‘Victory was within our grasp’

HUGE MOMENTS IN THE SEMI DID NOT GO OUR WAY, INSISTS MURPHY

GEORDAN Murphy believes victory was within Leicester Tigers’ grasp as Toulon emerged victorious in the European Challenge Cup semifinal.

A combination of errors from the visitors, questionable officiating and clinical Toulon finishing saw the hosts build a 14-point lead before half-time with converted tries from Bryce Heem and Gabin Villiere.

Tigers roared back with Nemani Nadolo’s 37th minute try and George Ford’s penalty shortly after the restart to cut the deficit to six points. Momentum appeared to have fully swung Tigers’ way, but after Ford kicked the ball dead from a promising penalty position, Toulon swarmed to score another pair of converted tries.

Facundo Isa struck before Villiere’s second opened an 18-point lead with 13 minutes remaining.

Harry Potter’s reply with six minutes remaining provided some late hope but it was Toulon who booked their place in the final against Bristol Bears next month.

“It’s hugely disappointing,” said director of rugby Murphy, left. “We came here to win, we trained well in the week and set the guys up well. A lot of people put a lot of effort into tonight. We’re really disappointed to come away with the loss.

“We felt it was within our grasp. We started the game well, turned it over a few too many times. Toulon are a quality side.

“We gifted them their first three scores and we found ourselves 20 points down. It’s very difficult in a European semi to come back from that. I thought the endeavour of the guys showed. They stayed in it and some huge moments didn’t go our way, but we stayed in it to the death and there was some pleasing things from the players.”

Former Tigers fly-half Andy Goode, who was commentating on the match for BT Sport, questioned the legitimacy of Toulon’s first two tries but it was the visitors who ultimately had a score chalked off when Ellis Genge’s late surge to the line from the 22 was ruled out as Ford’s pass was adjudged to be forward.

“There’s no excuses, the better team won on the night,” said Murphy.

“The margins were very, very fine. The scoreline wasn’t as grand as it could have been. I think we were better than that.

“Obviously having a try disallowed at the death and the guys were playing for more points, which would’ve been a one-score game, will be a bitter pill to watch, to look back on.

“But these European games always come down to fine margins and I think three or four very fine decisions or episodes went against us.” Having progressed to the last four courtesy of Castres forfeiting last week’s quarter-final, Tigers have now lost six of their eight games played since the restart with their last win on the road coming 10 games ago – when Italian minnows Calvisano were defeated 20-13 back in December’s European Challenge Cup pool stage meeting.

“We’ve been trying to take one step forward with every game we’ve played and we have been trying to make some real progress and that’s been challenging,” said Murphy.

“We’ve certainly done that in a lot of games we’ve played.

“We’ve tried to build and grow as a side and take positives out of every game and certainly there were some huge steps forward again.

“In most of the games we’ve played, we’ve certainly made progress, barring a couple, but we’ve talked about those and learned our lessons.

“In a European semi against a quality side like Toulon, again at times, I thought we looked like the far better side.”