Sunday’s game was really tough but a great experience. With time to reflect I can truthfully say that no one would want to win or lose that way - but I really feel we deserved the result.
Being the team captain was slightly surreal. I have been at Leicester for 12 seasons and never expected to skipper the side. It was undoubtedly an honour and what’s more, I really enjoyed it. That said, as captain, I felt I had little to do except try to say the right things at the right time. Our side is an interesting mix of players; many have a lot of experience, so they didn’t need a great deal from me and our youngsters are confident – and justifiably so – which made my job relatively easy. I just didn’t expect us to be on the pitch quite as long as we were.
I still can’t quite believe how Sunday’s match turned out and having spoken to friends and relatives after the game, neither can they. Taking part in a shoot out was odd but even odder was how we all felt afterwards. Everyone seemed bewildered. It was strange. When any match is decided by shoot outs you always feel the outcome could have gone either way and I genuinely feel sorry for Cardiff - but that said, had they won I would have felt robbed. The atmosphere on the coach home was different too. The trip back to Leicester was over 3 hours and usually under those circumstances you would expect to have a team beer back on home turf, however, despite the joy of winning, everyone headed straight home. Our focus just moved to the match this weekend and all the preparation we have to do – and the training schedule we knew faced us…
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It was perhaps one of the best Heineken Cup games in recent years and with the action as nerveracking for the fans as it must have been for the players. Jordan Crane was the personification of calm as he slotted that priceless penalty kick. A great advert for the game.
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