Cheika: Sale Loss a “Lesson” for Leicester Tigers

Leicester Tigers head coach Michael Cheika, who was appointed in the summer, stated that his team learned a significant lesson from Sale Sharks after being decisively defeated in Sunday’s Premiership match. Despite an early lead established by a Nicky Smith try and two Handre Pollard penalties, which lasted until the 30-minute mark, the Tigers ultimately suffered a substantial 39-25 defeat at the hands of the hosts. This marked their return to league competition after a five-week hiatus. Prior to the break in fixtures, which encompassed both the autumn international series and the commencement of the Premiership Rugby Cup, the Tigers held the second position in the league standings but have since fallen to third place. Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester, Cheika asserted, “There are no excuses.” He further elaborated, “What has got us to where we were at the end of the first block [of fixtures] is not what is going to get us to where we need to be at the end of the second block.” Cheika, who previously served as head coach for both Australia and Argentina, commented that the Tigers displayed moments of strong play against Sale, but conceded that several “fundamentals” were absent from their overall performance. This particular match initiated a two-month period of continuous league and European Champions Cup competition for the East Midlands club, preceding an additional month-long pause in February for the Six Nations tournament. Cheika, a coach who secured Europe’s most prestigious club honor during his tenure leading Leinster, suggested that the defeat at the Salford Community Stadium might ultimately be “a positive thing.” He further elaborated, stating, “It’s a good lesson for us to go, OK, it’s time to front up to get to a better level, especially with the physicality of the game.”