Moral Victories don't get you into Europe
By Leedsexile on 28/04/2003
April 28 2003
At about this stage last season we went to Leicester and watched the Tykes put up a spirited performance but ultimately go down fighting. Dan Scarborough’s try being the highlight of the evening, and we contemplated life outside the top division.
Who would have thought that a year later, RFU regulations went our way and we were to go to Welford Road and be bitterly disappointed not to win?
In black and white, the truth of the matter is that we should have won an overall poor game. We dominated the second half and had George Harder done the opposite of what he had done all match, and actually hit the deck in the far corner during the second half, we would have deservedly won.
We started off well, but Leeds discipline in the first half was poor and let us down on more than one occasion. Tykes constantly infringed at the ruck and were heavily penalised for hands or for offside. Leicester took advantage of these opportunities and all 18 of their points came from the boot. 5 from Booth and one from McMullen.
Leicester seemed hesitant in attack. True, they were playing a second string back line – Raynor making a rare appearance on the wing and Booth in at fly half. What attacking threat there was in the first half came from Leeds. Harder crossed the line for Leeds following up a great chip through by Ross. The referee played a good advantage earlier in the move after a Booth knock on and as the ball came to Ross about 40m out, he drew the advancing defence and chipped in to space. Harder read the bounce of the ball well and collected inside the 22, avoided the last ditch tackle of Geordan Murphy and touched down in the corner. BVS then had one of those moments that you write home about or put the grand children on your knee for - he missed a kick at goal.
BVS had earlier put the Tykes in front with a penalty that was soon cancelled out. The referee setting a tone for the match with his nit picking and over reliance on the whistle. In truth I thought that he was poor for both teams but the one real moment of contention in the game I feel he got right. Martin Corry was rightly sin binned in the second half for a punch on either Popham or Mather. (Both look the same from 50m!!!) There must have been an initial offence from the Leeds player involved but players cannot go around dealing out their own brand of justice and Corry was rightly yellow carded.
The sin-binning led to a crucial point in the game. We saw last week how resilient Leeds were whilst the Irish were a man up - we were to see the same from the Tigers. Leeds attacked reasonably well and gave the ball width, but they were guilty of forcing the issue. Ross’s attempted drop goal which resulted in him losing the ball in the process was typical of this. Harder went close again but it was not to be.
BVS cut the defecit to one point late on in the match. Geordan Murphy was guilty of bringing down the advancing Winston Stanley as a kick through evaded the Irish man - he was rightly penalised. BVS took the kick and the difference was one. Another yellow card was perhaps justified on that occasion however a penalty try was out of the question as the defence was back to cover.
Corry soon returned and with Leicester back up to full strength, they played the game out and after a very small amount of added on time, the Tigers claimed the four points. The Leeds pack gave Leicester a real run around in the second half as Raynor filled in for Corry in the scrum, but Leicester had enough about them to hold on.
So, with two games to go we find our selves in 6th. We still have the Saints and Gloucester to play, Leicester have the Irish and Gloucester to play and the Saints also have to play Quins away. We can still get into the HC through the league but we need to get back to winning ways against Gloucester next week before the winner takes all match at Franklins Gardens the following week. Leeds have been billing the Gloucs game as "Game for Europe". The Leeds support at Leicester was fantastic - vocally swelled by the visiting Keighley Rugby team - and we will need this for our next matches. The team will appreciate it and hopefully it will spur them on into Europe. Looking forward to Gloucs, what a difference a season makes.....