Leeds overcame Notts by playing to the final whistle and securing a win in the last passage of open play, thus ensuring another return to Twickenham. But even this magnificent return to form was eclipsed by the news emanating from Devon that the Chiefs, surprisingly beaten in a league/cup winner takes all game at lowly Moseley, had parted company with their coach Pete Drewitt as the finishing line lay close in sight!

So, Leeds to cruise away from turmoiled Exeter and wrap up the league title, then! Er, not that easy! Five games to go, all against sides looking to put one over the Yorkshire side, and arguably none more so than Sunday’s opponents the Cornish Pirates. Although we have only encountered each other relatively recently, matches between the two sides have proved to be feisty affairs with precious little to separate the teams at the final whistle (whenever it is blown!). It would be fair to say that currently Leeds JUST hold honours in the league, whereas the team from the Duchy snatched a tenacious cup-tie win amidst the Headingley blizzards en-route to a famous cup-winning performance over Exeter at HQ.

What will happen on Sunday? Well, Leeds need the win, that’s for sure, and a bonus point along the way would be handy too. If the team performs as it did against both Bedford and Nottingham there’s nothing to say that this can’t be achieved. Although Tom Biggs and try-scoring hero Rob Vickerman will be absent on Sevens duty again, there’s enough backs talent ready and waiting in the wings to provide more than able replacements. As for the forwards, Carnegie hearts were warmed last week at Nottingham by the familiar sight of the returning Fozzy bullocking his way through the home defence. Though there may be a concern over Keirnan Myall’s ankle, there are surely adequate back-row replacements itching to get into the action too. And just to add a touch more spice I’m sure that Alberto, Vili, and Sparky are champing at the bit to put one over their former team. As for the visitors, well I’m sure they’d agree that this has been an up and down season for them. Injuries and inconsistent team selections led to a disappointing first half of the season, eventually costing coach Mark Hewett his job. Assistant coach Brett Davey is holding the reigns until the end of the season, but he and the Cornish faithful must wonder how a team can easily take points from Doncaster and Bedford  (something we couldn’t do!), yet collapse in a heap against Nottingham  just weeks later. Add to that a yo-yo’ing (or should that be yo-ho-ho’ing!) home record, a puzzling lack of  consistency, a failure to play an accurate place-kicker and it’s not difficult to see why there are murmurings of unrest amongst the Camborne fans, for whom the dreams of a ‘Stadium for Cornwall’ must always be uppermost in their thoughts. However, any side that counts World-Sevens winner Rhodri McAtee amongst it’s ranks can never be written off, and it’s fair to say they will also field their 16th man; the legion of  Pirates fans domiciled in and exiled from the Duchy. This fanatical bunch are reknowned throughout the land for their passionate support for their team. Hopefully they will receive the same hospitality in Yorkshire that they availed to those of us that travelled down to the Duchy in November. Also raise a cheer for Namibian lock forward Heino Senekal, a stalwart of the Pirates side, who will be making his final Yorkshire appearance prior to retiring at the end of the season.

My prediction is that this will be another blood-and-thunder encounter with Leeds shading the result. HMS Carnegie should have sufficient ordnance to see off their buccaneering rivals, with hopefully enough in the locker to spare to take the bonus point too. Let us yo-ho-hope so!

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