Please sir, I want some more
By Gelbel
May 14 2014
On Sunday Leeds Carnegie travel to Oxford for the second leg of their Championship semi-final playoff against London Welsh. Having the pleasure of watching Leeds' fine display and win against the same opponents at Headingley and on the telly last Sunday, all I can say is I want more.
Okay, you can leave out being down to 14 at any time, having, probably the best full back in the league, have an off day and generally being a bit naïve to London Welsh’s tactics. But give me a Leeds performance with an outside half directing his troops, kicking anything from anywhere on the pitch in a nasty old wind, a reasonably new centre partnership that is firing, an exciting right wing, some big lumps making yards, a functioning line out and some decent scrummaging and I’ll be more than satisfied.
Where I would like to see more thinking is around the replacements. For a few glorious minutes on Sunday I thought we were not going to see wholesale changes in the front row. But my dreams were shattered; as soon as that happened, the scrum fell apart, we started giving penalties away and London Welsh got back in to the game. These are my views only, but as the next match the starting pack are likely to play is 10 days after Sunday's match (first leg of the final – unless it all goes belly up and we put out the strongest squad for the B&I Cup final) then I’d not make changes unless there are injuries, or risks of, or fatigue.
Thinking of the team as a whole, I’d not make any changes to the starting fifteen. As cover on the bench, there is the debate of having Georgiou rather than Lozowski as the former has been so effective in his recent appearances. But I’d stick with Waspsbound Lozzer as kicking cover – remember Hughes was hopping a bit at the end. Let’s hope Hampo’s foot is OK too.
London Welsh are only seven points behind so will come out all guns blazing, or playing every trick in the book; so Leeds must not make silly mistakes, nor lose their concentration and make the most of every opportunity they create. Let’s also hope for a referee who knows his stuff and is consistent.
It’s going to be another tight, lip-smacking match. The weather’s looking good: warm if not overly sunny, which I hope favours our style and youthfulness. If we stick with what we do best and address those things that let us down in the first leg, I think a very narrow win is on the cards. If we have to start talking aggregate, we’ll scrape through to the final – just. And we’ll have even more playoff rugby to get our teeth into.
Bring it on, I cannot wait. Hope to see you there.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:05:19:09:15:51 by Gelbel.
We have lost the habit of losing - LW have lost 2 out of their last 4 matches.
I rest my case.
COME ON LEEDS.
We've been through it all together.
