Clash with the Titans
Buzz
By Leemingtyke
November 5 2014
Following Leeds based professional Rugby Union is never dull. You can say that without fear of contradiction. Since relegation we’ve had a season of directionless shambolic chaos followed by one of gradual improvement; Diccon Edwards ‘resigned’. Enter Jimmy ‘the whirlwind’ …… erm …… Lowes and a year of free-flowing attacking magnificence. Unfortunately though, it came with a season defining tendency to leave the back door open. Jimmy also resigned returning to the familiarity of Rugby League, his brief but exhilarating dalliance with Union over. Era or error? You decide.
With a recent history like the one described above, anyone who claims to know how this season will turn out is either clairvoyant or wildly deluded. I certainly haven’t got a clue and, with the club seemingly hell bent on making it as difficult as possible for me and many others to get to games, this is a situation that is unlikely to change.
The latest game I won’t be at is Friday nights’ visit of Rotherham Titans. It strikes me that there are many similarities between the two clubs. Like us they are reluctantly established in the Championship. Like us they’ve recently been unceremoniously turfed off their home soil (literally in our case) and forced to play home games elsewhere and, like us, after an eye catching season last year they’re having to cope with losing some of their best to the Premiership. This is par for the course and something we will have to get used to the longer we remain in the second tier. Newcastle, with their Leeds flavoured second row, Ruki Tipuna at nine and former Roth man Juan Pablo Socino pulling the strings, prove that even as perennial relegation botherers you can have your pick of the Championships finest. Centre Jack Roberts the latest to progress from Clifton Lane to the Premiership moving to Leicester as recently as last week.
The table indicates that, for the time being at least, Roth are coping better with this situation better than we are, a benefit no doubt of having continuity in the coaching department. Whilst Gary Mercer is, understandably, still assessing his inherited squad and figuring out if he has the personnel capable of delivering his vision, Lee Blackett will know his playing staff inside and out having assembled them himself over a couple of seasons. As usual, he will be able to select from a number of familiar faces. Alex Rieder, Scott Freer, Dan White, Jordan Davies and Curtis Wilson have all recently plied their trade in West Yorkshire. Lee’s recent Championship team selections suggest that Alex, Dan and Jordan are the ones most likely to get a run out on their old stomping ground.
On our side of the fence we have former Titans Ben Harris, Ben Hooper and, of course, club captain and talisman Ryan Burrows. Buzz and Ben Harris should be certain starters and Ben Hooper will be hoping he has done enough in the B&I games to force his way in. Those lucky enough to be going may get a first glimpse of our new winger Stephen Hihetah and I would definitely like to see Christian Georgiou given an extended run in the starting 15 either at fullback or on the wing.
This game has been talked about on the messageboard as being pivotal or a must win. I don’t agree. Two years ago we made the play-offs despite losing nine regular season games so if we were to lose this one it wouldn’t be season over by any means. That said, if we could put Roth to the sword, and do it with a convincing performance, it could be the shot of adrenaline we need to kick start the season and get the Mercer era really up and running.
West Yorkshire to win a hard fought game under the Friday night lights.
Enjoy the game.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:11:22:13:08:08 by Gelbel.
We are underdogs on Friday night and quite rightly with our patchy form. So time for others, apart from Buzz, to step up to the plate and send 'em 'ome wi' nowt!
C'mon Tykes!
Quote:ellishicks
We cannot afford to have people go away disappointed
Except possibly a few Roth fans?
Really sorry you can't be there, especially with a free ticket on offer.
I actually really like the Friday night games but unfortunately, this season, Friday nights are already spoken for.
It's the 2.30 KO on Sundays which really hacks me off as it makes it nearly impossible for anyone with interests in grass roots Sunday morning rugby to get there.
I see we have 2 Saturday games which I think will be the only home games I will be able to attend this season. Very disappointing but that's the way it goes.
I fear however, that the weather will get the better of the game and diminish it to a kicking competition. I hope I am wrong because I would prefer the excitement of a running rugby handling nightmare than constantly staring into the floodlights like a "Spot The Ball" competition but I think we will not want to lose this to a mistake or two and therefore become risk averse.
I'll take it though as I am sure you would.
Only going by the radio commentary but, unfortunately, it sounds like we were absolutely clueless.
We just look like boys against men, not very tactically aware, pushed around the field and when we do get the ball we don't seem to know what to do with it. Rotherham get what they want because they are pushy, always sniping off the ball and snappy on it. It is not particularly attractive but it works.
The officiating still is not good, which doesn't help, but we cannot blame the officials for the way we play. We did at least have 15 on the pitch for 80 minutes but when they lost a man at half time to a yellow we did not make it count.
I think we will have to put this down to a year of consolidation and let us hope that 2014 is the last of the foundation stones required.
Quote:leemingtyke
Indeed we would have.
Only going by the radio commentary but, unfortunately, it sounds like we were absolutely clueless.
That would be a generous description. Truly dire. Pilgrim and Leonard are a complete disaster. In fact all the backs were dreadful. No spirit. No ideas. Beyond bad. We'll probably avoid relegation this year... Hopefully
Rotherham did exactly what might have been expected: a slowing-down, raw-boned, spoiling game. It was as if we thought they might have thrown the ball about like the Ba-bas (which Blackett cheekily suggested in the post-match interview)
COME ON LEEDS.
We've been through it all together.
...or can it?
Quote:Time TrialQuote:leemingtyke
Indeed we would have.
Only going by the radio commentary but, unfortunately, it sounds like we were absolutely clueless.
That would be a generous description. Truly dire. Pilgrim and Leonard are a complete disaster. In fact all the backs were dreadful. No spirit. No ideas. Beyond bad. We'll probably avoid relegation this year... Hopefully
I said at the end of last season that, of the players we were losing, Lozowski and Hampson would be missed the most. Particularly Hampson whose natural effervesence was the trigger point for a lot of the good things that happened last season. He was the heartbeat of the side. Unfortunately for Pilgrim his steady away, unspectacular approach looks even more unspectacular by comparison.
Quote:leemingtyke
..... Particularly Hampson whose natural effervesence was the trigger point for a lot of the good things that happened last season. He was the heartbeat of the side. Unfortunately for Pilgrim his steady away, unspectacular approach looks even more unspectacular by comparison.
Very true, exacerbated by the poor showing at 10 from Leonard.
Excuse me while I chuckle.
What price ring fencing now
feel free to tell gh sim etc exactly what you think , I don't think they will listen tho.
I think if you asked every last Carnegie supporter you wouldn't find many who would say this is something they truly believe in.
I want rugby in yorks to do well , that imo would be strong teams in leeds , roth and Donny pulling in good crowds playin attractive rugby and making money were all a million miles away from that.
Quote:supporter
Yorkshire Carnegie
Excuse me while I chuckle.
What price ring fencing now
Supporter,
Could I politely steer you to another thread specifically set up for your purposes:
[www.rugbynetwork.net]
Quote:supporter
Yorkshire Carnegie
Excuse me while I chuckle.
What price ring fencing now
He who laughs last, laughs loudest.
" Yorkshire " ( occasionally Carnegie). How that is supposed to attract anyone not on a freebie through your gates is beyond me.
Thanks for the link but obviously no one reads it.
Best of luck for the rest of the season.