Emotional Gaffney rues ceding ‘easy outs’

THE EMOTION of the occasion was etched on the features of Saracens coach Alan Gaffney, who will rejoin Leinster during the summer following his two years in London. Valour in defeat is commendable but it can't fully assuage the gut-wrenching disappointment, no matter how minuscule the margin on the scoreboard.

Gaffney was a proud man and told his players so in the bowels of the Ricoh Arena. He then elaborated on his feelings for the media.

"I couldn't have asked any more (of them). I was very emotional in the dressingroom, probably the most emotional I can recall.

"It was a fantastic effort by them. I don't think anyone gave us too much hope coming into today except ourselves. With what we have dished up in the last couple of weeks (maybe) there was good reason for that. But we knew we had it in us."

Saracens' performance reinforced that belief but ultimately it didn't suffice no matter how laudable the efforts.

Gaffney sifted through the reasons they had come up short.

"We just weren't as accurate as we would have liked. We conceded two or three penalties and also in that zone of the pitch we allowed Munster 'easy outs', instead of us trying to apply the pressure. You can't do that.

"Even the try right on half-time was a penalty that we conceded. They took a quick tap and our guys didn't react quickly enough and Munster took the try very well.

"As I have said to the players many times, it is a game of small margins. We could be sitting here with a grin from ear to ear if certain things happened but they didn't; we are sitting here rather disillusioned."

Perched beside him on the dais was Saracens scrumhalf and captain Neil de Kock. He would later speak eloquently in tribute to Gaffney's work but first was asked to tease out why Munster had won this wonderfully competitive tie.

"Getting into their 22 and turning the ball over on four occasions and giving away three penalties - it's going to come back and bite you in play-off games. If you are presented with those opportunities and don't come away with points, you are just going to play catch-up.

"They got into our 22 once, just before half-time, and they took the points. They had a player sent off (sinbinned) and we had just come within two (points) and then five minutes later we had 13 on the field. We ended up shooting ourselves in the foot.

"I think Nigel Owens was very consistent in his rulings. No matter what happened on that far touchline, if you retaliate you are going to get sent (to the bin). He sent off one of their players for the exact same offence that Census (Johnson) walked for; it's all these small margins.

"The gut-wrenching part and what's really so disappointing to us as players and to Gaff (Alan Gaffney) is that we are going to have to wait another two seasons before we have a crack at it (European Cup). To come so close and have to wait is a really tough pill to swallow."

As Saracens sought to overturn a two-point deficit near the end de Kock confirmed they were trying to establish field position to attempt the drop goal.

"In the last five minutes we coughed up the ball two or three times carrying it into contact. We were trying to get the ball to the midfield, punch in behind them and set up Jacko (Glen Jackson) for that option. We didn't look after that ball well enough. We could have had broad smiles on our faces but we don't and we are gutted to have come so close."

De Kock paid tribute to Munster's defence that ultimately nudged them into next months' Heineken Cup Final.

"When you play Munster you are going to have to be physical. They're physical at the mauls, the rucks, the breakdown and at the contact point in tackling.

"They did put us under pressure and I am not taking anything away from Munster. I thought they defended well and the hits they put in the wet, slippery conditions at the end of the game were crucial. We stood up today but just couldn't get it done."