The last bananaskin
Missing link.
By Wildwillie
February 14 2012
Leeds Carnegie entertains Esher rugby club at Headingley Carnegie on Sunday... or so we hope. The last couple of weeks have seen the weather prevail so we still have 3 fixtures to play. The coming game is, in all probability, the last bananaskin fixture and will be as hard as we make it....
The Championship's bottom club managed to get its second win of the season last weekend. It has to visit HC & then end with a home fixture against Plymouth. Two wins will give Esher a 4 point start in the relegation playoffs as oposed to the 5 points that the clubs above them will have. This is incentive enough for the Surrey boys to go for a win, big time.
Our team has stumbled through this Championship campaign. Very rarely have we seen anything remotely like good form from the lads. Nor have we seen a gradual improvement in the squad's performance. We are better than we were but not as good as we should be. So will we have any of the injured players coming back this week? The man I really miss - and we got a glimpse of his attacking prowess at Goldington Road - is Stevie McColl. He has the ability to convert possession into tries. Unfortunately there are no positive sounds coming out of the club regarding his return.
We do, however, have our two new signings waiting in the wings to blood before the play-offs. Both need game time before the serious business starts. Perhaps they will both get a start this weekend. With Lockwood and Mustapha both playing well we have some good options in the front row. Hopefully Hohneck will have recovered & is fit to carry on the good work he has been putting in of late. Hemmingway will fill in for Big Red. Williamson gives us a few more options in the backrow including, hopefully, some serious ball carrying. It is important that the pack dominates the opposition in case our back division fails to click again.
The permutations for the playoff groups are taking shape. It could be that a win on Sunday would push us into a "harder" group. That would be a poor excuse if we lost. Three wins from our last three games must be the target. Bristol have gotten into the habit of winning. We need to do the same. It would also help to settle my nerves if we ran in four or five tries & limited Esher to a couple of penalties. I wish.
I expect another nail-biting, hard fought game with Leeds coming out on top by 8 points.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:02:22:20:28:10 by WildWillie .
As WW has said, "another nail-biting, hard fought game" to follow.
It is worrying that we've not heard anything about 'our boy' McColl. We really need his go forward skills.
I think Esher will come to play but we should win this game easily in front of our small but noisy crowd.
I spoke to Kirsty before the Bedford game and he said he would be back for the play offs so hopefully along with our 2 injured props Big Mac and Big Swaino and maybe sick note Fulton we might be at full strength at just the right time of the season.
I think the Bristols will not like the prospect of playing Leeds at any time during the play offs as we will give them a good game.
I would not be surprised if the other 7 teams are all looking at Leeds as the team they don’t want in their group,
Let’s hope they have reason to think that way and the Lads start to perform to their ability.
Quote:Rocky's Dad
Let’s hope they have reason to think that way and the Lads start to perform to their ability.
Amen to that!
