Yorkshire Carnegie
Next up- Bristol!
Versatile forward
By Haxbytyke
November 29 2011
This weekend sees two matches in the Championship which feature two of the top six sides in the division. On Saturday, third take on secondas London Welsh play host to Bedford Blues, while on Sunday, it is, for Leeds anyway, the big one.....
Carnegie travel down the motorways to visit the Memorial Stadium, home to current table toppersBristol. Four seasons ago, this would have been a premiership fixture, but both sides have fallen from grace in recent seasons.Bristolwould have made an immediate return, but the play off system was introduced just in time for our hosts this week to see their table topping efforts come to nought when they lost a 2 legged play off to the Chiefs of Exeter.
Consequently players left, and last season was very much a transition, but they have returned this time around much stronger, and they currently sit atop of the league with 9 victories from their 12 games.
The first of those defeats came at Headingley when a Joe Ford drop goal late in the game gave Leeds the narrowest of victories. A series of victories followed, but they came crashing down to earth when they were trounced by our neighbours at Clifton Lane, and followed this with a surprise defeat at Moseley.
Despite these setbacks however, they have a never say die attitude on the field, and they fought back to beat London Welsh and Cornish Pirates after trailing for long periods of the game, and they are making a bold bid to return to the Premiership.
As for Leeds, they go in search of an eighth successive league win, something that looked highly unlikely when these two teams met earlier in the season. Since then though, players have returned from injury and the young guns are now showing a steely determination that comes with experience, and also with winning games. And Joe Ford is now kicking drop goals for fun! The winning habit is a good one, especially when you consider that apart from the win atBedford, Leeds biggest margin of victory has been 6 points, and if there is one criticism that could be aimed at Leeds, it is that they lack the killer instinct that puts them out of reach of the opposition. In the old days this lack of bonus points could have been costly, but if we can keep on winning, bonus points will become an irrelevance.
The table is so close amongst the top eight, thatLeedscould win on Sunday, and yet still drop a place in the league, or they could move into the top four, although this is unlikely as the teams immediately above them play teams in the bottom four.
For John Goodridge and Robbie Shaw it will be a chance to put one over their previous clubs, and both sets of supporters will be hoping their former favourites don’t turn out to be the match winners.
I don’t anticipate too many changes in the Leeds team on Sunday, providing nobody picked up any injury last week, although one or two staked a claim for a place in the A team victory over Newcastle. Gareth Denman could return to the blindside if he has recovered from his head injury, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if Pete Lucock was selected on the wing after his showing from the bench last week. I’d also find a way to get Scott Barrow into the squad if he is fit.
There should be a decent crowd at the Mem. to witness these two former Premiership sides do battle and hopefully there will be a good scattering of ‘lemonheads’ to give the ‘Negies some support. Without doubt, this is Leeds biggest test of the season so far, but if Leeds can eliminate the defensive errors that plagued them previously, and Tommy Bell takes his kicking boots, they can win what I think will be a very close game. I’ll stick my neck out, and say Leeds by four. See you there.
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30/11/2011 05:36
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:12:05:06:03:55 by WildWillie .
See you there lads and lasses!
An early Christmas present would not go amiss!
Ding, Dong merrily on high!
I'm a bit frightened of putting the mockers on us with a win prediction, but nevertheless a game I wish I could attend - should be a cracker!
Miserati - and Proud to be!
So maybe there is little need to worry too much about a guy who can’t get it to their starting 15.
See you me mates from up North at the pasty stall at half time next to the clubhouse at the Blackthorne End. Bring your own as probably will be sold out or get in early!
see post at bottom of thread...[www.rugbynetwork.net]
Quote:WilliamBlessing
Goodridge rested, Robbie Shaw training with Scarlets, [en.wikipedia.org]
See you me mates from up North at the pasty stall at half time next to the clubhouse at the Blackthorne End. Bring your own as probably will be sold out or get in early!
see post at bottom of thread...[www.rugbynetwork.net]
Pasty stall? Bloody southerners!
