Wasps coach Shaun Edwards was left to reflect on what could have been after his side lost 25-16 against Castres and were sent crashing out of the Heineken Cup.
“Everyone’s devastated, we created a lot of chances but didn’t take them and you can’t do that at this level,” said Edwards.
“We had lots of chances to win this game but at this level you have got to be able to finish those chances and we didn’t do that today.
“It was massively important for us to get to the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup and we went into the game knowing there were no guarantees.
“But we always knew that Castres are very strong and were always going to be difficult opponents. Getting the bonus point win here would have been exceptional.
“The first try Castres scored, they picked up and almost walked over the line and for the last try, we were unlucky to have a man down in defence.
“We played some great rugby and (Dave) Walder made a lovely break late on, but the counter-attack resulted in a try.
“Now we need to put this result behind us and move on. We have to concentrate on making sure we qualify for the Heineken Cup next year.”
The result was only the second victory of the campaign for Castres in this year’s tournament and will provide a huge confidence boost in their battle to avoid relegation from the French Championship.
“We are very happy with this result,” said team manager Alain Gaillard.
“We haven’t always taken our chances this season so we are very pleased that we did today.
“To score three tries against a team of the quality of Wasps is fantastic.
“But most of all we are satisfied with our performance and that we really played some good rugby.
“This is going to give us great confidence going into the league.”
Bath coach Steve Meehan saluted his “resilient” players after they put the Matt Stevens saga behind them to secure a Heineken Cup quarter-final place thanks to a 3-3 draw with Toulouse that saw them top Pool Five.
Reflecting on the Stevens affair, Meehan said: “It has affected players in different ways.
“For some players it came and hit them like a sledgehammer, and some people will brush it off. You have to look at the individual to see how they react.
“I have not had any contact with him (Stevens) since.
“I think it has been covered enough, and the players have got to get on with how they are going to deal with it. Perhaps some already have.
“We were fortunate to be 3-3 at half-time - the score didn’t do Toulouse any justice at all. They had all the territory and possession, while we were looking for miracle fixes.
“We didn’t put Toulouse under any pressure, but we addressed it at half-time.
“All we asked for this week was absolute commitment, and the guys gave their all. It was a very solid team performance.
“To play six matches, and have four wins, a draw and a narrow loss to Toulouse, was very good. I believe in these players - they are very resilient and full of character.”
Munster captain Paul O’Connell was delighted that his team got the bonus point victory they needed to guarantee home advantage in their next Heineken Cup fixture.
“We were lucky to get the five tries but it’s great to have a home quarter-final.
“Montauban put us under a lot of pressure around the ruck area and that’s something we’ll have to look at.
“But we battened down the hatches and played really well. We were tight but also went wide when we needed to spread the ball. The game-plan worked really well for us.
“Sometimes, we always think we have to earn our tries but they have been coming through pressure late in the first half and early in the second. It was hard for Montauban to keep plugging the gaps and the holes began to appear.”
Meanwhile, Leinster coach Michael Cheika was impressed with his side’s performance as they secured top spot in Heineken Cup Pool Two with a 12-3 win over Edinburgh.
“I don’t think anyone is under any illusions. We definitely dominated,” Cheika said.
“We had all the possession. We defended pretty well when they did have it but we couldn’t deliver the knockout blow.
“Obviously our tactics changed when we knew what was happening in the (Wasps) game as well.
“We were in their territory for so long and we just couldn’t manage to get over. Maybe we were a little too focused on getting over instead of playing what we organise ourselves to play when we get in those areas of the field.
“We had a plan, but it became very evident after a certain period that we weren’t getting four tries, once the rain came down.
“We adjusted to a different approach but there is no approach in football that says don’t score tries. We are frustrated we didn’t score more but we’re very happy we are in the quarter-final.”
Edinburgh coach Andy Robinson made no excuses for his side slipping to a defeat in what was a ‘dead rubber’ encounter for them - they have finished third in the pool table.
“When you look at rugby, it’s about getting a foothold in the game and I guess we had a couple of chances early on and we didn’t take those chances,” he said.
“Overall I am really pleased with the way the players fronted up. It was very courageous.
“We saw some young players like Kyle Traynor coming in and Greig Laidlaw playing at scrum-half. I think those two guys put their hands up for the squad and it’s looking good for Edinburgh in the future.”
