London Welsh
Leeds v London Welsh Preview
By Mark W-J
September 1 2011
London Welsh’s 25th season of league rugby kicks-off this weekend with a visit to Leeds Carnegie. It’s the fourth time in six years that we’ve opened our campaign with a visit to the relegated Premiership club, and while trips to Northampton (2007) and Bristol (2009) resulted in defeat, we emerged victorious from our visit to Headingley to play the team then known as Leeds Tykes in 2006.
On that occasion we won 16-10, courtesy of a try from hooker Amo Tauialo - the only one of his London Welsh career - and 11 points from the boot of debutant full-back, Sam Ulph. We also visited Leeds on the opening weekend of the 1998-99 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two season, after the two clubs had been promoted from Jewson National One (level three) the previous spring, and claimed a 20-18 win with tries from Andy Currier, lock Chris Whittaker, and captain Luke Jones, augmented by a penalty and conversion from Matt Pearce. On the scoresheet for the home side that afternoon was a 23 year-old openside flanker called Simon Easterby, who appeared in all 26 games for the club that season before joining his coach’s former club, Llanelli, from where he won 65 caps forIrelandand two for the Lions inNew Zealandin 2005. The coach in question, Phil Davies, had moved to Yorkshire in 1996 as the club looked to take quick advantage of the newly professional game, bringing with him players such as fly-half Colin Stephens and flanker Mark Perego, and were unfortunate to miss out on promotion in 1996-97, finishing a point behind second-placed Fylde yet scoring 1,209 points in 30 games compared to the Lancashire side’s 813.
While we have just celebrated our 125th anniversary, the new season marks the 20th birthday of theLeeds club, which was formed following the merger of Headingley (founded 1872) and Roundhay (1924). We spent the first two years of league rugby alongside Headingley in Courage Two, losing 10-18 at home in 1987-88 and 24-0 at Clarence Fields, Kirkstall in 1988-89, before our first meeting with Roundhay took place at Chandos Park in Courage Three in November 1989, again resulting in defeat, 6-22. Yet our first visit toLeeds took place 120 years ago, playingLeedsParishChurch in their first game since a suspension imposed by the Yorkshire Union for irregularities with regard to professionalism. The match was played at Kirkstall in front of a crowd in excess of 8,000, and the home side won by a goal and a try to nil. Leeds Parish Church joined the Northern Union in 1896, one year after the ‘great schism’, but folded in 1901, when most of their players joined fierce rivals Leeds RL - now known, of course, as Leeds Rhinos.
Our first meeting with the ‘new’ Leeds RFC came in National Four in September 1995, a 26-14 win at Kirkstall, and while we finished the season as runners-up to Exeter to claim a second consecutive promotion, the Yorkshiremen also moved up a level thanks to the RFU’s restructuring to increase the size of the top two leagues from ten teams to twelve and level three to sixteen. Two years later we were both promoted again - alongside Worcesterand Rugby Lions - as Premiership One and Two grew to fourteen teams apiece. This weekend we therefore begin our fifteenth consecutive season at level two in the hierarchy, breaking the previous record of fourteen years held jointly by Wakefield(1990-2004) and Coventry(1996-2010). Leeds, of course, have promoted and relegated three times in the same fifteen year period, enjoying a five year spell in the Premiership from 2001-2006. They narrowly missed out on promotion to Yorkshirerivals Rotherhamin 1999-2000 despite losing only four games out of 26 and conceding just 21 tries. Incredibly, between Peter Shaw’s try in the 63rd minute of our 23-11 defeat at Headingley on 23rd October, and James Philip’s touchdown in the 35th minute of the rematch at ODP on 12th February the Tykes’ defence wasn’t breached for eight full games - 692 minutes in total. During that time they conceded only 24 points, of which 15 were scored in two games againstWorcester, withWest Hartlepool (twice) andWaterloo being ‘nilled’.
Elevation to the top flight was duly won in 2000-01, a 55-16 win over Welsh on the penultimate weekend sealing promotion after a decisive 30-13 win over Worcesteron 1st April. While they won their opening Premiership fixture, 10-6 v Bath, and recorded home-and-away victories over Saracens, the Tykes finished bottom of the table with 28 points (six wins from 22) following a disastrous run of seven defeats from the final seven rounds, yet they were saved from relegation by one of the worst examples of RFU politics in the Union’s 140 year history. Through no fault of their own the club was reprieved at the expense of Rotherham, and then proceeded to qualify for the Heineken Cup a year later by virtue of finishing 5th in the table with 12 wins and two draws. Despite again flirting with relegation the following season they enjoyed more success in 2005, reaching the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup and winning the Powergen Cup, breaking Bath’s 100% success rate in knockout cup finals at Twickenham with a Man of the Match performance from fly-half Gordon Ross.
Yet the addition of certain ‘marquee’ signings - who, rather than signifying a step-up the big-time, didn’t appear to fit the ‘us against the world’ ethos which seemed to have served them so well - brought the club crashing back to Earth, and they were relegated in 2006. In mitigation, it’s worth remembering that their five year spell in the top flight produced two seasons of Heineken Cup rugby, something which Worcester have failed to achieve once in their six years among the elite. There followed a ‘yo-yo’ period of three years - promotion in 2007, relegation in 2008, promotion again in 2009 - before Head Coach Neil Back achieved what he proclaimed to be a bigger feat than winning the World Cup - Premiership survival in 2010. Celebrations were again short-lived, however, as Director ofRugbyAndy Key lost his role as ‘part of a restructuring of the management team’ with the club having won only one of its opening twelve fixtures. Despite a slight upturn in fortunes in the early spring they were relegated in May; Back has also departed, to be replaced by formerRFUNationalAcademymanager, Diccon Edwards, who won one cap for Wales RL during a playing career encompassing spells atWakefield,LeedsandLeicester.
For London Welsh, the third year of the Championship should be an opportunity to demonstrate how far we’ve come as a professional club. To many observers this is the most open promotion race for many years - there are many who doubt whether Leeds have the resources to bounce straight back once more after so many years of fluctuating fortunes, and as we enter our fourth year as a fully professional outfit we should be making strides - both on and off the pitch - to establish ourselves as genuine contenders. Whether we can actually do so is questionable, given the apparent refusal to acknowledge the lack of support, stadium, and facilities: never mind the emergence of a genuine threat on our doorstep in London Scottish. But a win atLeedson Sunday would be the best possible start, and a great way to mark captain Jon Mills’ elevation to the London Welsh ‘100 Club’. Let’s face it - if we can win at Kingsholm…
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon01/09/2011 09:21
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
As a Leeds supporter I would agree with your point about us not being automatics fo promotion this year. Indeed, with the massive restructuring, much reduced funds (yes I know we have the parachute payment but it looks like this is being used to pay off debts rather than on players), and a shift towards using the fruits of our academy, we will probably lose a number of games this season.
Ironically, the playoff format may actually be a blessing to us - I can see us not finishing top of the league come the end of the 'regular' period. By then we may have managed to gel all the new players into a team and be in a better position than at the start of the season...
Finally, I doubt any Leeds fans have any visions of granduer regarding our position in the scheme of rugby. We know we've been punching above our weight for some time. We hope for victory, but do not expect it as a right - after all, over the past few years we are as much a Championship club as a Premiership club. And in many ways, it feels good to be back here - the away matches are much more fun than the Premiership grounds
Good luck!
Still a Tyke - whatever the name!
Have a safe journey up enjoy your day!
Miserati - and Proud to be!
Will Ross be starting ? Who else should we look out for ?
We are probably not favourites despite being at home, but this will be a good marker fixture to define where we are at the moment. As long as our side come out all guns blazing and last the course we'll be happy.
Well.......as long as we win
EDIT: have checked and it's not on Radio Leeds.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:09:04:11:17:49 by dottigirl.
BTW Minis all started training today....looking good as well!
Abrasive game so far, Welsh in control other than in the scrum!
Great try by Liam. Scrum a real worry for us but taking game to Leeds and very worthy of 3-13 score line.
Quote:
Thanks, Mark_C.
I went to the main BBC site and it said they were covering Super League.
I was expecting the local radio to be partisan, and they didn't let me down. At least they sounded enthusiastic about the game...
Keep it up boys.
Pleased also that Simon is playing so well.
Greatly looking forward to the forthcoming game.
Great start to the season, and some interesting results elsewhere also (Pirates draw at Moseley and Notts almost pipping Bedford, with Scottish comfortably beating Rotherham by all accounts.
Maybe this IS going to be an interesting season.
Can't wait for Saturday. Not sure I'm going to make it for the England WC game, though....
I thought Gordon Ross would come back to haunt us again one day....but I was pleased for him as he attracted a lot of mostly unjustified stick since he left Leeds.
Miserati - and Proud to be!
.
You outplayed us for 65 minutes though we finished the stronger but by then it was too late.
More London Welsh headlines
- 1s and 2s Playing at ODP this Saturday
- Bumper Weekend of Matches for London Welsh
- Final Pre-season Match at Grasshoppers
- Tom May is London Welsh Backs Coach
- 1st XV Pre-Season Fixtures
- London Welsh Women Ready For Pre-Season
- London Welsh Women RFC Fixtures
- 2XV 'Druids' Fixtures
- 1st XV 2018/19 Fixtures