By apb
August 12 2005

So it's all about to start again. A new season, a new-look team, and a new official team captain are about to take the stage at Headingley for the first time, in the pre-season friendly against Edinburgh on Saturday. If you weren't aware of this date - where have you been?!?

The Tykes take on the Gunners in the only home pre-season game, and it is scheduled as a double-header, with the Rhinos taking on the Broncos at 6.00pm.

And there's the first speculation point: How many people will turn up for the game? Pre-season friendlies have always been the exclusive domain of the die-hard Tykes fan, and therefore have never attracted much of a crowd. Tomorrow's game is different for any number of reasons. Justin Marshall will be turning out for the Tykes for the first time, and this will be the only chance to see him play at Headingley for over a month. The interest generated by the incredible finish to last season is another factor that shouldn't be overlooked, and of course the fact that a Rhinos game is on may bring in some curious potential cross-coders. On the downside, the ticket price of £15 for a friendly is a bit steep, but if you consider you get a free engage SuperLeague game thrown in, Leeds Rugby will tell you there's value for money in it.

Personally, I think we will see at best a couple of thousand for the Tykes game, with maybe an influx towards the sixty minute mark as the Rhinos fans take their places. Lets hope the guys can give them a show!

As to the match itself, Phil Davies has named what looks like a strong team on paper. Balshaw is back from the injury that kept him out of the Lions tour, and we will be looking to him this season to stay fit and do the business for his club. Snyman continues where he left off last season on the wing, with Biggsy on the other. A small surprise, given the billing he received as a fullback-cum-flyhalf on signing, is De Marigny at inside centre. Bell continues at 13, and the "dream team" partnership of Ross and Marshall at halfback will be well worth the money!

Forwards-wise, we have the stalwart front-row of Shelley and Kerr, separated by the talented Mr. Bulloch. And with Hooper, Palmer, Morgan, Parks and Dunbar making up the rest of a good looking pack, this looks like the core of the first XV for the season.

The Gunners' trip to Headingley gives us the opportunity to welcome back Duncan Hodge, who was cruelly invalided out of the Tykes season last year (and imagine what difference that would've made to our season, having a top-class flyhalf available as back-up!). Other than that, I'm afraid the Edinburgh team is a bit of a closed book to me - perhaps Oopnorth can give us some of his wisdom on that one!

Prediction: None. Friendlies are different beasts to the real thing, and that in itself is a concern, since Leeds Rugby will be trying to attract a few more cross-coders. It is likely that they may be disappointed by any lack of intensity, and this could ruin the chance of gaining more support from the RL fraternity. Still, the new team for the season looks an exciting one, and I can't wait for the start.

Let the game commence!!

Teams:

Leeds Tykes:
15. Iain Balshaw
14. Andre Snyman
13. Chris Bell
12. Roland De Marigny
11. Tom Biggs
10. Gordon Ross
9. Justin Marshall
1. Mike Shelley
2. Gordon Bulloch
3. Gavin Kerr
4. Stuart Hooper
5. Tom Palmer
6. Scott Morgan
7. Richard Parks
8. Jon Dunbar
Replacements: Cusack, Isaacson, Murphy, Thomas, Jones, Rock



Edinburgh Gunners
Selection From:

Mike Blair
Ben Cairns
Nick De Luca
Rob Dewey
Matt Dey
Marcus Di Rollo
Phil Godman
Duncan Hodge
Rory Lawson
Francisco Leonelli
Chris Paterson
Simon Webster
Grant Anderson
Simon Cross
Alasdair Dickinson
Dougie Hall
Dave Hewett
Allister Hogg
Allan Jacobsen
Alastair Kellock
Steven Lawrie
Matt Mustchin
Fergus Pringle
Ross Rennie
Apolosi Satala
Alasdair Strokosch
Steven Turnbull

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