Gimme an ahhh not an arrgghh

We start the Championship season off properly with the very long, very tiring trip to Penzance. I say properly as I wonder if Leeds thought last week's double header was a final pre-season match given the failure to take the losing bonus point on offer and the overly high penalty count. There needs to be a massive improvement on Friday night or Cornish Pirates, tails up from a 'shock' win over Bristol, will make it two from two. And as our record at The Mennaye is poor, my expectations are low.

I watched both teams in action last weekend (just as well Leeds weren’t on the telly or I’d been hiding behind the sofa at the horror show) and Pirates were everything we expected Leeds to be:

• They did the simple things well and mastered the new scrum laws most of the time.
• They played as a team and for each other - a big surprise as there was a large number of new signings; including a winning try scoring James Tincknell, late of this parish.
• They were disciplined – well, mostly. For sustained periods they were defending inside their 22 and gave few penalties away.
• They took advantage of what ball they had - living off scraps from the opposition's mistakes, taking the ball forward when they got it and taking the points when offered.
• No one played out of position - to the best of my knowledge.

So what do Leeds need to do against a side who are bound to deliver more of the same? Notice I don't say to win; but they need a platform to build upon and will surely be wanting some added confidence. They need to do all of the above, starting with a proper full back. I'd give the #15 shirt to Georgiou or Lozowki and the one who doesn't start is on the bench as outside half cover. My head says give Hughes time to settle in; his job can be made easier by starting Baby Doc. The rest of the backs should be Holmes, Griffin, Lucock and Doc.

As for the forwards – start Lockwood and Nilsen. Is Currie injured? If not him and Imiolek should come off the bench. I assume Luke Cole is capable of finding his man in a lineout (a pre-requisite of a hooker I’d thought – that and being able to actually hook) so let's give him a run out. I apologise for sounding like a stuck record, but Rowan must remember he is captain and has a job to do other than flankering.

In summary, play like the Pirates did last week, mix the team up a bit, add a sprinkling of fairy dust (or whatever it is that'll give the spark/oomph/will, call it what you want, that was missing last week) and we might have the contented ahhh from a game well played, with a losing bonus point, rather than a frustrated arrgghh from more of the same we endured against Nottingham.

A safe journey and enjoyable weekend to those making the trip.