Yorkshire Carnegie
Annie's got some guns
Looker (like his dad)
By Zandra LaPoi
December 31 2013
Well here I am with my first ramblings of the season. Some might say what I write is utter drivel, Bedford didn’t think so. They nicked my preview from last season’s meet and put it on their own Fan Site, praise indeed, so here I am again to entertain you. On Saturday 4th January we travel to Plymouth and meet up again with two of our old friends.
Firstly, Rhys Oakley aka Annie aka Pudding. Rhys was a firm favourite at Leeds and we were all sad to see him leave, however he went with our best wishes and spent a year with Bourgoin expanding his portfolio. After a year eating snails he ended up at Saints and, after being released at the end of last season, he returned home and is now a player and Forwards Coach for Albion.
So on to our hosts, Plymouth Albion. Plymouth currently have the title, ‘Best of the Rest’ and are sitting seventh in the table, just below the ‘breakaway six’. They come into this tie having lost their Boxing Day derby clash to those Pesky Pirates, closely losing 10 – 3. Apparently their defence in this game was excellent. The last two months have seen them only win one of their League games, a close away win to bottom of the table Ealing at the beginning of November, however, as we Leeds fans know all too well, League form means nothing when we visit town!
I was there two seasons ago when we lost, in fact, I wrote the match review, a 25 – 20 defeat and Albion were struggling then. Fast forward two seasons and we seem to have finally got it together. I watched us for the first time this season against Nottingham and we look a different team (well we did in the first half)!!
Anyway, who are the Albion Dangermen?
Top try scorer this season is the embryonic Tom Bowen, their 20 year old winger. He has amassed nine tries this time round. After that is full back Chris Elder with three, so clear there who we need to watch out for. Fly half Dan Mugford seems to nail pretty much all his opportunities so we need to watch our penalty count, again!
Plymouth have also had to sign a scrum half on loan from Exmouth as cover for their second choice 9, Ruairi Cushion, who is covering for first choice injured scrum half Paul Rowley. Albion also have Kiwi lock Ramona Graham to choose from, he has come from the Chiefs to get much needed game time.
So on to the Mighty Leeds Carnegie. Injuries aside, I hope J-Lo starts with the team that played the majority of the first half on Saturday, although Nottingham were pants, we were great to watch. We should be without Jacob as he serves a compulsory break for his concussion injury on Sat, rightly so in my book. I do not want to see the dramas the NFL are having with their players who have suffered head injuries happening in rugby. However, Myerscough will not let us down so we will be ok. The backline were good, I know we all love RV however, we lost a bit of shape on Saturday when Hampo came off so let’s keep it as it was. Hopefully, Hampo will have got over his dead leg and will retain his place. Seems we might be keeping Jonah, best news we could have hoped for as he is a massive asset.
So, my prediction? As you will see from my Prediction League form, I am to predictions what Douglas Barder was to speed skating, however, I am going for a scrappy Leeds win with the Brickfields’ men running us close.
Arh, before I go, at the beginning I said we would be reacquainted with two old friends, who is the second I hear you all ask. Well that honour goes to Dragon27, Rhys’ dad. When Rhys left, obviously so did Dragon27 and since then we have missed him at HC. However he has occasionally popped back to wish us well and is now under the impression Albion are the best looking team in the Championship??!! Cleary, that is us now we have RV back and the best looking hookers in the business! Dragon, sorry I will miss you and we all hope to see you up at HC in April for a beer!
Marching On Together
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01/01/2014 14:27
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:01:12:14:24:48 by Wildwillie .
Was going as I was needed in Oxford on Monday morning (and was going to make a long weekend of it via Bristol) but that was cancelled late yesterday. So boo hiss not going now.
Zandra YaPoI
YaPoI - Yorkshire and Proud of It
'proficiscor in una'
I'm expecting a close game with the weather being something of a leveller.
Quote:Bobba
Wish I could be there. Love Plymouth, the town that is, the Barbican, The Dolphin, Brickfields... sadly or happily I've got another Xmas coming
Happy Christmas for Sunday Bobba, and to anyone else who finds the jump to the Gregorian calendar a challenge....
