By Andycap
October 19 2002

Having won the first leg of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup out in Italy last weekend Leeds Tykes face Petraca Padova in the 2nd this Sunday at Headingley, kick off 2.30pm. Hopefully Petraca’s travel arrangements will include sending half their team plus kit on a detour around Moscow or some other foreign capital, allowing their team to be fully prepared for the onslaught to come.

Phil Davies intimated in the Evening Post that he still intends to rest his International Squad players this weekend, as they haven’t had any time off due to Squad Sessions. We all hope that he is kidding and that he will send out the strongest team possible.

In the Tykes Newsletter Davies explains that Leeds are not disregarding the significance of the competition.

"The Parker Pen Challenge Cup holds an important place in this seasons plan. Most importantly, it provides a gateway into next seasons Heineken Cup, a competition that Leeds as a club has targeted as one of our long term goals. It has also given us a chance to freshen up the squad; give players who have not played much rugby a decent run and rest players who have been carrying niggling injuries and get them right for the Zurich Premiership."

With this in mind Davies has made a few changes to last week's side Dan Scarbrough, Alan Dickens and Isaac Feaunati replace Chris Hall, Derek Hegarty and Cameron Mather. Tom Palmer, Dan Hyde and Braam van Straaten also return on the bench.

Petraca are no pushovers, they can when they want, turn on quite a good game and would push Leeds to the bitter end. However, the fact that we have a decent playing surface and more width may lend itself to the ZP style of game.

I predict that Leeds will win comfortably if they gel early on and cut out the numerous handling errors that beset them last Saturday in Italy.

Team List: (from Tykes Newsletter)

15. Diego Albanese
14. Dan Scarbrough
13. Hernan Senillosa
12. Tristan Davies
11. Craig Emmerson
10. Gordon Ross
09. Alan Dickens
01. Martin O’Keefe
02. Rob Rawlinson
03. Matt Holt
04. Stewart Campbell
05. Phil Murphy
06. Carl Hogg (c)
07. James Ponton
08. Isaac Feaunati
16. Gavin Kerr
17. Justin Wring
18. Tom Palmer
19. Dan Hyde
20. Derek Hegarty
21. George Harder
22. Braam van Straaten