With Leeds beating by all accounts a woeful Sale team at the eighteenth time of asking, primarily through forward grit and determination, the Headingley faithful have suddenly got an awful lot happier over the last week. And Wasps abrasive display last week that nilled a still very hard-to-beat Saracens side, we can perhaps be forgiven for assuming the Headingley contest will be forwards dominated and minimalist when it comes to tries.

However, tries do not necessarily a spectacle make, and all who make it to LS6 for the slightly early kick-off will be fascinated by what the two teams will make of the sandy surface. Having taken Wasps down on their own turf earlier in the season, Leeds should be nothing if not confident of making it a contest, and by the same token, Wasps will want to restore their injured pride.

A fly in the ointment of course is the injury sustained by Andy Gomersall in his 200^th Premiership appearance at Sale last week, which, although not as bad as first feared, it does mean he will take no part in the match on Sunday – other than perhaps a spot of cheerleading from the stands. (You know where we are with the drums Gommers – come and join us!). This gives the improving Scott Mathie a chance to stake his claim for a more permanent run in the number nine shirt, and as a result Joe Bedford also makes a rare appearance on the bench. The rest of the back line is pretty much the strongest we can field, and Rabeni and Fa'afli should be able to do a job together if they can just get a bit of passing done between them!

Forwards wise, the team more or less picks itself too, and with Andy Titterell's welcome news that he is to remain with us for the rest of the season, we can field a pretty formidable front row both from the start and from the bench. At Adams Park the Wasps pack was dominated by Leeds, and although they claim to have fixed the problems they had then, I personally want to see Leeds dominate again; good ball at scrum-time will give just the platform that our Scott Mathie can use to good effect.

Of course the elephant in the room is the shock announcement of Calum Clark's leaving us to go to Northampton. A talented lad, big and strong will go far with a club like Saints, and much as it pains me to say it, I think he probably does need a change of scenery to push his game on to the next level. He is there on the bench this weekend, and I have no doubt that when called upon he will give his all to ensure he can come to Headingley with his new club next season.

So, we have a confidence in the Leeds side, both on the training paddock and in the stands that we haven't had since last season when we were playing much lower grade opposition. I confess to being worried about this fixture. Home advantage should count for something, but this doesn't seem to have helped the players so far. Perhaps we're too quiet. We need everyone to shout and scream to ensure the 5000+ supporters that are there sound like four times as many. If we can build an intimidating atmosphere, Leeds might forget where they are and win it!

Wasps will do all they can to stop that happening (assuming they turn up at all ;) ), and as stated before, their nilling of Sarries should be a warning to Leeds' attacking players; they will need to do something pretty special to breach the insectoid barricades.

My prediction? I honestly don't know. Although at different ends of the Premiership table, and therefore with hugely different motivations, nevertheless these are two closely matched sides – even without Wasps losing players to international duty. I think it could go either way.

But whichever way it does go, there won't be a lot in it. Pass the defibrulator – therre may be an awful lot of heart stopping moments!

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