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!

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.

'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!