News

Robinson furious with Edinburgh showing

October 11 2008

Edinburgh boss Andy Robinson was left fuming after dubbing his side's first-half display against Leinster as the worst in his time at the club.

Robinson's men suffered a terrible start to their Heineken Cup campaign by going down 27-16 with all the damage done before half-time as missed tackle after missed tackle allowed the Magners League champions to run in four unanswered tries and claim a bonus point.

The Head Coach subsequently laid down the law at the interval which saw Edinburgh score a penalty try to reduce the arrears, but Leinster comfortably held out to end their four-match losing streak at the venue for this year's final.

"The first-half performance for a professional rugby side is unacceptable. Let's not hide away from it," said Robinson, before confirming the opening 40 minutes was the worst since he took charge.

"To concede four tries as we did and in the manner they were conceded is unacceptable - and I've explained that to the players.

"We have let down the Edinburgh supporters and I take responsibility for this."

The defeat was the club's fifth in six games this season in all competitions and Robinson added that he is tired of making excuses for his side's defeats.

"We can't keep going on about missed opportunities and 'if onlys'. At some stage, we've got to grow as a team," he continued.

"That Leinster team, when you watch the game today, were there for the taking. They weren't as slick as I've seen them. However, when they got in behind us, they took their chances.

"It's unacceptable to me that they got in those positions because it was all down to missed tackles.

"Rugby's a tough sport but every single player has got to be able to make their tackles and today we dropped off tackles."

The officials were not spared a Robinson tongue-lashing, with the coach angered by some of the tactics employed by Leinster which went unpunished in the second period.

"Every time we got in behind Leinster, a deliberate penalty got given away and I wanted the referee to understand that," said Robinson, who at one point exploded out of his seat in the stand to remonstrate with the fourth official.

"We had one penalty try - it was clear cut. I thought potentially there was a second one.

"I needed the fourth official to communicate that to the referee. It's one of those that's just very, very frustrating. It's happened to us quite often.

"The referee did not lose us that game. As I've always tried to explain to the team, we win or lose matches."