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Kelleher: Toulouse will improve

October 13 2008

Toulouse scrum-half Byron Kelleher has urged his team-mates to dig deep and provide more if they are to be serious contenders in this season's Heineken Cup.

The three-time former European champions, who lost to Munster in last season's final, edged to a nail-biting 18-16 win over Bath on Saturday, fly-half David Skrela hitting a magnificent touchline penalty two minutes into injury time.

Bath outscored the home side two tries to none and looked dangerous in attack, but paid for their ill-discipline around the ruck area.

"We started slowly and we aren't happy with our performance. We have to improve," said Kelleher.

"We struggled to get any rhythm in our game. It was really stop-start and that made the game really difficult for us. It was a difficult match. They stuck to their guns, and made it difficult for us.

"There was a lot of pressure on us to win playing at home but that's no excuse. We have not hit our best form yet but we've got plenty of time left in the competition to go away and improve on it."

Toulouse coach Guy Novès said lessons had been learned from the game, which looked to have swung Bath's way when full-back Nick Abendon surged through three tackles to score a try two minutes from regulation time.

"I don't think Bath were really any better than us but we have to learn lessons from this match," Noveès said.

"We looked to play in the first half and the chat in the changing rooms during the break was focused on our deficiency in this. We were more intelligent in the second half when, once again, we had proof that the European Cup can be played out on a mental level, which was the determining factor in this game.

"These games are of a higher level which is why you have to try to progress in each match.

"As for the English, they are fond of this type of (running) game and the fact they played up to the fans in the first half completely confounded our players."

Toulouse wing Cedric Heymans was in no doubt who had won the match for the home side.

"We won this game thanks to David Skrela's feat," the France international said of his team-mate, who signed for Toulouse this season from Stade Francais.

Skrela changed clubs after seeing his playing time for the Parisian club reduced by the presence of Argentine Juan Martin Hernandez and fellow France international Lionel Beauxis.

But his kicking ability cannot be doubted, and his six penalties against Bath, including the final match winner, could prove crucial in a tournament where only the six pool winners and two runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals.