Back regrets cheating in Heineken Cup

It may have come three months too late for most Munster fans to stomach, but Leicester flanker Neil Back has finally admitted that he now regrets the infamous piece of 'handywork' that tarnished May's Heineken Cup final win.

With Leicester narrowly ahead in a thrilling injury-time finale, Back was caught on camera illegally scooping the ball with his hand back from a Munster scrum put-in, with the Irish side applying heavy pressure near the Tigers' line.

After receiving heavy criticism from both sides of the Irish Sea for his actions however, Back said: "In a way I wish I hadn't done it.

"I must be honest, because I don't like people thinking I'm a cheat.

"I don't think I'm a cheat, but this has undoubtedly tarnished my reputation and that is disappointing. I'd hope people would evaluate me over my career and not just label me for one incident."

But with some media and fans alike not making it easy to forget the incident, the perpetrator himself added: "I don't know how many letters the club received, but there were probably 50 addressed to me.

"They came from Ireland but also from Leicester which is disappointing. It was a bit hurtful to me and upsetting to my wife Alison.

"If I thought there was a positive way of redressing what happened I would certainly think about doing it because I don't like to think there are people out there who, because of one incident, regard me as a cheat."