By apb
January 27 2006

So here we go again, back into the thick of the "bread and butter" competition, the Guinness Premiership. Leeds languish at the foot of the table with seemingly a mountain to climb.

However last week's awesome performance against a feeble Cardiff will give grounds for hope and optimism, as well as the recent run of good results against the Saints - in all competitions.

And again we have two All Black greats going head-to-head, our own Justin Marshall against his former All Black outside-half Carlos Spencer. There's not really anymore to be said to be honest, other than stating those bare facts; it seems pretty much every week we have a "massive" game that sees some great players in the world of rugby pitted against each other in the English Premiership, and to be honest, I think we get a bit blase about it.

Northampton are rightly proud of being able to field almost a full intermational back line, and their forwards aren't half bad either. Leeds too have their fair share of international class talent - some of whom aren't yet capped at full international level but damn well should be! We fans don't know we're born, do we?!

Leeds field a side exhibiting two changes from last week; Rawly comes back in at hooker to push Mr. Bulloch back down to the bench, and the other change is for Rayno Gerber - sorry, Tykesrugby.co.uk's Rayno Gerber - in for Gavin Kerr. Kerr took a bit of mild stick for his performance against Cardiff, after getting himself a ten minute rest toward the end of the game for allegedly collapsing the scrum a number of times. He doesn't even get a bench spot this week, so he's either injured, being rested for the upcoming Scottish international, or Phil Davies was REALLY cross with him!

On the other side of the front row, Mike Shelley retains his place after his excellent showing against Cardiff, relegating the big Kees Lensing to the bench for the first time since his arrival on these shores. The big man will certainly get on, and it will be something else to see the big namibian taking the field displaying "Yorkshire" on his shirt!

The all-Welsh back row that so routed Cardiff is still there, and those silky skills and fast hands of the back line will once again be brought in to hopefully silence the Franklins Gardens crowd (except for during kicks, when they will all fall silent anyway!).

The Saints have had a similar run these last few weeks to the Tykes - some astonishing defeats from the jaws of victory, a corner turned, a thumping of Bristol in the Europeans, a cancelled match in Italy. Two well matched teams you might say!

Its going to be a goody, and I think Leeds has what it takes to dispatch the Saints on their own turf once again. Mind you, I would say that, wouldn't I?

Teams

Northampton Saints		Leeds Tykes
Bruce Reihana (c)	15	Roland De Marigny
Sean Lamont	14	Andre Snyman
Jon Clarke	13	Rob Vickerman
David Quinlan	12	Chris Bell
Ben Cohen	11	Tom Biggs
Carlos Spencer	10	Gordon Ross
Mark Robinson	9	Justin Marshall
Tom Smith	1	Michael Shelley
Steve Thompson (c)	2	Rob Rawlinson
Chris Budgen	3	Rayno Gerber
Damien Browne	4	Stuart Hooper (c)
Matt Lord	5	Tom Palmer
Paul Tupai	6	Scott Morgan
Ben Lewitt	7	Richard Parks
Daniel Browne	8	Nathan Thomas
Dylan Hartley	16	Kees Lensing
Simon Emms	17	Gordon Bulloch
David Gerard	18	Jordan Crane
Sam Harding	19	Jon Dunbar
Johnny Howard	20	Danny Care
Robbie Kydd	21	Dan Hyde
John Rudd	22	David Doherty

Referee:Tony Spreadbury

---