Don’t blame Mike for late loss.. we blew it as a team
Toolis jumps to hooker’s defence after semi slip-up
BEN TOOLIS insists teammate Mike Willemse should not shoulder the blame for Edinburgh blowing their shot at Pro14 glory.
The lock believes shared responsibility applies for their failure to finish off Ulster despite building a 19-7 lead.
There could not have been a more dramatic conclusion to Saturday’s semi-final as Ian Madigan punished Willemse’s knock-on by blasting a 40metre penalty with the last boot of the ball.
His error may have proved decisive but Toolis leapt to the defence of the hooker who didn’t need to be told.
He said: “Obviously Mike’s gutted. People might say that was the deciding factor but there were a lot of areas in the last 10 minutes that led to penalties, which kept them in the game, kept them in our half and we had to defend.
“Sometimes that happens and unfortunately for Mike he’s probably feeling that it was his fault. But it’s not his fault – it’s a collective thing.
“It’s just fine margins. The smallest things can let them back into the game and it becomes a mental battle then.
“We probably deserved the loss because we didn’t close out the game when we should have.”
It was an excruciating way to go out and another classic example of Scottish sport’s ability to self-destruct.
Stuart McInally, Darcy Graham and Chris Dean had crossed to edge them into a 12-point lead with 23 minutes left. But a series of unforced errors allowed Ulster to line up a final against reigning champions Leinster.
A fan-free Murrayfield or not, Toolis insists Edinburgh must look at themselves as attention turns to a Challenge Cup quarter-final against Bordeaux a week on Saturday.
He said: “We need to make sure that when we’re in a position like that, we better utilise the pitch and not be silly and give them the ball. We need to review it and make sure we take the positives from the season, push on into next season, and go into Europe in two weeks’ time and try to kick-start things.”
Indeed, he admits the Gunners must kick the habit of losing from positions of strength in knockout rugby, having lost four ties in Richard Cockerill’s time in charge.
Toolis added: “I thought we would have learned from previous games. We were stupid with some of the decisions we made, Ulster fought hard in the second half and found a way to win.
“But we just need to make sure that when we’re winning and in a good position, we keep pushing and learn how to win those games.”