched a scathing attack on referee Peter Fitzgibbon after Leicester's Heineken Cup draw with Perpignan on Sunday.
Leicester boss says poor control allows cheats to prosper
Richard Cockerill launched a scathing attack on referee Peter Fitzgibbon in the wake of Leicester's Heineken Cup draw with Perpignan on Sunday.
The Tigers' director of rugby accused the referee of not dealing with the French side's repeated killing of the ball at the breakdown during the clash at Welford Road
Cockerill also rounded on competition organisers ERC who, he said, were not fulfilling their promise of zero tolerance in the competition.
"It is not the referee's fault we drew today," he said. "We have to deal with the issues.
"But clearly the lawmakers have some issues to deal with because today was a complete mess at the breakdown.
"It seems to be the 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. 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.
"Every time we got to the 22 they killed the ball, they didn't roll away, they were in at the side whereas we are told it is zero tolerance.
"The lawmakers come out with these mandates and they say 'This is how it is going to be refereed'.
Lost for words
"You try to play, you can't play. The referee doesn't deal with it, you can't ruck anybody, you can't use physical force to move anybody so how are you meant to play the game? I am lost for words on that."
Cockerill's outburst could land him in deep water with ERC, who fined Saracens boss Brendan Venter 25,000 Euros last month for criticising referees following his side's Heineken Cup defeat by Leinster.
Leicester must now win at Pool Five leaders Scarlets and beat Treviso to keep their Heineken Cup hopes alive.
"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."
