Cheika hoping players learn from mistakes

Michael Cheika cut a disconsolate figure in the tunnel underneath the stand at Murrayfield yesterday, struggling to contain his disappointment in trying to reconcile how Leinster lost a match they should have won.

Whatever about the interpretations of French referee Joel Jutge who penalised the Irish province heavily at the breakdown, this was a game in which the visitors created enough opportunities to make the officiating a side issue.

They outscored their hosts by three tries to one but were left to rue both indiscipline and a lack of precision that should have yielded even more tries. Cheika admitted: "I am just disppointed that we scored three tries to one in a Heineken Cup match and we lose.

"In the first half we were a bit sluggish but in the second half we really kicked it up a notch and took it from the start of that half. We got ourselves into position but maybe we did push the pass a little bit too much.

"There were some moments of accuracy at the end (of the match) where we need to shut them out and finish the game. We didn't do that and left them in a position where anything could happen."

It did, courtesy of replacement outhalf Duncan Hodge whose injury-time drop goal secured the victory and four points.

Cheika pointed out that his players were devastated in finishing second best on the scoreboard.

"They're much more frustrated than me. It's their game. I feel disappointed for them because they put in a lot of effort but if we are going to breed a winning culture down here we have got to take that in and make sure we turn it around for December and come out all guns blazing. That's got to burn inside us for a little bit and we have to use that (to our) advantage."

Leinster outhalf and official man of the match Felipe Contepomi, who produced another superb kicking display along with making several line breaks, admitted: "We didn't do enough to win because we didn't win. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves by giving away too many penalties. They played good rugby and they have a lot of good players.

"We knew it was going to take us 80 minutes to fight for this game. There was a lack of discipline. If you give away so many penalties you're going to be in trouble. We need to adjust to the French referees. They don't let you compete so much on the ground. (Joel) Jutge was good and fair but we gave away too many penalties.

"The one thing we're trained to do is not give up until the bitter end. Edinburgh were the same and you could see that through the drop goal they got. It will be tough against Agen, who we have at home first. It will be difficult because they won in Gloucester and they are obviously up for this competition."

Edinburgh coach Lynn Howells was proud of his team's character laden performance. "It was an up and down game, what we expected. It wasn't a game that the coaches would have enjoyed. I think I'm going to have to start taking heart tablets.

"We have critics who say we haven't got the backbone to compete at this level but I think we're slowly answering them. If we had lost today we would have been out of the competition.

"We can't keep losing so much ball in possession. That was our downfall today but the team showed character and (Duncan) Hodge went on to do what he did. It was great to see him kick that drop goal in a game whose intensity was near international level."