Richard Cockerill lauds Matt Toomua ahead of European Champions Cup

Leicester rugby director Richard Cockerill was full of praise for Australian international Matt Toomua, who is set to make his debut for the English Premiership club.

The Wallabies fly-half made a switch to Leicester Tigers after spending eight years with the Super Rugby club Brumbies and now is set to play his first game in the European Champions Cup against Glasgow Warriors on Friday.

Praising the Melbourne born fly-half, Cockerill also stressed on the importance to win away games.

"There aren't many second chances in Europe and we need to get something out of Friday night, so we need our best players available," Cockerill said.

"Matt is a top-quality player. He makes everything look very easy, and there is no substitute for quality. He has only been here a short period of time, but he's a great footballer and he learns quickly.

"Any points in Europe, especially away from home, are vital, and this is not the easiest European pool in which to win away matches, is it? There are no games where you think, 'oh, we will go there and win'.

"If we do go and win at Scotstoun, or against Munster or Racing 92 away later in the campaign, it will be a very good day at the office."

Toomua will be joining Mathew Tait in centre while Mike Fitzgerald has been named in the place of Mike Williams, who is undergoing rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend is hoping his team can cross the hurdle of going past the group stage.

"Our history is that we have never got out of our pool in Europe, and that's the first very important, but very difficult, goal for us.

"We learn a lot when we play week in, week out against the big European teams. There was a big improvement from when we played Racing and Northampton at the start of the pool (last season) to our return games.

"We beat Racing, and we led Northampton with three minutes to go, before we picked up a yellow card and gave away a penalty. We know we have to be better than that to take on Leicester, who are improving, and Racing, who will have moved on from last season."