sport news Leicester 14-23 Leinster: Ellis Genge vents his anger at 'plucky losers' tag ... trends now
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The death stare told a thousand words. Ellis Genge marched into the press room after full-time and gave a look of daggers as he was asked about Leicester’s gallant defeat.
It showed how standards have changed at Welford Road. They took no pride in defeat; not even by a Leinster team boasting 12 of Ireland’s starting XV that beat the All Blacks in November.
Asked if it was hard to compete against a team loaded full of internationals, Genge bristled: ‘Look mate, I’m not trying to be a p**** here but I don’t want you saying that. We came out there and we fought as hard as we could. They have 13 internationals but don’t put us in that bracket of we gave it a good crack.
Leicester pushed four-time European champions Leinster all the way but came up short
‘We could have won that game. I think you know that as well. If anyone is going to say that to me, please don’t because it is going to wind me right up. Our boys fought all game so I am not going to come here for someone to say we gave it a good crack and we’re plucky losers. I am not having a pop but I am just saying please don’t say that to me.’
This was Genge’s last shot at European glory with Leicester. They will miss his passion when he leaves the club for Bristol at the end of the season. And for the remainder of his time in the East Midlands they will rue their failure to fire a shot in the first half.
While the Tigers are on a crusade in the Premiership, the first 40 minutes was a reality check of what it takes to reach the pinnacle of the European competition.
Leading 20-0 by the break, Leinster’s 36-year-old fly-half Johnny Sexton may as well have set off on a Saga cruise liner back to Dublin. This was a Leinster
