Cockerill: Tigers second best

Leicester head coach Richard Cockerill admitted his side was second best as they went down to a 19-3 defeat at Northampton.

Leicester coach slams players after heavy defeat

Leicester head coach Richard Cockerill admitted his side was second best as they went down to a disappointing 19-3 defeat at Northampton. Saints scored their biggest winning margin over their Midlands rivals in 17 years as the Guinness Premiership leaders were brought down to size. And Cockerill said his players only had themselves to blame fro allowing the game to run away from them. "We started the game well but we gave stupid penalties away," he said. "Our ill-discipline from that point of view was disappointing. "We gave them 12 points in the first half and they didn't do a lot for them. They went in 12-3 ahead and they didn't earn those points particularly, we gave them to them with our ill-discipline. "They broke our line with a try at the start of the second half and it's then a hard game to chase. "I'm disappointed all round really. We were second best in pretty much every department." Opposite number Jim Mallinder was predictably delighted with the outcome that takes Saints to within a point of the table-toppers. "It was good night for us," said Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder. "It was a real professional performance. "We have been renowned this season for scoring some good tries and the backs winning us games but this was a 15-man effort. "Our forwards were outstanding, particularly in the scrum, which against Leicester you have to be."