Leicester Tigers’ head coach Michael Cheika voiced his frustration following his side’s narrow Premiership final loss to Bath, focusing particularly on officiating decisions that he believes influenced the outcome. Central to his criticism was the late yellow card issued to veteran forward Dan Cole after an aerial collision with Bath fly-half Finn Russell. Cheika described the incident as “embarrassing for the game” and questioned whether it even warranted a penalty.
Cheika, who is leaving Leicester after just one season, also expressed discontent with how the scrum was refereed throughout the match. He claimed that despite his team’s dominance in that area, they were repeatedly penalized, an outcome he said was baffling and detrimental to their tactical approach. “We were targeting the scrum and maul as a platform for control, but we ended up being penalised instead. With three minutes left, the penalty count stood at nine to two against us. It’s impossible to manage field position like that,” he said.
Though careful not to overshadow Bath’s victory, Cheika admitted he would seek clarification from the head of refereeing about several decisions, including Cole’s yellow card. “If I speak too much, I’ll get myself into trouble and take away from the other team’s achievement. I just have to live with the frustration,” he said.
For Dan Cole, the match was particularly emotional as it marked the end of his professional playing career. Cheika described himself as “very proud” of the team’s performance, praising their resilience despite playing a quarter of the game with only 14 men due to two yellow cards. He highlighted their grit, especially under pressure from both the opposition and, in his view, the referee.
Cheika reflected on the team’s development over the season, noting how they learned to thrive under adversity. “We’ve talked all year about embracing the heat—when things get tough, you stand up. Today was the clearest example of that,” he said.
On the other side, Bath captain Ben Spencer celebrated the club’s first league title in 29 years and praised the team’s trajectory, declaring, “The sky is the limit.” He commended the young talent coming through and emphasized the club’s potential for sustained success. Bath has now claimed three trophies in a single season, cementing a remarkable transformation.
Head coach Johann van Graan echoed Spencer’s sentiments, hailing the team’s journey from finishing bottom of the league in 2022 to champions in 2025. He credited the squad’s unity and vision for the turnaround and hinted that even greater achievements could lie ahead. “The best is yet to come,” he said, calling on the team to keep dreaming and striving for more.
