Edinburgh 31-13 Newcastle Falcons: Hosts 'learning to play knockout rugby' - Cockerill
- Published
Darcy Graham was denied a try by Tom Arscott's cover tackle, but Edinburgh were comfortable winners
Edinburgh are "learning how to play knockout rugby" after rising to the top of their European Champions Cup, says head coach Richard Cockerill.
The Scottish side leapfrogged Newcastle Falcons at the summit with Friday's 31-13 Murrayfield victory.
They top the standings by three points, with Montpellier, who travel to bottom club Toulon on Saturday, three points further back.
"We've got an opportunity to get out of this group now," Cockerill said.
"We're going to have to win two of our last three games and we're going to have to win away from home - and we haven't done that this season so far - to qualify, so we've got some work to do.
"We're learning how to pay knockout rugby, which is great. As a club we've got to enjoy these wins."
Edinburgh earned maximum points after running in four tries against the under-strength Falcons, who host Cockerill's men in nine days' time.
Viliame Mata, the Champions Cup's top ball-carrier, took his haul to 69 after a 27-strong tally at Murrayfield, yielding 106m.
The Fiji number eight has been in sensational form this season and his beautiful off-load was critical to Blair Kinghorn's bonus-point try.
"We've got some world-class players," Cockerill told BBC Scotland. "Vili Mata's off-load for the bonus-point try is world-class.
"He is great, we love him to bits and he's so important to us. We needed that bit of spark. How many number eights in the world can do what he does? He's one of very few.
"We look after him in the week. He's a big-match player and those guys you need on the field."
