They Died With Their Boots On.
Another top performance.
By Gelbel
May 8 2011
Fishermen’s tales…There’s many a fisherman’s yarn about ‘the one that got away’ and ‘it was this big’ with hands held out to show the size of the missed opportunity. And evermore, so it will be in the annals of Leeds rugby union history, will be the story of the ‘the try that got away’ and ‘it was this far away’. However, unlike that elusive fish that gets ever bigger, the gap between the oval ball in our forwards’ hands and Northampton Saints’ line will become shorter and shorter.That is the tale of the final game of the season – one last push from a team deemed to have underperformed all season, a team (without being rude) without the big names and quality that Saints had, even on their bench. But, my goodness, did that team push and play for their lives.
We drove down to Northampton through a downpour and lamented how the wet would make for handling errors. Leeds have made some howlers in that department this season, but this turned out to be the least error-strewn this season - IMHO.
If on that journey I’d have told you Leeds would be 24-3 up on twenty minutes, with an hour to hunt for a four-try bonus point, you’d called for the men in the white coats!
From the off Leeds were ‘up for it’ and Saints fell asleep after an initial 20 second driving maul from the kick off – the aftermath of their HC semi-win perhaps? Certainly a semi-second fiddle starting XV. After four minutes Alfie smashed through the Saints’ defence and after pressure on their line, Hendre Fourie popped the ball over for try number one. AJ added the extras. Back in the Saints’ twenty-two, Scott Mathie off-loaded to Rhys Oakley, who charged through a gapping hole to score between the posts. AJ added the extras.
Saints finally woke up and Lee Blackett saved a try with a great tackle but soon after Shane Geraghty slotted a penalty to make it 14-3. Shortly after, AJ cancelled that out with a Leeds’ penalty to make it 17-3. Leeds were going all out and the third try could’ve been scored sooner but Phil Nilsen's pass was intercepted – a pity as there was a two-man overlap. However, Leeds dug in and regained possession for Pete Wackett to run away to score in the corner. AJ added the extras!
It all got a bit nervy before half time as Saints started to reduce the deficit. Lee Blackett and Saints’ Diggin were sin-binned for some Saturday afternoon wrestling. Saints scored a try, missed that conversion but were awarded a penalty try following a scrum after Juan Gomez was binned for consistent penalties in a long, drawn out period of scrums and converted to make it 15-24 at half time.
The second half was a case of heads-down graft and give everything to keep within LBP points and look for an opportunity for a fourth try. Ashton scored with that, now famous, swallow dive – how I willed him to do a Wuss’s Kitcheners. Saints brought the big guns off the bench; Leeds’ legs were getting tired – it took Gomez five minutes to lollop from the pitch to the tunnel when he was replaced. Three Saints’ converted penalties brought it to 31-24. There was much concern when Oakley seemed knocked out cold following a tackle. The referee immediately stopped the play and called for the medics and the stretcher – but ‘Pudding’ is make of stern stuff and was up and back in the action after a few minutes.
With about three minute to go, Leeds won two penalties in the Northampton half and the second was kicked to the corner. This is where the stuff of folklore is made; Leeds threw everything short of the kitchen sink at Saints and had several big drives for their line and the relegation-saving fourth try. Young Uche Oduoza leaped to rescue the ball going into touch and kept the attack going. Danny Paul charged for the line but was stopped just yards short – and over the summer that distance will get shorter and shorter. But that was it; Saints got the ball and were able to clear it to end the game and our season and our hopes. The team were drained, mentally and physically – bodies all over the pitch. They’d given their all. Ignore today’s press saying we squandered a 21 point lead; they might say that – we never stopped trying.
Two weeks ago I called for a passionate performance against Quins but we did not see it. It was there in bucket loads against Saints – and, although so very, very near yet so, so far, I was proud of that performance and so should the team.
So what now? I’m not going to comment about too many lack lustre performances this season, I am not going to comment on the TV recording I watched this morning where Backy and Marco (Sm93) were subtly bemoaning the lack of money (and Wine Gums’ binning was a massive mistake) and I am not going to speculate on who’s leaving. I’ll just say thank you to those we know are going - Myall (a good captain’s performance), Burrell, Thompson and CT for plying their trade at Leeds; they’ve made their marks and are moving on. And I think Stephenson is the player of the season.
And now to a long, rugby-free summer – to pass the time I may take up fishing and bore everyone with the tale of the one that got away.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:05:09:18:37:28 by Wildwillie.
Miserati - and Proud to be!
Another hard one to write up and re-digest though.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:05:08:14:15:59 by Beeston Lion.
You must be gutted, especially as Bath were doing a big number on Falcons.
Maybe Pirates will spare your fate - who knows, Exeter did it last season?
good luck next year whether in Premiership or Championship.
PG
It was fun!!!
Having had to watch on ESPN, by the end of the match I was drained.
Would have loved to be at the Gardens with the rest of the lemonheads as I have been for most of our away matches. It would have been nice, despite the result, to have been able to cheer on and say thanks to those players who will not be with us next season.
At least, in the end, we went don fighting!
