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Ashes to ashes: Leeds v Wasps

Retiring, not shy
By Peter Creek May 9 2008
The Carnegies complete the fixture list with a home game against Wasps. The contrasting fortunes of the the two clubs are there for all to see. Wasps are surging up the Guinness Premiership and a five point win could see them finish second in the final table as Bath are at Gloucester. If that was not enough incentive then Wasps’ greatest ever player is putting on the black shirt for the last time.
Lawrence Dallaglio joined Wasps back in 1990 and has been with them ever since. His achievements for club and country are well documented and Saturday will be an opportunity to see him in action one last time. If current form is anything to go by then "Del boy" as he was known as at Ampleforth College will be upstaged by some or all of of Wasps' fleet footed back division. Cipriani, Sackey and Lewsey are all on top form at the moment.

Leeds are also parting with a loyal player and Stuart Hooper will get a good send off  after sticking with the club when they were relegated two years ago. Other than that the Leeds faithful will have little to shout about. The club will end the season in the same position as it was two years ago, relegated and leaderless. It is a case of ashes to ashes as the club's dreams are buried whilst its DoR takes the RFU's coin and abandons his five year plan along with his wise words about loyalty and sticking together.

Fortunately the similarity ends there. The Carnegies are retaining the bulk of this season's GP squad with two additions already announced. The Academy has once again been fruitful with Greendale, Burrell and Armstrong already blooded in the GP. I expect to see others coming through next season. Whoever comes in as DoR will sort out the abysmal defence and hopefully improve the conditioning of the squad.

And so back to Saturday's match. I expect a high scoring game, not because of the fabulous weather forecast but because the home side has leaked tries all season and bonus points have been scattered at HC like confetti. Last week at the Madjedski Leeds mustered twenty points. It is quite possible that they will repeat that feat on Saturday but will not get anywhere near the Wasps total. The players will give their all, as they have done all season, but the gulf in class and the inability to eliminate simple errors from their game will see them end the day empty-handed as they have done for most of the season.

Next season the highflying Wasps are off to Europe. The Carnegies? Well we're all off to Rotherham!

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3 days ago Report
merry (IP Logged)
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Re: Ashes to ashes: Leeds v Wasps
pretty much sums it up,

oh well, one last hurrah for the season and to farewell players and lanny, and then look forward to winning ways again in nd1.

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3 days ago Report
dragon27 (IP Logged)
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Re: Ashes to ashes: Leeds v Wasps
I'm looking forward to see Dallaglio's last game, although he can come across as a bit holier than though, what I will most remember him for was a game at Bristol, the other Wasp players were changed, fed and waiting to get on their bus, Lawrence was still in his kit, had not yet left the pitch and was signing autographs for hundreds of kids.

Great player, great man and with a name like that probably half Welsh.

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3 days ago Report
KevinTheB (IP Logged)
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Re: Ashes to ashes: Leeds v Wasps
I hope your last game in the Prem this season gives you hope for the future but lets us leave for home with 5 points and second place in the bag.

I hope we're not coming up ready to celebrate Lawrence's last game without knowing we have 80 minutes of hard rugby to go through first - that would be disrespectful and downright dangerous.

However, I'd expect to see Dallaglio leave the field with a few minutes to go - to allow everyone to raise the roof on the end of a fantastic career, honourably fought in the Red of the Lions, the White of England but most of all in the Black and Gold of Wasps.

There won't be a dry eye in the house. I just wish his last game had been in front of the Shed!

KevinTheB

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2 days ago Report
leedscboy (IP Logged)
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Re: Ashes to ashes: Leeds v Wasps
Sad to see a great player like him go.

But its worse for us when you look at it.

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dixiewasp (IP Logged)
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Re: Ashes to ashes: Leeds v Wasps
Had you been able to hold on to all those talented
young players/Academy players you were developing
first time round,and who have blossomed at rival GP
clubs since .......... today's relegation just wouldn't
have happened and I like to think, would have coped
with sides stuffed with off-the-shelf SH players.

best wishes,

dixiewasp http://foolstown.com/sm/bee.gif

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11 hours ago Report
oopnorth (IP Logged)
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Re: Ashes to ashes: Leeds v Wasps
The Wasps off loading game in the second half was brilliant and we did well to keep the score down. Turning when taking the ball in contact and sure that a team-mate was on their shoulder.

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