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Leeds (H) 05/10/07

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By Leipziger October 4 2007
Isn’t it great that our northern brothers Leeds are back in the Premiership? Sale might be nice for giving us a guaranteed home win every year, but Leeds like to give us the points away from home too, which is nice of them. Indeed, in the Carnegie’s (doesn’t sound right does it) 5 previous top flight seasons they have beaten us just once.

That defeat came on February 15th 2004 at Kingston Park, before a draw at Headingley a month and a half later.  But around that have been four defeats for Leeds in Newcastle, the last being a 54-19 trouncing at the hands of the Premiership’s first all-English 22 on May 6th 2006.  Full-back Anthony Elliott scored three of our eight tries that afternoon, the others coming courtesy of Tom May, Mike McCarthy, Ben Woods, Mathew Tait and Ollie Phillips.

 

Leeds have made little impact on the Premiership in their first three games back after winning the Division One title, losing all three and rooted pointless to the bottom of the table.  Last week they narrowly avoided being nilled by Saracens, Stuart Hooper’s late try salvaging some pride from a 7-31 home defeat.  This came on the back of a loss at Harlequins and destruction by Gloucester and Lesley Vainikolo in particular on the opening day.

 

Leeds have a squad boasting some quality players, including the promising backs Tom Biggs and Jon Goodridge, former London Irish scrum-half Darren Edwards and back rowers Rhys Oakley and Hendre Fourie, a South African.  Andy Tuilagi will also return after the World Cup, and along with Colin Noon and John Holtby has played for Leicester in the past.  Stuart Lancaster has been severely limited in his options so far this season, and has 12 players injured for tomorrow night, although Fijian Appo Satala could make his debut from the bench.

 

The Falcons, still missing World Cup players themselves, have Mark Mayerhofler back from injury, but apart from that and the resting of Micky Ward in favour of David Wilson keep the same side which started against Harlequins:

 

15 Matthew Burke
14 Tom May
13 Mark Mayerhofler
12 Joe Shaw
11 John Rudd
10 Steve Jones
9 Lee Dickson

1 Joe McDonnell
2 Andy Long
3 David Wilson
4 Jason Oakes
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Geoff Parling
7 Phil Dowson (captain)
8 Russell Winter

Replacements:

16 Matt Thompson
17 Jon Golding
18 Andy Perry
19 Brent Wilson
20 James Grindal
21 Adam Dehaty
22 Ollie Phillips

 

Leeds side:

15. Leigh Hinton
14. John Holtby
13. Tom Rock
12. Lee Blackett
11. Tom Biggs
10. Richard Vasey
9. Joe Bedford
1. Tommy McGee
2. Vili Ma'asi
3. Colin Noon
4. Erik Lund
5. Stuart Hooper (c)
6. Rhys Oakley
7. Calum Clark
8. Mark Lock
16. Michael Cusack
17. James Parkes
18. Pablo Bouza
19. Kearnan Myall
20. Mike Aspinall
21. Appo Satala
22. Jon Goodridge

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