The home side started brightly, giving their supporters cause to believe the pre-match hype about their team’s possible progression to the latter stages of the competition. After about three minutes they were given a reality check when Bourgoin created an overlap on the Southstand side of the narrow pitch and the winger crossed in the corner. Boyet added the extras from out wide with Gallic aplomb and the visitors were out of the starting blocks with a vengeance. Shortly afterwards a kick through  in front of the Paddock found Goodridge  out of position and the visitors other winger won the foot race to touchdown  out wide on the right to make the score 12-0 in as many minutes.

At that point the referee might as well have blown for no-side as the game was finished as a contest. Leeds huffed and puffed and Thomas kicked the penalties when they came up but at no time, ever, in the remaining playing time did Leeds look like crossing the whitewash. In the meantime, whenever he had the ball, Boyet either set his backs running at Leeds or pinned the home side back with raking kicks to either touchline with consummate ease.

Bourgoin turned round 12-6 in front and never looked like losing the game. Once Gomez and Maasi were substituted  the ‘Neegs  lost their teeth. The lineouts became a lottery and the scrums crumbled. The visitors played the referee well and it was noted in the Paddock that no-one in the Leeds team appeared to be pointing this out to any of the officials. When the ref finally binned one of  the French players the ‘Neegs were unable to turn their numerical advantage into points.

To exit this competition at this stage is probably a blessing in disguise. The club can now focus on its main task which is of course survival in the Premiership. However the stark reality facing the management today is that  they are overdrawn at the talent bank and  need a miracle of biblical proportions to prevent what now seems inevitable.

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