Richard Cockerill warns Leicester players of indiscipline after Trevoso incident

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has disciplined his players following an incident during the club's recent pre-season visit to Italy.

According to reports a player from Leicester Tigers was alleged to have taken food without paying in the Italian branch of McDonald's following their 33-10 victory over Treviso on 19th August.

McDonald's staff was quick to call the Italian carabinieri, military police and Cockerill, who refused to name the players involved, assured that the matter has been handled internally.

"The players involved have been dealt with, it is disappointing for obvious reasons," said Cockerill.

"I would much prefer it not to happen. As the reports say, there was a player who took a cookie from a jar and that was paid for by the time the police arrived.

"It all died down. It was something of nothing but the players involved have been dealt with by myself and that's the end of the matter.

"It is private. It was dealt with swiftly and it was not particularly serious otherwise it would have been dealt with by the police."

Leicester will kick-off their 2016/17 season of the Aviva Premiership with a clash against Gloucester with England international Manu Tuilagi declared fit.

Admitting the Trevoso incident made his club look "bit silly", Cockerill urged his players to move on from the issue and focus on the upcoming season.

"It is a danger for everybody, and it is what it is," said Cockerill.

"You are a Leicester Tiger 24/7 and you are judged upon how you behave however good or bad that is.

"Our players do a lot of good things that don't get reported. It is a lesson learnt for some young people about how those things can escalate.

"It made us all look a bit silly.

"My own personal view is that just because a young player is very good at something - and that can be anything - they are still young people growing up and they will still do things that they shouldn't do, like all of us sat around this table and all of your readers too.

"Everybody does things that they shouldn't do. Sometimes they have to experience those situations before they go 'actually, I was told that would happen, it has happened, maybe I should have listened to the old prat who told us it would'.

"I have been there myself so I can understand how that happens, not withstanding that we don't accept or condone that type of behaviour.

"Those players have been dealt with and we move on. I would much rather it have not happened but our players do lots of good things as well."