Yorkshire Carnegie
Headingley - Eeyore's Gloomy Place?
Goading the opposition
By Andy Brown
October 23 2009
Well, here we are and, as predicted, there is doom and gloom hanging over the South Stand, where a seemingly endless pall of despondency has settled and resigning all who shelter there to a season of misery. My predicition after the Parma game was that, regardless of the result, supporters would find something to be gloomy about.
And boy was I right! Apparently a 37-13 drubbing isn't enough of a win - and I remind you that was our first of the season - to lift the clouds. Although there was clearly room for improvement, and if I'm honest even I would say that we were allowed to get away with some mistakes that would be severely punished in the Premiership, nevertheless the win should be enough to gladden the hearts of the Headingley stalwarts, both club employees and supporters alike.
The messageboard has been eerily quiet during most of this week, but with today's publication of the lines-up for Sarries and Leeds respectively, the Eeyores have been vocal again. 11 changes from last weeks winning team were announced, and the half-back pairing of Gomarsall and Thomas has been what's on most people's minds. Cieron Thomas hasn't blown the world apart since his joining Leeds, and yet he has not disgraced himself either. A solid, steady fly-half is what he is, and although his goal-kicking has been erratic, there are enough options in any team for this not to be a concern; I would like to see people get off his back and actually support him and the team. Scott Mathie has shown some renewed vigour this season and looks as keen as mustard to get in amongst it when he gets on the park, and I was personally a little surprised to see him warming the bench once more. However given that the opposition number 9 is one Mr. J. Marshall, late of this parish, it could be a horses-for-courses kind of call, and there is no doubt Andy Gomarsall can be relied upon to goad the sweet natured New Zealander into doing something foolish.
The rest of the back line and bench has one or two notes of interest as well. Seru Rabeni continues in the 13 shirt ahead of Jonny Hepworth, and Leigh Hinton's return to full fitness is confirmed as he retains his place at full back from last week. Leigh certainly has an air of authority at the back and his direction in defence is a step up from where we were before. Also waiting quietly on the sidelines is Henry Fa'afili who no doubt will make an impact when called to the green grass of Watford.
The pack too has been improving of late, and again, although against weak opposition, it was good to see the Parma front row buckling under the onslaught caused by a reinvigorated Leeds forward pack. While I don't expect the same dominance against Sarries, I can certainly expect them to hold their own.
There is no doubt that the team named by Saracens is a quality line-up. There is even less doubt that, current form being what it is, the top versus bottom game on Sunday is a huge obstacle for Leeds, and one that no doubt (I haven't checked) all the pundits will be predicting a win by more than twenty points for Brendan Venter's Boks. But, unlike a large swathe of the Yorkshire public, I happen to believe Neil Back's assertion that this team will come good - and are already. I actually think it'll be a close game. So close, in fact, I'm not sure who'll win.
But at least I know who I want to win, because that is the team I support. They, and I, are Leeds.
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23/10/2009 17:27
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Come on you Tykes!
Zandra YaPoI
YaPoI - Yorkshire and Proud of It
'proficiscor in una'
