Handré Pollard admitted a lack of execution let down Leicester Tigers against the class of Leinster in the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals.
Speaking after the 31-point, 55-24 defeat in Dublin, Pollard said: “We fought hard, we fought really hard … I mean, it was a seven-point game after 50 minutes.”
“But we didn’t convert opportunities we created tonight and that ended up hurting us the most.
“If you give a side of Leinster’s class a sniff, they will strike and - credit to them - they did that tonight.”
One of nine players in the Leicester matchday squad to have debuted for the club this season, Pollard admitted experience together probably contributed to the contrasting execution levels.
But, looking to what can be gained from the experience, Pollard said it was about working out what needed improving and then, simply, getting to work.
“For a team that hasn’t played a lot of rugby together, to come to a place like this and take on a team like that, there is a lot we can learn,” he said.
“We go away now and take the lessons, we work on the areas we need to be better at and we do what we can to improve.
“No talking about it, but actually going to work - together - and getting better as a group.”
In the green of Tigers for the first time at the Aviva, after wearing the green of South Africa at the Aviva on occasion before, the Leicester fly-half admitted to some similar feelings out in the middle.
“It felt like the other times I have been here, with the Springboks, as you’re up against pretty much the Ireland team,” said Pollard
“I haven’t had joy here before and hopefully one day I do. It’s a tough place to come, they’re a tough team to play and tonight was no different.”
While many saw the game as a foregone conclusion before kick-off, Pollard said he and his fellow Tigers did not come to Dublin to simply make up numbers.
When asked about whether there was any pressure, he replied: “There probably wasn’t pressure on us from outside the club, people had their expectations of the game and that’s probably what happened.”
“But, we put pressure on ourselves to execute and to perform.
“Any time you represent a club like Leicester Tigers, you have to perform and we came to do that tonight. We came to try and win the game, like every game we play, and we had a swing at it, gave our everything and fought hard.”
In his debut campaign for the club, Pollard has experienced more than some players do in a multi-year career, which he acknowledged as having challenged the group.
But, looking ahead to next challenge, he added: “We have been through some challenges this season, not like anything else any of us have experienced before, and are still fighting away.”
“There is plenty to play for us this season, absolutely there is, and the next challenge is Exeter at home next weekend.”
After playing in South Africa, Japan and France, as well as in Test arenas around the world, prior to arriving in the East Midlands, Pollard said he has been “humbled” by the level of support Leicester Tigers receives, weekly, whether home or away.
“I have been blown away by the level of support Leicester Tigers has, home and away, since I got here,” Pollard said.
“People talked about it, told me about it and I read and saw things, but to experience the support this club has is something else.
“It is humbling to be able to be a part of a club like this, to represent a club like this and we want to make everybody who supports us proud.”
Speaking directly to those who managed to make the trip to Dublin in such a short space of time, he said: “We can’t thank all the fans enough who made this trip in pretty tough circumstances and hopefully they were proud of us tonight despite the result.”
