By Timofe
October 27 2002

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, would Leeds' previous season's drubbing result in a demoralising loss away at youthful Bath? Well, er … no. The Trip Down

Four hours (and a few pubs) from Leeds found us drinking in the Bath Clubhouse. Cokes all round – Tykes on Tour really know how to live it up! The Clubhouse was heaving and very warm so we went outside for some fresh air, only to find some big bloke casually leaning against the wall reading the programme. “Hello Tom” we said to Mr Palmer. “Hello lads” he replied. Apparently it was just as hot in the players’ dressing rooms.

Pre-Match Worries

In the warm up area we found the rest of the team doing their traditional leg-swinging exercises. All the usual players were there: Scabs, Shell, Carter, Diego, etc, - except that Albanese was wearing his tracksuit and trainers, not his match kit.

Diego had twisted his ankle on Thursday evening. “In training?” was our question. “No, I walked backwards onto George’s foot and turned it over”. Chu was not happy, though he did say that he had “a good feeling about this game”. He told us that he reads our site and said that he was impressed that each review is done by a different person (no pressure there then!). Then he asked “One of you must be Mally?”. “No, she’s not here” I replied. “What? Mally is a girl?!” - I think you’ve pulled Mal.

He was due to fly off to Argentina straight after the game and was duly spotted leaving with bags later. He’ll be back for the Wasps game then off again until after Gloucester, much to his dismay. Hall took his place on the wing.

The Game

After what seemed like an age, Barkley kicked off and Leeds gathered for Ross to clear back to half-way - first line-out to Bath. After the first of what would be a day of “clever” line-outs, Regan enveloped the Bath scrum half. Van Straaten somehow got the ball and kicked ahead for Harder to chase all the way to line, only to be stumped by Bath cover downing the ball over the line. Bath were judged to have knocked on just before the line and Leeds won a five metre scrum. The scrum collapsed to result in a Leeds penalty. BVS took his first three points on the slippery pitch. Bath caught the restart and subsequent scrum. Leeds were penalised for driving in. Barkley stepped up but missed the penalty in the sporadic cross-winds.

After the restart Bath won another scrum on our 22, but we came up with the ball. Hall carried the ball almost to the Bath 22 before being bundled into touch. Bath won the line-out and span the ball to Barkley, who was buried by Scabs in mid-field. Shelley put in another monster tackle from the recycled ball, but the referee was playing advantage from an earlier off-side. Bath opted for touch, five metres from the Leeds line. However, Dan Hyde caught the line-out ball and Ross cleared to well beyond half-way from inside his 22. The resulting lineout saw Bath’s maul crabbing sideways, but without making any real progress. Campbell was judged to bring it down and Barkley scored the resulting penalty.

Bath caught the restart but Palmer swamped Bath’s number eight Thomas. Regan took a knock as the ball went for a Leeds line-out. Regan threw short to Dickens, but he failed to catch the ball and it bounced into touch again. BVS picked up the ball from the fumbled Bath line and ran to the 22. Dickens fed Scabs, resulting in a penalty to Leeds as he was illegally brought down. Chris White called for another replacement ball – the fourth of the match. BVS slotted another three points.

The referee then awarded a lineout to Bath, despite the fact that it clearly came off a Bath deflection. He hadn’t seen it and neither had the touch judge. Chris Hall cleared from the 22. Mather, in fine form, tackled Catt, leaving the bouffanted one sprawled on the ground. From the ruck prop Alessio Galasso was cautioned for raking a trapped Regan, but no yellow card was shown. Penalty to Leeds only 45 metres out. BVS took another three points.

After tennis from the restart, Ross kicked to touch, again off a Bath player, only for Chris White to award another Bath lineout. Scabs was wrong-footed by the next Bath attack, but a covering tackle from Shelley saved the try. Catt then tried set move number one – a long kick into the corner. Barkley leapt into the air to bat the ball in from touch, for Maggs to carry. Scarbrough came in with a fantastic tackle, lifting his man off his feet 2-3 metres out. Cooper recycled and Catt tried the same move again. Same result, but Barkley was judged to be out.

Another “creative” lineout and Leeds moved the ball up to the half-way line. Leeds were penalised, but Barkley missed another attempt at goal. The drop out saw Catt gather the ball at half way, only for Mather to score another thumping tackle on him. The recycled ball saw Hall carrying out another big tackle on his wing, preventing another Bath scoring chance. BVS took a knock in open play and went off for a blood replacement by Emmerson.

After another try-saving tackle from Scabs the play returned to Leeds’ 22 for another Bath scrum and predictable penalty. Bath went for the lineout 5 metres out, which Leeds didn’t contest. Leeds frantic defence on their line was illegal, so another penalty to Bath. From the melee Catt once more tried the cross-kick, this time with more success as Perry went over. Barkley converted to leave Bath 10-9 up.

Catt returned the restart to just inside the Leeds half. Leeds’ lineout was scrappy again and Bath won possession. Bath came close to scoring another try, but Leeds’ thin line held on. So far it had been a very defensive game from Leeds with very few attacks. The following lineout saw Leeds hoist a man into the air at the tail prior to the throw and Bath were awarded a free kick. Bath chipped ahead for Emmo to cover and down the ball in goal, but Bath flowed through and gave away the penalty for tackling the man on the ground.

Ross kicked downfield but Leeds’ straightforward lineout (for once) still lost them the ball. BVS came back on. Bath knocked on and the scrum turned into a penalty because Bath weren’t going in straight. After more running play Bath cleared to touch again. Regan’s long throw was caught by Palmer in centre field, passed to Van Straaten and back to Regan who was squashed between two Bath forwards and lifted off his feet, but he knocked the ball on. The scrum to Leeds went down seven times before the ref gave a penalty to Bath. Catt tanked the ball to inside the Leeds 22, but Leeds were awarded a free kick. Ross’ kick flew high into the air and long into the Bath half. Fingers were well crossed as we wondered if he realised that it had been a free kick and not a penalty. The ball duly bounced two inches inside the line before going out deep into the Bath 22. How could we have doubted The Boss?

Palmer won the Bath lineout and BVS went for a drop goal, but without the required distance. However, the ref had already signalled the penalty. Braam took his skull cap off to reveal a seriously large bandage around his head, but it didn’t stop him scoring the penalty.12-10 to Leeds and halftime.

Halftime Entertainment

Halftime entertainment at Bath is unusual. It seemed to feature some strange woman in a pink outfit running around in the in-goal area, followed by a try under the posts from someone in a chicken costume. I put it down to cultural differences…

The Second Half

Leeds restarted and a well-placed return from Catt saw the ball hit John Callard squarely on the head in the dugout. Harder ran the ball into the Bath corner, but he didn’t know which side Scabs was on. Danny over ran him and the try went missing.

Leeds picked up the ball in mid-field and Zac ran through the defence, then span out to Hall who was pulled up just short of the line. The ball was recycled to Harder, then Davies and on to Regan, who dropped the ball in the tackle. No knock on, but Bath came up with the ball, only to lose it to Ross – who went for the line but was tackled by Barkley. The scrum resulted in a penalty to Bath for Leeds’ not rolling away. Catt sliced the kick to their 22. Bath’s lineout and maul went five metres before Leeds stifled it. Catt fed wide to Tindall but there was loads of Leeds cover in defence. Bath’s next lineout was stolen by Leeds. BVS kicked long, but not out and Barkley cleared to inside the Leeds 22. Leeds’ short lineout didn’t go the required five metres, but Bath were penalised on the following play for holding on to the ball.

Alessio Galasso was substituted (presumably before he was sent off) at the next break down. How he had stayed on the field so long was a mystery. While Van Straaten lined up the next penalty, just in front of the posts, Scabs was taking guidance from JC on the sideline. BVS took the penalty easily.

A little argy-bargy in mid-field saw Regan down and Grewcock standing over him. The touch judge flagged it, but the ref didn’t consult him. Leeds big push won the scrum against the head, but the referee called them back and awarded a scrum to Bath. However, Bath scrum half Gareth Cooper elbowed Dickens in the face and was sent to the bin for talking back after the ref awarded Leeds the penalty. Leeds once again fluffed the lineout and the ball went long into the Leeds half, bouncing towards the line. Hall over-ran the ball, expecting it to bounce into the in-goal area, but it didn’t and Barkley gathered it at full pace to score. Barkley stayed on the floor and the Bath doctor ran on. After several anxious minutes for the Bath fans around us he got up to take the conversion. This was the fourth major incident involving him. Is he made of rubber? He looked shaky as his missed the conversion. 15-15 with 63 minutes gone.

Leeds’ next attack saw them pressing for the Bath line, only to have penalty awarded against them for either holding on, coming in from the side, going over the top, or just because the ref felt like it – it wasn’t clear. Barkley sliced the kick into touch and Leeds had a lineout just outside the Bath 22. Bath won the lineout but Leeds drove them back. Bath cleared to Ross, who dropped the ball backwards through his legs. Chris White decided that he had knocked on (he clearly hadn’t from where we stood) and Bath had a scrum. Catt asked for another ball change.

Bath’s scrum drifted too far and Leeds were awarded another penalty. An unlucky bounce from Ross went infield instead of out, but Cammie chased it to put in another tackle and Catt kicked into touch. Popham came on for Zac. Bath won the lineout and then gained a penalty, but Catt sliced it again.

Our best scrum of the game followed, but Bath turned it and gained control. JC’s earlier comments to Scabs seemed to have resulted in Ross playing fullback and there being two wingers on each side. Another long bomb from Catt saw Dickens mark the ball in-goal then put it down, much to the confusion of the crowd. The ref gave a free kick (rather than the drop out).

Dickens once again got the ball at halfway after a long drive from Leeds and ran upfield, closely followed by the Leeds pack. A few passes later Palmer ran through the Bath line to touch down just to the right of the posts. Braam kicked the conversion amidst a barrage of booing from the previously polite Bath fans for a 22-15 lead with 73 minutes gone.

Leeds dallied from the restart and lost the ball again to a new Bath attack just outside the Leeds 22. Perry ran into a wall that is called Shelley and Scabs got the ball right on the Leeds line, throwing a lovely one-handed back-pass to Harder. Unfortunately George had nowhere to go and ran the ball into touch.

Bath’s lineout was won by Leeds and went to ground, Scabs acting as scrum half and clearing to just outside the 22. At the lineout Danny Grewcock raced ahead with the ball to see Danny Scarbrough ahead of him. Grewcock smiled, but the smile soon turned to shock as Scabs stood strong in the tackle and took him down. Campbell then went in hard on a tackle and seemed to have popped his shoulder. He was replaced by Phil Murphy.

Bath kicked long again and seemed to knock on in the chase, but the ref judged that Leeds defence had knocked on first, so Bath had a scrum 12 metres out. The crowd booed as Regan stayed on the ground. He was substituted and Rawlinson came on.

Harder flattened Tindall in the next attack, but Bath retained possession and the ball went for a Leeds lineout at five metres. In a very clever lineout, Phil Murphy ran into the line to grab the ball and Ross cleared, but didn’t find touch. Barkley ran it back and passed to Danielli who ran into the corner for the try. Barkley failed to convert probably the hardest kick of the day. 22-20 to Leeds. The ref blew the whistle and the Tykes jumped with joy.

Aftermath

Many smiling Tykes faces were seen, mostly from relief, I suspect. The team were pleased that they had managed to hold on (Shelley especially).

After talking to various members of the press, Ronnie had a word with us. I’m not going to say exactly what Regan told us after speaking to scrum.com, but suffice to say that he wasn’t as diplomatic about the win with us as he was with them. Let’s just say that he seemed pleased with the victory over his old club…

Summary

So was it a good performance by Leeds? No. Was it a good performance by Bath? Their fans thought it was the best so far this season. If so: I feel sorry for them.

The Tykes were woeful in the lineout and their scrums were not the usual controlled affairs we’re used to. Bath had plenty of free-flowing rugby but it went sideways, not forwards. The three tries were down to Leeds defensive errors rather than Bath’s attacking. Perry’s try was telegraphed at least twice by earlier bombs by Catt. Barkley’s try should have been gathered earlier by Hall. Danielli’s try was their best, but was chased by Harder, who was too far inside to cover his wing.

It was a very scrappy game with a disturbing number of errors from Leeds. However: we won. This is one game where I won’t complain at the “a win is still a win” brigade. We would have lost if Barkley’s kicking had been more on target (or the wind had dropped). Relief was evident in the team’s faces afterwards. Fortunately our defence was outstanding (the three tries aside) and this undoubtedly won us the game.