Cockerill: Arrogance needed to beat Toulon

RICHARD COCKERILL believes his Edinburgh side can send the ‘rock stars’ of Toulon plummeting down the European charts. With Edinburgh beaten in Montpellier and Toulon losing at home to Newcastle, they meet in the Heineken Champions Cup at Murrayfield this weekend knowing defeat will end one of side’s qualification hopes after just two matches. Both picked up losing bonus points and Cockerill knows his team can’t afford any slip-ups against the French giants. ‘They are the team with all the rock stars,’ said the Edinburgh head coach. ‘We are the team who pride ourselves on unity and what we do as a collective. ‘They have high-class players whose individual brilliance can turn a game on its head. They will be motivated after losing their first game at home. They will be good at the weekend, we just have to be better.’ Cockerill said there would be no inferiority complex after the Montpellier result. ‘If it kills me I’m going to get rid of this Scottish trait of “we’re always going to be second best and we’re going to be plucky losers” because it really does my head in. ‘I’m an arrogant Englishman and I expect to win, that’s just my nature, love it or not. Our lads have to get that streak in them, and quickly. ‘Montpellier were good but we should have won that game. Beating Toulon is a big step for Edinburgh Rugby but we can take it.’