Good to catch up again...
Back From Europe!
Good to catch up again...
By Ian Brewer
January 19 2010
Well only just as Parma airport became fog bound yesterday and after coaches to Bologna to meet up with our diverted flight finally reached home at 1:00 this morning. However let’s review the weekend and first of all my predictions. Too much pasta – tick, far too much red wine (and come to think of it Prosecco and beer) – tick, Leeds for a bonus point win – tick.
Good to catch up again...
January 19 2010
Well only just as Parma airport became fog bound yesterday and after coaches to Bologna to meet up with our diverted flight finally reached home at 1:00 this morning. However let’s review the weekend and first of all my predictions. Too much pasta – tick, far too much red wine (and come to think of it Prosecco and beer) – tick, Leeds for a bonus point win – tick.
You can read a description of the game on the offie board so will keep these musings to general impressions of the weekend. As to the rugby well the team put together some of their best moves of the season with Thomas deservedly getting the man of the match not only for a faultless kicking display but also for the way he kept the backs moving – so much better than the school of lets throw it to Rabeni and see what happens. The match was aided in no small part buy an excellent refereeing performance by a Frenchman, whose name escapes me. Although he missed one blatant off the ball incident he actually reffed the scrum well and stamped his authority on the match by his carding of Barry Irving for an obvious professional foul – no warning just blew for the penalty and pulled the yellow card from his pocket.
HP played well but you have to wonder whether this was because against this class of opponents he gets the time he now needs, Luther Burrell did well and Jon Goodridge had one of his games that when he was good he was very very good. Hepworth gave another master class of passing – well to his way of thinking anyway. As to the pack collectively good with Calum not only putting himself around but staying on the pitch. Special mention for Denton who has the makings of a great player.
What of Parma? They never gave up and for the last ten minutes were battering the Leeds line but in the end they were outclassed. I understand they have been unfortunate with injuries and they, of course, just do not have the depth of players of English teams but this is a problem for the national team as well.
Anyway the abiding memory of the trip will be the friendliness of the people all over the city and the tremendous hospitality of the club supporters. The three of us arrived at the ground just after midday and in no time at all were given a free beer and told to hang around for the lunch buffet, which we duly did. By the time this was served several of the other Leeds faithful had put in an appearance and with free wine on the table we tucked into a very tasty bowl of pasta (aided by the fact that the ragu sauce was either donkey or horse – I’m not joking), plates of Parma ham and Parmesan cheese and, tried only by Stephen, the raw horse meat sandwich washed down with fizzy red Lambrusco (don’t knock it until you try it).
Once the game kicked off the Parma fans were very sedate and it was left to us to make the noise, which was successfully accomplished. I think there may have been about 1,000 there maybe a few more but chatting to Parma Jack and Cooperman after the game it appears that Parma suffer the Leeds disease of people only turning out for a winning team and even when the two Parma teams play each other the crowd is only about 1,500 and it is not unusual for fans to change their allegiance depending on which of the two teams is more successful.
After the game it was back to the bar for more beer and it was good to see Jon Dunbar there and all the players put in appearance, which went down well with the locals. It appears some previous teams have not endeared themselves by being far too stand-offish and Leeds’ efforts were appreciated. All in all crowd size, the enthusiasm of the locals (except when it came to cheering) put me in mind of some of our games in Division 1 last year except Donny and Co tend not to give away free food.
So thanks Parma for a great weekend, a good match and the splendour of your hospitality.
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Stumbleupon| 19 Jan, 2010 12:10 | Report |
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TykesRugby.co.uk (IP Logged) Unregistered User |
Back From Europe!
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CooperMan (IP Logged) Registered User |
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Re: Back From Europe!
It was good to see you and put faces to names.
The ragu would probably have been horse, we leave donkey eating to the southerners!
Pass the word, the Parmegiani are always very hospitable and it's a great place for long weekend, and a good centre to explore other parts of Italy from.
Ciao
CooperMan
An son spajé co'l cul c'a bruséva.
The ragu would probably have been horse, we leave donkey eating to the southerners!
Pass the word, the Parmegiani are always very hospitable and it's a great place for long weekend, and a good centre to explore other parts of Italy from.
Ciao
CooperMan
An son spajé co'l cul c'a bruséva.
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