Cockerill hails Mauger impact
The Tigers mauled the Paris side to claim a bonus-point win in a repeat of the 2001 European Cup final. Vereniki Goneva, Matt Smith, Brendon O'Connor and Ben Youngs crossed to give the two-time kings of Europe the dream Champions Cup start. And Cockerill reckons their new seamless style is down the work of All Blacks legend Mauger.
He said: "Aaron Mauger has been really good for us, he questions everything we do and I've been doing the same. We come from different ends of the game but it gives us a really good balance.
"Geordan Murphy as well helps the environment, we scored some great tries tonight. The sides who win trophies are the sides who can play all types of rugby.
"Our intent to play was really good tonight, it might have got us in trouble a few times but even when we went behind we trusted what we were doing and it started bearing fruit for us. We needed to carry the ball at them more in the early stages.
"But our intent to play was shown by the fact we got four tries and a bonus-point which is really important for us. For them not to get anything is just important, so it's a great start for us."
Try-scorer O'Connor only landed in Leicester last week but made the perfect debut in-front of the Welford Road faithful. And Cockerill thinks the English qualified former Super Rugby star can shine in green and white.
He said: "Brendon O'Connor will only get better, he scored a great try and had a great steal for one of the others. He's getting integrated into the team now and he's English qualified. He's a great lad and and out-and-out seven."
