Loffreda wants ‘positive response’

It doesn’t get much tougher as a coaching debut than Marcelo Loffreda’s first game in charge of Leicester Tigers: a must-win clash against a resurgent Edinburgh side.

The Tigers crashed to a disappointing defeat to Leinster last week in their Heineken Cup opener, failing even to gain a losing bonus point, and now are left needing to win all their remaining matches to guarantee qualification.

That process starts this weekend against Andy Robinson’s Edinburgh, who were unlucky to lose to French giants Toulouse last week.

Loffreda will complete his first full week in the Leicester job at the weekend, and his hoping his players will produce a positive response to the disappointment of defeat last week.

“We lost the first game in this competition last season and had to react in a positive way. Now we have to do the same this year. We have to get on with the hard work,” said Loffreda on the club website.

Loffreda joined the team in time for the Heineken Cup opener in Dublin last week, when Tigers lost 22-9 to Leinster, and has also seen the Development XV in action twice, at Worcester in his first day at the club and in victory over Newcastle on Monday night.

He has been working with the players this week back at Oval Park in preparation for the home date with Edinburgh.

“I have been working with Richard Cockerill and he is an outstanding person and coach,” Loffreda said.

“He did many good things during the period before I arrived, he knows the players and I am relying on him. I am sure we will work well in partnership.

“It is hard work, I have not had much time to rest, but I am looking forward to the challenge here.

“Edinburgh are a good team, we have seen them. They play a strong and fast game.

“I am sure Andy Robinson will bring some of his character to his Edinburgh team, I saw that in their last performances against Munster and Toulouse.”