Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has suggested that the salary cap in the Aviva Premiership means that English sides can no longer compete in the Heineken Cup.
Just days after Leicester's comprehensive 41-7 loss to Ulster at Ravenhill, that all but ended the East Midlands outfit's involvement in Europe, Cockerill gave his typically forthright opinions to BBC Radio Leicester.
"With the English clubs, by and large, you have to be successful in the Premiership," said the former England hooker, who has been in charge at Welford Road since 2009. "If you do well in Europe that's a bonus."
"I don't think you have the financial clout to compete at the very top end, especially if you have injuries.
"You haven't got the money to have the depth of squad. That's not a criticism of anybody, that's the fact of it."
