By markc on 14/10/2003
October 14 2003

Last season's corresponding fixture propelled the Tykes into the attention of the rest of the ZP. A dazzling display of champagne rugby sent the Tigers packing, a performance which to be honest was never really achieved again throughout the rest of the campaign.

This seasons match starts with similarities for both clubs: level on points and weakened by World Cup call-ups. Most of the legendary Tigers pack is now resident in Australia whilst the Tykes have suffered a fearful injury crisis for the first five matches.

However....

Leeds enter the game on the back of an encouraging display against Saracens. They nearly didn't; a first half stroll was followed by a mid match lapse which almost led to disaster, two late tries sealing all five points for the home side and doubling last season's try-scoring bonus point total in the process! Leicester meanwhile were well thrashed at Gloucester, a solitary penalty their only score. Dean Richards will be spending the week trying to marshal his mainly inexperienced troops, with only the names of Rowntree, Kronfeld, and Stimpson being instantly recognisable in the Tigers line-up. Mercurial talent Austin Healey is either injured or playing love-hate with the Welford Rd management, depending on which source of information one believes. Ramiro Pez has not really settled in since joining from Rotherham and last week lost his place to emerging Leicester talent Sam Vesty.

Leeds will be bolstered by the return of talismanic skipper Mike Shelley, out since the first game of the season, and it is hoped that he will make his presence felt in the same manner as 'Little Murph' the week before. The band of strangers who started the season now look at long last to have started to gel together, the ever-improving pack giving the backs confidence to play the free-flowing rugby which has become an unexpected but thrilling characteristic of Leeds' play this season.

With the solid understanding of Botham and Christophers in the centre and the free-running of Rees and back-to form Scabs out wide, I'll take Leeds to beat the inexperienced Tigers by around the dozen point mark. I don't think I'd have said that last week........

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