That was the year that was...not!

As the year draws to a close Leeds fans everywhere will be breathing a sigh of relief. 2011 - good riddance! This was the year that has seen the club relegated, lost most of the senior players again, had the "sugar daddy" factor removed and been reliant on young players to find our level in a tough competitive league.

Anyone who still thinks that we will bounce straight back into the AP is deluding themselves. As things stand we are shaping up to finish 6th which will enable us to progress to the promotion play-offs. Our current form suggests that we will struggle to get past the semi-finals. Our development this season has been erratic to say the least. At least our defence is improving. However it is the failings in attack that are causing concern to many fans. Will we get any better before the play-offs? Possibly. Can we rely on players coming back from injury? No. So what you see at the moment is pretty much what we will have going into the play-offs.

2011 has seen realism hit the club and it's fans big style. 2012 will not be any different!

Sale call the shots!

I was quite excited when I heard this week that we were signing a couple of new players - two more young 'uns from Sale Sharks. I was somewhat nonplussed by the news that Andy Titterrell was going to Edgeley Park until the end of January. This means that he will miss key Championship games against Doncaster and Bedford.

If Sale contacted Leeds and asked if they could borrow a hooker why did Diccon not offer them Phil Neilsen or Scott Freer, both of whom could do a job for them in the AP? Unless Steve Diamond rang up and said we want to borrow Andy Titterrell. If so Diccon should have said he is not available. Unless Andy had already told Diamond that he wanted to do it, leaving Diccon with no real choice. Andy has said that he still holds ambitions to play in the AP. Perhaps he did not mean "with Leeds"!

It seems to me that Sale hold all the aces in this arrangement. It may well turn out to be a great arrangement as far as we are concerned but I have a nagging doubt now about Andy's commitment to the cause - our cause.

The Corsairs are Coming!

This weekend the Leeds Carnegie players have to pick themselves up, dust off the remnants of last week's defeat at the Mem' and get ready to face the sons of Kernow in the  fixture where they can avenge the drubbing at The Mennaye back in September.

Getting 50 points put past you is bad enough but it must have been a real eye opener for Diccon Edwards and his coaching team. Since that black September day the 'Neegs have won 7 games without showing any real consistency. They are 7th in the league, 7 points behind Rotherham and are in danger of staying in that position.

A win against the Pirates is possible, unlikely but possible. Diccon has named a strong team - all they need to do is play to their capability and it could be very close. Leeds to win by 3!

Welcome back Danny!

One of the most pleasing sights for me at Headingley Carnegie Stadium last night was the return of Danny Paul. The former prop, converted to backrow showed his versatility when he came on at lock in the second half. He seemed to slip back into rugby without any noticeable reaction despite the fact that the second half was a very physical session against tough, streetwise opponents. I hope he gets an extended, injury-free run in the team. We need him!

Bananaskin avoided, just!

Leeds came back from Esher with a narrow win. Enough to get the lads up to sixth in the league. The skipper and Big Mac both came on in the game so will be in contention for selection against Rotherham. They will be needed! Rotherham beat neighbours Donny this weekend and will be looking forward to our encounter on Friday night. carnegie will have to up it's collective game to get anything out of that fixture.

Our Nemesis returns.

Today Leeds Carnegie plays a routine fixture down in Surrey. Despite the "bananaskin" potential of this match the Tykes are ( in my view) expected to win. In six days time we have a home fixture against Rotherham Titans. Roth are a few places above us in the league and beat the lads down at Clifton Lane earlier in the season.

The game next Friday will provide a good indicator as to how much we have improved ( because we have!) and tell us much about our likely final league position. If we win then a top four place is realistic otherwise top eight and playoffs. How many times in the past have Roth widdled on our bonfire? Time to stick it to them and move onwards and upwards methinks.

Sunday, Bloody Sunday!

It is on weekends like this one that I really miss being in the Premiership (apart from the odd occasion when we won a match). Whilst we are playing Currie in some nothing of a competition half the AP are playing in the Heineken Cup. I can just about remember our two excursions into the top club competition in Europe. There were some jolly fine trips to be had across the water! Even the second tier competition can lead to exotic destinations in far-flung spots across the continent - Exeter were in Perpignan this weekend.

So enjoy your Currie on Sunday afternoon. I am sure that the kids will give their all for the cause. Whilst my head will be at HC my heart will be further afield. Roll on our return to the top flight!

Time to Raise our Expectations.

The autumn has, so far , been quite horrid for Tykes fans, until last weekend when the pups were unleashed at Bedford . They came away from Goldington Road with all five points, bucket loads of kudos and a much needed boost to their collective self confidence.

This must now be taken forward into the Nottingham game! It is not unreasonable for us to expect a degree of consistency, game on game. Despite the fact that we have won four consecutive fixtures the home games have been flakey performances to put it mildly.

Our senior squad players seem to be bearing the brunt of the injuries at the moment so it is down to the youngsters to shoulder the burden of performance. To me it seems that they are up to the task. Tomorrow's team has enough about it to see off Nottingham. I expect to see an improved performance and a place in the top half of the table by Xmas.

The Season Started Yesterday.

Leeds managed an away win down at London Scottish yesterday just after England's world cup dreams were trampled into the New Zealand dirt by the rampant French. Do I feel sad? No, I feel relieved that our season has finally started, albeit with lowered expectations and we have the prospect of back-to-back wins to look forward to if we can overcome Moseley at HC next Sunday. We also had the big plus of Mike MacDonald returning with a forceful second half performance. Perhaps now our scrummaging will improve - always a good sign of better things to come.

Looking at the Championship table I can see us getting up to about 5th or 6th by Christmas. By that time many of the kids will have found their feet in this tough division and we will be in a better position for the play-offs. Bring it on!

Kids Clobbered by Cornish Corsairs

Not a good game to pick for your first outing on national television, away at Cornish Pirates, a team who have over the past few years become the powerhouse of the Championship. It certainly looked like men against boys from my armchair.

I hope that Diccon has identified the areas where we need to improve. If not then they are the scrum, lineout, rucking(too slow), defence & game management. Easy enough to sort out if you have the manpower which of course we do not.

After Saturday's beating I have adjusted my sights for the season but we will still have to start with a home win over Donny on Sunday.

Another Stiff Test for the Kids

Two defeats on the trot for the kids. Bristol are up this weekend enjoying the sort of form that their long-suffering fans could only dream about last year at this time. The Tykes were given a torrid time in the set piece last weekend. Will they fare any better this time around?

It is too soon to expect a win with tries flying in from all corners of the ground. What we do need to see, however, is improvement in those areas where we have been lacking. That plus some leadership from the older players otherwise we could be bottom of the heap on Monday morning.

Green Shoots as Leeds go down on Day One

Who would have predicted that  Gordon Ross would have a 100% kicking day at HC? Well not me for starters. London Welsh are a workman-like side who will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. Today they just about deserved their win but were hanging on at the end as the Leeds youngsters attacked with vigour and showed that things will get better the more that they play together.

McColl and Wilson looked sharp whenever they got the ball. Denman was feisty in the scrums. Hampson & White will be vying for the 9 shirt all season & Ryan Burrows scored a decent try after a quiet first half. There was enough potential there today to leave the fans surprisingly upbeat when the final whistle went.

Cry Havoc and let slip the Dogs of War!

The weekend is upon us. The wait is over. Diccon Edwards has named his side for the opening fixture of the season. The team is peppered with young hopefuls, eager to make their mark and establish themselves in the 1st XV: Craig Hampson at 9, Ollie Richards at outside centre and Curtis Wilson on the wing. Add to them newcomers Ryan Burrows, Davie Young and Stevie McColl and the Tykes fans will not recognise half the team. Diccon Edwards stated that his teams will always have a winning mentality when they go onto the pitch. This starts tomorrow when he lets slip the puppies!

Now is the Time....

Well we are on the home straight this week. September beckons on Thursday and with it the start of the Championship, which for Leeds, is a jump into the unknown, despite the fact that we seem to be there every other season. This time we have to negotiate several familiar hurdles ( being the relegated team we are the scalp to take, we have lost most of our squad again & hence have no real idea how the new boys will get on)  plus the rugby equivalent of Beechers Brook which is the play-offs.

Already I am filled with trepidation, not just because Bristol got tonked in the play offs & Wuss nearly came a cropper last time round but because we have no experience of this phenomenon. Do we come out of the blocks like a whippet on speed or do we build slowly for the main event in the new year. Both strategies have their merits. I would settle for a first day win and then a nice steady progression climaxing in a play-off final win. Well you can dream!

Where's the Beef Martin?

So Martin Johnson has announced his squad for the coming World Cup. Am I filled with eager anticipation, waiting to see if England's finest can bring home the silverware? No I am puzzling over some of his selections, wondering at his omissions & thinking that his squad has a lot of similarities to the Leeds squad for the coming season.

Injuries at 9 or 10 will leave them exposed & the squad is still 2 or 3 players short to have any chance of success. It applies to both squads! England will have a lacklustre World Cup and Leeds will misfire throughout the autumn. You heard it hear first.

World Cup - a minor distraction?

The close season has really dragged. I have suffered withdrawal symptoms & even dreamt that I had started playing again after 17 years! Now we are a couple of weeks from the start of the season and I am getting quite excited. But wait. In 3 weeks time we have the World Cup starting in New Zealand. ( If there was any justice it would be starting in Japan.) I have been so preoccupied with the domestic game I haven't really given much thought to the WC.

Presumably the Chokers will start as favourites which should suit everyone else. Who will knock them out this time around? It would be nice if it was one of the unfancied sides. Can England win it? A big ask I think.

Which would I prefer: England to win the WC or Leeds to get promoted? That is a no-brainer for me as the cup is just a minor distraction.

Time to dust down the yellow hat!

Leeds Carnegie got their pre-season underway last night with a defeat up at Kingston Park. The scoreline reflected the fact that Leeds had 10 players making their debuts for the Tykes. Despite the heavy defeat the match gave Diccon Edwards a good marker to how effective  training has been. The season proper starts 2 weeks tomorrow. The lads have another run out at Rodney Parade on Tuesday and then the real event starts on 4th Sept. First up is London Welsh & you do not need a long memory to remember the opening day when the Exiles won at Headingley. Time to exact revenge methinks.

That was the week that was!

When Leeds Carnegie announced an open forum night I was sceptical, to say the least, about the amount/quality of information that would be made available to the supporters who turned up - if any. Well I was wrong on both counts. There was a full house. GH declared that nothing was off limits & proceeded to give a candid talk on the mistakes, finances and, more importantly, the club's plans, targets & ambitions.

There were some shocks when the list of playing staff was announced - mainly because the "released list " was now 21 players long & the squad list contained approx 8 "anos". Presumably the  released players could not agree terms & the club will fill up the squad with cheaper options.

A pleasing aspect of the night was that the club are focussing on youth - plenty of academy lads have been promoted to the senior squad & the new coach has assured us that they will feature.

The other shock was the new shirts, designed to mark the 20th anniversary of the club. Green black & white will take some getting used to! But it also helps to reinforce the "rebirth" of the club - new coach, new strip, new ethos. I came away from the session feeling very upbeat ( as did a lot of other people) and looking forward to next season. The rollercoaster is back on track & I want to be on it.

Time to Look Forward

The appointment of Diccon Edwards as Head Coach at Leeds has been welcomed by the majority of fans. His first statement gives us much encouragement as to the side he will build to get the club back into the Premiership. Having worked with the academy players up until 12 months ago Diccon knows that this is the strength of the club.

Giving youth it's head and " if they are good enough they are old enough" is a bold policy to have. Certainly Neil Back was very cautious when it came to unleashing the kids but  Swainston, Denman and Wackett all got, and took, their opportunity to play in the Premiership under Back.

Edwards is looking to blend the youthful element with some seasoned professionals. Andy Titterall and Jon Pendlebury are already committed to the cause. Others have said that they want to be part of it. I guess that the re-sign announcements over the next seven days will tell us just what the players think of Diccon's appointment.

New Coach

It is now three weeks since Back left the club. Gary Hetherington has been busy in that time. Players' departures have been announced. Some expected, others not totally unexpected. Alongside all that activity we hear that interviews have taken place for the role of coach. Who has been interviewed? I've no idea but some people have thrown their names into the hat:

Llyn Howells - experienced coach who knows the Championship very well. Downside is that he has not achieved much whilst he was at Donny.

Simon Middleton - more than 10 years at Leeds, knows the players and the club ethos. Downside as defensive coach his sides leak points like they are going out of fashion.

Gary Mercer - ex RL man who knows the club. Experience? Limited.

Other names have also benn bandied about. These include John Callard ( the fans favourite) - lives locally and has worked with the backs when they were good. Diccon Edwards - former head of the academy who would be a Lanny-like appointment (& hence a bit of a gamble) and finally Phil Greening who has done good things at London Welsh & who quit to try his luck elsewhere.

Whoever gets the job will have to hit the ground running and adopt a different approach to his predecessor. These are hard times and money is tight ( while we have the Key/Back debt on our backs). Her will have to get the best out of the players we have already. I cannot see GH letting them out on a shopping spree. Two or three key positions might get covered. Nothing more.

Expect a decision this week.

And now the good news!

Leeds Carnegie have issued a list of players who are being released. This list is considerably shorter than it might have been ( as I expected a real clearout). There are, of course, players going who we will miss. Leigh Hinton has been a good servant of the club and Juan Gomez has shown that there is still a place for pear-shaped props in the modern game.

Several players on the list were brought in 12 months ago to help the club move up to the next level so it is not surprising, given their failure to make any impact on the AP, that Fury and Browne have been released..

The good news is the players who are not on the list. Presumably those players, including MacDonald, Hardy, White, Oakley and Paul, are in the middle of negotiating new contracts. Hopefully we will get some concrete news in the next week as to who has signed new contracts.

I feel as though we have past the nadir and things are looking up!

Reality Check for Tykes Fans

Yesterday it was announced that Marco Wentzel is leaving the club by mutual consent. This came as a shock to many fans who did not grasp the seriousness of the situation at Headingley. Wentzel is 32 years old and is purported to be on £180k per annum. That is a lot of money to pay a Championship player hence Gary Hetherington offered him a way out of the club.

The next contracted player to leave will be Hendrie Fourie. Again he will be on a decent salary ( as a current international player) which Leeds cannot really afford to be paying in the second tier. Others will follow as GH cuts his cloth accordingly. This is the reality of the situation that Leeds finds itself in.

I am saddened that there are so called fans who are calling for the board to put up more money or resign. Where do you think that money will come from? Those fans who expect anyone to hand over millions of pounds to prop up the club are living in lala land. Time to get real kids!

Who is to blame?

Leeds Carnegie rugby club is in turmoil, again. The 3-year plan of the management team is in tatters and the Leicester duo, Back and Key, have gone - Key sacked & I suspect Back resigned before he too was axed.

So what went wrong and who is to blame? The second year of the plan had been a success in that the club had avoided relegation. When Neil Back trumpeted his "top 6 finish" as the third phase of the plan we thought that a mid-table finish was on the cards.

The pre-season was an absolute disaster. To my mind things had started to go wrong before then. I had heard that we were signing Charlie Hodgson from Sale. His body language, when seen on TV, said that he wanted away. I am sure that the Leeds management thought he was coming, hence the lack of any other decent stand-off in the close season signings. For whatever reason Charlie changed his mind & we were left scrabbling for decent players who could perhaps fill the 10 shirt. We ended up with a decent, injury-prone 12 who, to my way of thinking, did not fill the 10 shirt in any way, shape or form.

That was the start of the season-long failure to move up to the "next level". Everything else was incidental. No number 10 = no success! Therefore I have no hesitation in pointing the finger at a certain Yorkshireman from Halifax (not Mallinder this time) and saying;

                                        "Charlie - it's your fault!"

Back to Square One?

No big surprise today with the resignation of Neil Back. Anyone who has seen him over the last couple of weeks with a long sad face will know that this must have been on his mind.

The 3-year plan, of which this is the third, has been a massive failure , appearing to be doomed as soon as the pre-season started. However, instead of apologising for failing to deliver Back makes out that he has achieved a lot in that time ( as well as learning a lot) and has reached the point where he can take the club no further. This will come as something of a relief to those of us who could visualise another season like the last starting in September.

Back has shown himself to be tactically naive this season and his fighting spirit has not rubbed off on the players like it did last season, particularly in key games when we might have expected a win.

So are we back to square one? Gary Hetherington thinks that we are in a stronger position than last time. A lot will, of course, depend on who comes in as Coach and what fresh ideas he brings with him. I think that we need to get the new man in as soon as we can & look forward to the challenges ahead.

'Urry up 'Arry

One of the big plusses of the defeat at Northampton was the appearance and subsequent performance of one Harry Hannon, a hooker from the ranks of our academy, who came on to face Dylan Hartley in the second half when he replaced the excellent Phil Nielsen.

We were fortunate enough to bump into Harry on our way out of the ground after the match. On the pitch he looks a mean hombre. When you meet him he is a well spoken, polite young man. He had obviously enjoyed his AP debut but was a bit despondant about the result.

When asked how he coped with Hartley he replied that the England hooker talks a lot! Clearly unfazed with his baptism of fire he is one to watch for the future.

So hurry up Harry and make the Leeds number 2 shirt your own!

Franklins Gardens in colour

Harry Hannan(front centre)

Calum

AJ converts the 3rd try.

The eve of destruction

I do not get a good feeling about the game tomorrow. Leeds have named as strong a side as they can but the Saints bench looks awesome & some of the Leeds players do not appear to be taking this game too seriously. Steve Thompson has already been seen out on the lash tonight. Just what we need.

Defeat tomorrow will see Neil Back's 3 year plan fade into oblivion as it has seemed like doing for most of the season and the club will be back where it was 3 years ago except for the £2million debt that we have accrued in the meantime. Barry Maguire's song seems quite apt for the occasion....

Time to take a long hard look...

...at the squad that has brought the club to the point where it has to win at Franklin's Gardens at the weekend to have any chance of staying in the AP.

There are a number of contracts up for renewal, including some players who were new to the club last summer & were only signed up for one season. Neil Back now has the opportunity to say thankyou but no thankyou and be hard-headed in who he offers a new contract to. We are already committed to contracts worth £2m ( assuming get-out clauses are not invoked). This leaves very little to play with. Those players who have been found wanting when it comes to performance need to be shown the door. There are hard times ahead & we do not want to be carrying anyone for another season.

One last hurrah!

The result at Kingston Park last night, where Newcastle secured a losing bonus point in their defeat by Bath, means effectively that Leeds have to win at Franklins Gardens on Saturday afternoon to even have a chance of continuing their brief flirtation with top flight English rugby.

There are, however, a couple of factors which could help the Tykes' cause. The Saints are in the Heineken Cup semi-final today. This must surely be their primary objective for the season - winning Europe's biggest prize. The other one is that they are playing Perpignan, a rough-tough Catalan team who will certainly kick seven bells out of the Northampton players if it aids their cause. So we could see  the Saints squad with injury issues and one eye on the big prize when we meet next weekend. Will this make a difference? Probably not. Saints have a relatively big squad with strength in depth.

Can Leeds win? Unlikely but not impossible. One last throw of the dice.

Where are they now?

Twelve months ago we had a huge crashball centre from Fiji. Irrespective of what you thought about his defensive capabilities Seru Rabeni was an absolute handfull when he had the ball in hand. Although he was very much a one-trick pony Seru's trick was to smash into the opposition defence and break tackles. He was also adept at offloading which made him a handy weapon to have.

At the end of last season Seru wanted to stay at Leeds. Sadly the club was not forthcoming with a contract so Seru's agent got him one at Stade Rochelais, newly promoted to the French top tier.
He signed for the French club and then Leeds realised what an asset he was and tried to get him out of his French contractual obligations - to no avail. Stade are currently 13th in the French league & show every sign of going back down.

If Seru came back to Leeds it could be said that he was yo-yoing between yo-yo clubs!

The Good News and the Good News!

Sources close to the club suggest that some of the players who are out of contract  soon have offered to re-sign on reduced salaries. Among the names being bandied about are players who I would be happy to see re-signing for the club. The flip side is that there may be some who I would rather see go.

Steve Thompson appears to be heading south - his comments in the press this week do not suggest that he will be hanging around. ( and I for one do not blame him).

Oh - and the other good news is that I confidently predict that we will not get thrashed this weekend!

Quo Vadis Marco?

I hear that our "Captain Fantastic" has not decided whether or not he is staying at Leeds next season. Certainly his actions when he was taken off on Sunday were somewhat strange. His form has also dipped of late and Steve Thompson has proved to be a better leader on the pitch when he has had the chance.

Wentzel also has a big say in team selection these days. This may account for the strange selections in the backs that we have had most of the season & why some players, who would be obvious alternatives seem to get overlooked on a regular basis.

Perhaps if Marco moved on we could spend his undoubtedly large salary on a number 10.

Money for old rope

In an article for the Guardian yesterday Gary Hetherington was talking about the finances of Leeds Carnegie rugby club. Alongside the sum of £2.6 million that the club will receive as a parchute payment if and when they go down at Franklins Gardens in a fortnight, a second figure was mentioned. £2 million has already been committed to players' contracts for next season!

Now we have not announced the signing of anyone who would command a large chunk of that money so by my reckoning it could be 40 players at £50k or 20 at £100k each. The reality will be a spread with some players earning up to £200k and the squad players getting £70-80k. The squad is not 40 players yet so presumably the bill will go up as other players commit for another season.

Revenue will be seriously reduced if we are in the Championship plus there is also a large debt to service so, to me, it looks as though we will not have fiscal solidity nor anything like that for at least another 12 months.

Leeds Carnegie slips meekly into obliivion

Another no-show match put paid to Leeds' chances of staying in the top flight of English rugby. On a hot sunny afternoon Harlequins did not have to break sweat as Leeds let them score five unanswered tries in a 3-38 route at Headingley.

Despite recent poor displays over 5000 people turned up to watch a gutless, clueless performance. Hopefully this was the last time that many of the players will be playing for Leeds. Time for a clearout - including some of those who still have a year to run on their contracts.

Time to stand up and yell!

Tykes fans need to make the effort to get to "Fortress Headingley" on Sunday afternoon. This will be the last occasion that you can see Premiership rugby at HC for at least four months and quite possibly for a lot longer.

It will also be the last time that Kearnan Myall steps out for Leeds. A loyal product of our academy he is moving over the hill in an attempt to enhance his international prospects. Good luck Kearnan.

Last roll of the dice

Neil Back has named his team for Sunday's last home game of the season. Realistically this is also the last chance to secure points which might/may not help the club avoid the drop into the murky waters of the Championship.

In comes Lewis-Pratt, underused to my mind, at fullback and "Sicknote" Mackay starts at 12 in place of the departing Burrell. There is a welcome return to the starting pack for Rhys Oakley but Dan Browne retains his place at lock in a front five which looks a little on the light side.

Do we have a chance? A slim one. Quins are quite capable of ripping us apart if they are on song. The weather is doing us no favours as won't Danny Care who will be returning to his old stomping grounds yet again.

Hangover from Sunday

Following the Tykes beating as dished out by Wasps on Sunday I have had a bit of a reality hangover. I had been seduced, like so many others, into believing that Leeds could miraculously avoid the drop following successive wins againt the Cheifs and Falcons. On Sunday teatime reality bit me on the bum yet again. Now I do not really know what to expect on Sunday.

People are talking about a puncher's chance but I have a feeling that Quins will get their retaliation in first and the Tykes will, as so often this season, be chasing the game when it is too late.

Leeds Crash and Burn in Bucks

Despite going into today's game as favourites the Tykes got a nasty shock as a make-shift Wasps team ran in a shedload of tries and dicked the lads by a whacking 51-18. Today the fragile "recovery bubble" burst good and proper leaving Leeds rock bottom with two difficult fixtures left to play.

The fat lady, residing at Scotch Corner for the last week, has moved down the A1 to Boroughbridge. Next week is the last home fixture of the season - Harlequins - who, on their day, are capable of dishing out a serious beating to the Tykes. Only time will tell.

Day Dawns Dark

Right the rollercoaster is off to Adams Park this afternoon. The Tykes are looking for a third straight win to help secure Great Escape III. Wasps form has been indifferent of late and they have a number of injuries which means that there are several very young players in their squad. As a result the bookies have made Leeds favourite to win this game. So why do I feel so nervous?

We won at Adams Park last year. The boys are starting to have some self-belief. We are selecting ( Marco Wentzel excepted) from a full squad. I feel nervous.

Wasps will love being the underdogs on their own turf. The young lads all have something to prove. They still have some gnarly old players who know what is what. It is another cupfinal for Leeds. The Falcons put in a spirited performance on Friday evening aagainst the Saints. They will not go quietly. The future of our club is in the hands of the players. Today is another big day.

Tykes kickstart revival at Kingston.

Leeds Carnegie ensured that the relegation battle continues for at least two more weeks with a one point victory away at Newcastle Falcons. This means that Falcons are now bottom of the table with 4 games to play. The Tykes have 3 games left.

Trailing by 20 points to 7 just before the break Leeds scored a crucial 2nd try through Whackett to go in 6 points behind. Gareth Hardy, in a rich vein of form, put Leeds ahead & then Jarvis and Gopperth exchanged kicks with AJ dropping the winning goal in the last minute.

The team is now scoring two or more tries every game. They must secure another win to make things hard for the Falcons so next week's trip to Wasps will be interesting.

The fat lady, who has been parked on Leeds ring road all season, is reported to have driven off in the direction of Scotch Corner.

The Rollercoaster Ride

Today, Saturday 8th April Leeds Carnegie plays yet another "Cup final" when the team travels to Kingston Park. A win could mean that the lads will once again dodge the drop into the abyss that is the second tier of English rugby. A defeat would leave them once more on the brink of relegation.

It is certainly a rollercoaster ride for the fans with as much excitement and terror as any big dipper! Will it end in tears? We will know tonight at 5p.m.

Back from the Brink

Leeds Carnegie saw off a huge Exeter Chiefs team at HC yesterday and did enough to persuade me that it is possible for them to stay up this season. Defeat yesterday would have left them with too much to do.  The victory was never certain but with the scores close the Leeds pack put in a 20 metre drive which resulted in a try at the scoreboard end and the lads had enough in reserve to wind the clock down and finish up victors by 27-22.

Now there is just the small matter of a return fixture at Newcastle following the team's failure to "turn up" for the home fixture. A win at Kingston Park will lift Leeds off the bottom of the table. Is this likely? - no. Is it possible? - yes!

Last Chance.

The Tykes team for Sunday has been announced on Friday. there is only one change from last week's team at Sale.Fortunately the one change is the return of Marco Wentzel to replace Hoeneck in the second row. Last week the backs outscored Sale by 2 tries to nil and were only beaten by the boot of Charlie Hodgson.

The maths suggest that it is still possible to avoid relegation but another poor display on Sunday will spell the end of  Premiership rugby at Headingley for at least one season. Exeter will not be a pushover - they are a big strong side - but a win on Sunday would sent the lads up to Newcastle the following weekend with a bit of confidence - and survival firmly in their sights.

The Chiefs are coming!

This Sunday the Exeter Chiefs are in town. Seated above the relegation dogfight (I wish) they are the very model of  respectability enjoying their first season in the bigtime. The fact that they have managed to avoid becoming the yo-yo club, a title that looks as though will be ours again for sometime, without any apparent difficulty merely emphasises the inadequacies of the setup at Headingley.

The Chiefs have taken some notable scalps both at Sandy Park and elsewhere this season with a squad that, in the main, got them promoted last season. Contrast that with the "quality" signings that we made who have nearly all (Thommo excepted) played a part in our demise.

I expect Leeds to make a game of it on Sunday. If we make as many errors as we did at Sale then Steenson will kick Exeter to victory. A more controlled and disciplined performance from the Tykes could see us close the gap on the Falcons with a narrow win. Where is my money ? Staying in my pocket of course!

What next for the Tykes?

After another "nearly-won-it/should-have-won-it" game at Stockport on Friday evening the question that springs to mind is - what next? Do we carry on with more of the same? Using the same personnel and employing the same tactics, or do we try something else using only players who we know have committed to the club for next season.

Before anyone tears my throat out for proposing such a drastic change I would suggest that they look at the merits of such an idea. First of all there must always be a doubt in your mind that players who have signed elsewhere are not going to risk injury in a side with nothing to play for. Why put players who have not re-signed in the shop window? Blood youngsters ( as we did with Myall when he was 19) so that when we come back up they will have already had a taste of what to expect.

Adopting this policy might also encourage those who we want  to stay next season to put pen to paper. If Backy continues with more of the same it will only serve to underline his lack of vision. This season, so far, has been an unmitigated disaster. Time for a change perhaps?

Hodgson kicks Tykes out of AP

Despite outscoring Sale by two tries to nil Leeds still went down at Edgeley Park thanks to five penalties by Charlie Hodgson. This now means that the Tykes are virtually assured of relegation to the second tier of English rugby and this must put a big questionmark against the future of Neil Back as Head Coach at Headingley.

Sale Night

The Leeds Carnegie side has been named for the all important match against Sale at Edgeley Park on Friday 25th March. Pretty much the best side that Backy could put out. Fortunately Marco Wentzel is fit enough to start so the only player playing out of position is Dan Browne at Lock.Juan Gomez is on the bench with Swainston preferred to start in the front row with MacDonald and Steve Thompson.

In the backs we have Burrell and Fa'afili in the centre, a back 3 of Wackett, Blackett and Stephenson with Mathie getting the nod over Fury to partner Jarvis in the halfbacks.

Have Leeds got enough in the tank to win this game? It is a must win game with only 5 fixtures left. I reckon they need to win 4 of them to have any chance of staying up. Can they do it? Tonight could  be the pointer. we will know soon enough.

Tykes Reprieve

Leeds Carnegie were spared any embarrassment last weekend as, due to the climax of the 6 Nations rugby, the club was without a fixture. Good thing or bad thing? I think that, due to the lack of momentum in recent results, it is a good thing on balance and will give the players time to lick their wounds and get themselves into the right frame of mind for this Friday's fixture with Sale Sharks at Edgeley Park.

What are the chances of pulling off a win at Stockport? Slim methinks. What are the chances of avoiding relegation? Remote in the extreme. After 2 years of the "plan" working it has been an abysmal season with only 2 wins and Andy Key being made scapegoat last month. Neil Back is now in sole charge and the buck stops with him. At the start of the season relegation was not an option. Now it is a racing certainty. Whilst I hope that I am proved wrong I do not believe, deep down that the players have the passion and self belief let alone the disciple and skills required to keep them up this season.