Preview: London Wasps v Leeds Tykes

By Loosehead on 17/9/2003
September 17 2003

After last weeks opening round of fixtures in the Zurich Premiership both teams will be hoping for better all round team performance.

Although Wasps will be missing key players such as Dallaglio, Worsley, Abbott, Lewsey and Logan due to World Cup commitments and Alex King through injury, they still boast a very formidable line up, which includes Dowd, Greening & Shaw from the Forwards and Howley, Waters & Denney in the backs: A very strong team.

Forwards

The Tykes will have their work cut out for them again this week, with news that Captain and Talisman prop Mike Shelley is out for up to 6 weeks with a broken thumb, and we are already without the services of Kerr and Regan who are not available due to world cup selection. An injury to Simon Halford in pre-season training means that the Tykes are looking very threadbare in the front row, with Gary Powell now the only experienced Prop in the Tykes squad. Phil Davies does have young Prop Michael Cussack from the academy, but would it be wise to pit him against the experienced former All Black Dowd? There is also something of a question-mark over Matt Holt - who can also prop - as he was seen to limp off against Bath. Will PD look to sign a prop in time for Sunday's game?

Backs

It was not all doom and gloom though for the Tykes on Sunday, as the Tykes new look back line scored 4 tries against Bath with very little secured possession. This new back line boasted Rees, Scarborough Christophers, Hodge & Walsh and they showed plenty of pace and vision out wide. With what possession they had, the ball found itself passed out to the wings at every opportunity, and the try of match was a 90m effort in which every member of the back division was involved. However, can we expect Howley, Waters et al to be quite so complacent in defence as some of the later Bath play was?

Kicking

With BVS departing at the end of last season it was rumoured that Leeds may struggle to find someone to replace his long range kicking but Hodge proved on Sunday that there is life after BVS with a monster 50m penalty which still had plenty of distance in it after sailing over the cross bar.

"Headology"

The Tykes will need to bounce back on Sunday to show they have got over the defeat of Bath, whilst Wasps who will be playing their first home game of the season will want to give their fans something to "sing about". This is going to be a very hard game for both sides. Leeds did quite well at Wasps last season by snatching a draw deep into injury time when Wasps looked to have sewn the game up.

Prediction

As a Tykes fan I have to predict a Leeds win, but I believe that this is going to be a very close game that could even end up being another draw!