Leinster coach Joe Schmidt admitted that his side were "very lucky" to escape with a 9-6 win over Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.
The Chiefs were making their Heineken Cup debut in Dublin but went toe-to-toe with the defending champions only to miss a last-minute penalty that denied them a deserved draw.
"It was disappointing," Schmidt told Sky Sports.
"I don't think there was the fluidity out there from either side. There was quite a bit of play bit it didn't going anywhere much.
"I thought both sides defended really strongly, it's the first time in a long time we haven't conceded a try so that's something positive. We got exactly what we expected - they're really tough, tough to clear them out of the ruck, tough to even keep up with them - I thought they played across the field really well.
"As I've said before I think they're really well coached, they're a really tough side. I know we've got to go back there yet, I'm not looking forward to that because we got out of jail today.
"If anything a draw would've been a fair result maybe and in the end I think they missed one more kick than we did so it could have even gone their way so we were very, very lucky."
Exeter's Irish skipper Tom Hayes said his team was still growing and would take great confidence from such a promising performance in their first Heineken Cup game.
"We came here today to play are rugby, we said we're delighted to be in the Heineken Cup so we weren't going to be afraid of being in it when we got here," said Hayes.
"We put everything we had into the game, we've come up a little bit short but there's a lot there for us to be positive about and a lot to build on.
"We've a lot of belief in ourselves in what we're about as a team. We've grown a bit as a team together over the last three or four years and we're developing all the time so today is just another step forward.
"We're not the finished article by any means but hopefully we can kick on from here and try to improve and at some stage turn games like that today into wins which will be crucial for us."
Comments
Sincero says...
'"We came here today to play are rugby," said Hayes...'
Did he, though? Did he really?
Unacceptable all round, but Joe knows that more than anyone. While Exeter played the ref with constant infringements, the fact ramains that we failed to clear them out properly far too often. The intensity was lacking... it was there from the crowd... but the players didn't quite lift themselves as we had hoped. Well done to Exeter, anyway... could easily have drawn or won that match.
4 points means we're in a bad situation... down, but not out.
Posted 14:34 14th October 2012
NHsaints says...
The difference between the two teams was that Leinster had some players in the midfield actually dangerous enough to break the line, Exeter are still looking for their 'sparks' which are the difference between them and the very best teams in the world...they could do with an attacking edge...every top team has at least one player capable of sparking something from nothing and bring something special to their position and exeter don't quite have that. Northampton have Tonguiha/Foden/Pisi, Saracens have Ashton, Leicester have Ford/Flood/Allen/Tuilagi, Quinns have Care/Robshaw/Easter/Hopper, Leinster have O'driscoll/Healey/SOB/Sexton/Kearney, Ulster have Ferris/Payne/Bowe/Pienaar. Exeter have.....Jess? Johnson?
Posted 11:40 14th October 2012
new_j4a says...
Ah, the joy of watching the finest rugby in the NH...5 penalty kicks that brought the crowd to their feet in a frenzy of excitement. And to hear Joe Schmidt say "I thought they played across the field really well. " Well that must have brought tears to his eyes as he thought back to days when he had real talent in France and New Zealand. He was also heard to say "It's early days yet. You have to remember that here in Leinster it takes longer than anywhere else for new ideas to bed down. I expect that by mid season, the light will go on for Johnny, after he's heard a consistent message 5 or 6 times. Then we'll see him playing the length of the field like other teams, but then of course it will be more difficult for Brian to keep up, being as he is so far past his sell-by date.
Posted 11:33 14th October 2012
melkdave says...
Very kind and truthful of Schmdt,to say those good things about Exeter,shows his a really good coach,and i bet Leinster will be working on trying to putting things right.Got alot of respect for him,and how Leinster usually play.Exeter got up into their faces ,and gave them no space ect ,so stopped their fluid play .I think both teams can take posatives from the match,and the return leg should also be a humdinger imo.Exeter i feel needed to be a little more direct,went across the pitch a tad to much imo,but hey 1st game in HECand against the champions ,still a hell of a performance.
Posted 09:32 14th October 2012