Top 2 to battle it out
Raiding Party
By 3 Wheels on My Waggon
December 16 2008
Exeter Chiefs make the long journey to play Leeds Carnegie at Headingley this weekend. They'll be accompanied by a large and noisy raiding party as The Tribe and Friends get behind their team. Coaches will be leaving Exeter at 7am and more fans will be travelling by car, train and plane to see the top two sides in ND1 battle it out.
Preview
of
Leeds v Chiefs
at
Headingley
Just 2 matches into the second half of the season, Exeter Chiefs have reached what could have been their opportunity to take the lead in National Division 1. Following the draw last week with Esher, it is now a must win game, just to keep their promotional chance alive. For Leeds it is the opportunity to stretch their lead at the top of the table to 9 or even 10 points.
It is the game that both sets of players and fans alike have been waiting for, like a group of eager children, awaiting the arrival of Christmas Day. Plenty of ‘My balls bigger than your ball@ type comments have inundated both fans sites.
Maybe it was the big prize that helped Exeter take their minds off the game in hand last week.
Had the home and away fixtures been reversed, this fixture would definitely have been sold out at Sandy Park, whether the Leeds community see the importance of this fixture and come out in their droves to support them is yet to be seen.
Statistically there is still not much between the teams, however, following last weekends results, it is now 5 and not 2 points that separates them at the top of National League 1, Leeds sitting on the top of the pile, having won all 16 games this season, whilst Exeter having lost just one and drawn 1, and having earned 1 more bonus point than Leeds, sit just below them. Leeds have not lost at home this season nor have Exeter lost away from home.
I doubt the team will be released until late this week, but certain players will undoubtedly be present, including Lewis Stevenson, Chris Cracknell, Kev Barrett, Chris Budgen, Josh, Nic Sesteret and Sean Marsden, as long as they are all free from injury.
On the day, statistics will count for nothing, as has been so well proven recently, the teams being separated by shear grit and determination, the winning team likely to be the one that’s most focused, that makes the least unforced errors, and capitalises on those errors that the opposition make, adapting best to the conditions and playing as close to the referees interpretation of the law as possible. (Stating the obvious I know!) Who that will be is too close to call, although the pundits will all see Leeds as the firm favourites.
The adrenalin will certainly be pumping in the dressing room on Saturday, but one thing Exeter can be sure of is that out on the terraces will be the largest group of their travelling supporters that they have seen, with the exception of the EDF finals, willing to back them all the way to the final whistle with all the noise and gusto required. The supporters will arrive at Headingley in a party mood and will want to return in the same way, many having set off from home well before 6 in the morning.
Whatever the final result, there will still be plenty of rugby to be played over the coming months before any team can be crowned as champions and take the coveted winners position in the Premier League. Even then, with the current speculation about the size and format of the GP, anything could happen.
For what its worth, my prediction:Leeds 17 - 19 Exeter Chiefs
Sorry about the cramped layout of the preview, it was a lot better on Word.
Chiefs CHIEFS CHIEFS
Living the dream
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East Terrace Central
Our roads are paved with hope, and there are no stop signs.
"COME ON EXE!"
Maybe is cos I can't make it but I feel less excited about this than maybe I should. If we get the result then its all to play for but if we like the rest fail then its over for another season. Maybe its the hang ups from the dissappointment from last weekend still hanging around if we had done the bizz and got the BP we would be going up there in a good frame of mind, Unless the reverse happens and they go there determined to put right what went wrong. We cannot give them a head start like at SP we have to take all our chances and make sure that they have to work for every score. I also hope the radio works so I can listen to the game and will them on to keep the season alive.
Waiting for the good times ...
..and waiting ....
... and waiting ...
One other possibility is a 5-2 (or 4-1) pts award, which could make the gap 2 or 8pts depending on who wins.
If you're going through hell...keep going
Quote:Weather forecast is for rain on Saturday so should suit your dour forwards game.
Cloudy but pretty much dry according to metcheck... here (the bbc site is always pants, so I will ignore that one!)
Lets hope the weather doesn't spoil what should be a great game.
I'll ignore the second bit of your post!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:12:17:20:14:11 by fatheralice.
Chiefs Chiefs CHIEFS
Quote:fatheraliceQuote:Weather forecast is for rain on Saturday so should suit your dour forwards game.
Cloudy but pretty much dry according to metcheck... here (the bbc site is always pants, so I will ignore that one!)
Lets hope the weather doesn't spoil what should be a great game.
I'll ignore the second bit of your post!!
Hope metcheck are right - that looks like perfect conditions for a good game of rugby.
Good luck guys and enjoy it all of you travellers! Win or lose make yourselves heard, last week was quiet.
Quote:Geronimo Jim
Win or lose make yourselves heard, last week was quiet.
Speak for yourself Jim i didn't think the shed was too quiet, ok not the noisest but not the quietest. Perhaps the grandstand were too busy eating prawns!
Quote:Geronimo Jim
I was high in the grandstand in the press seats and you may [i]think[i] you were making a lot of noise but for much of the game and compared to many other games you were quiet and that's a fact.
GJ you weren't stood next to the two kids with the horns, I can assure you it wasn't quiet! and as for sitting in the press seats don't you buy your tickets like the rest of us?
1200 Medium level cloud, 8°C, Wind W 6 mph 17 mph
1500 Low level cloud, 8°C, Wind WSW 5 mph
Hope it stays dry, nice and warm for Yorkshire
P156...COME ON YOU CHIEFS..
..CHIEFS....CHIEFS....CHIEFS