Yorkshire Carnegie
Kids Aim to Pillage Penzance!
Due to return at Pirates?
By Mark_C
September 23 2011
Leeds make their first ‘European’ jaunt of the season on Saturday when they cross the Tamar to visit the Cornish Pirates.Only a couple of weeks ago this match would have looked a banker result for the Penzance side, but Leeds are now on a roll and go down to Cornwall with their heads held high! Unbeaten Pirates must therefore be at their best to take the points from this match.......
The composition of both sides is greatly different with the hosts fielding largely the same playing and coaching staff which pushed Worcester so close last season. In contrast, Leeds have been through a near total rebuild both on and off the pitch since last season and last week’s side had an average age of 23 which emphasises the club’s commitment to youth. Although the side has yet to be named I’d expect to see a recall for senior player Lee Blackett on the wing, with last week’s man of the match Michael Stephenson reverting to fullback to replace the injured Stevie McColl. Although I’d expect the Pirates to field former Headingley speedster David Doherty on the wing the intriguing potential battle for me and I suspect many others will be the displays of Joe Ford and last year’s flyhalf Cieron Thomas. After being credited with keeping Leeds afloat on their last return to the Premiership the Welshman seemed to suffer a total loss of confidence last season, and many people reckoned that the departure of Joe to Northampton in an ill-fated move plus Thomas’s lack of form was a major factor in our relegation at the end of last term. The opening day of the season saw another prodigal son in the 10 shirt, Gordon Ross, give a masterclass in kicking to our young flyhalf, but young Ford had a fiesta with the boot last weekend to score all the points in the victory over Bristol.
I’m sure that those travelling to Penzance (and I wish I was one of them!) will witness a full-blooded encounter with no quarter given by either side. And that’s just in the bars and pubs of West Cornwall! Traditionally games between the two clubs are tight affairs and Leeds currently just hold the bragging rights, though it’s hoped that should we hold the advantage with time running out our coaching staff will behave a little better towards the officials than the previous incumbents did during our last visit. The Pirates have struggled late on in all their league matches to date, whereas Leeds have rallied firmly in the second half of their fixtures. This could well lead to a barnstorming finish and with two thousand baying Cornishmen packing into the compact Mennaye ground the atmosphere will be electric and the “Negie Nippers” will need to show true Yorkshire grit and determination to take anything from this game. Anything less and I see Pirates consolidating their position at the business end of the table. One thing’s for sure, it’ll be a cracker....hold on to your yellow hats!!
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23/09/2011 05:33
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:09:28:18:30:38 by Wildwillie.
Hopefully it will be double that!!
I hear a couple of the lads got away with a lollipop from the post office....
does that count?
