There is also the “Six Nations” factor in this week’s equation. Whilst a host of Tigers are on international duty only Hendrie Fourie is missing from the Carnegie squad. Will this make a difference? Leicester still have the likes of Sam Vesty and Billy Twelvetrees who will want to make a point to Richard Cockerill that they are good enough for the GP. However Leeds has only ten games in which to overhaul a Worcester club that has dropped to eleventh in the table, five points ahead of Carnegie. Therefore we need to start winning games. If ever there was an opportunity and an incentive to beat Leicester then it is now with GP rugby next season as the incentive.

What do we need to do to beat Leicester (apart from scoring more points than them)? The notion has been banded about that squad rotation is a good thing and that the side should be selected dependant on the various strengths/weaknesses of the opposition. I do not hold with this. The team on Sunday must start with our best scrummaging props, the hooker who can throw straightest and the locks who can best secure our lineout ball. Add to them the meanest, hard tackling back rowers and the pack is ready. Behind the pack we need leaders and decision makers, an area where we are notably short which means that Gomersall must start at 9. The 10 must kick well from hand and unleash his centres at the right time. Thomas and Barrow should start with Rabeni or Fa’afili as the outside centre. It is possible that Tuilagi senior will start for the visitors which means no faint-hearts in the back three. We then need 80 minutes of concentration and commitment with a modicum of thought/ decisiveness from all 15 players.

In the scheme of things, Wuss being at Sarries this weekend, a win will put us 1 point behind them ( assuming they get tonked). We then only need to match Worcester’s results and beat them at HC in the Spring – easy! The club must look on this game as winnable. History is against us as a Leicester second string won at HC a couple of years ago. If the players, as a group, want GP rugby next season they have to prove that they are good enough. What better way to start than by taming the Tigers?

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon