Preview: A Teams Battle It Out In France

It seems reasonably clear that at this early stage in the competition (i.e. it only started last night with Worcester's surprise loss at home to Montpellier) that neither the English teams nor the French are particularly taking the newly rebranded Amlin Cup as anything other than a welcome break from the intense pressure of the Premiership and the Top 14 respectively.

And who could really argue against that outlook? The Premiership and Top 14 are each country's top tier rugby competition that provides the bread-and-butter for the domestic clubs. Without success (or at least, avoiding relegation) in those competitions, there is no European competition entry anyway.

Leeds' dismal Premiership record this season shows that there is a lot of work to do to bring themselves up to the mark required in that competition, and Neil Back is on record as saying that this intermission comes at a good point for them, allowing them to regroup and sort themselves out for greater battles ahead. Bourgoin too have had their ups and downs in the Top 14 this season, sitting not exactly comfortably in mid-table.

So it must come as no surprise to find that both Leeds Carnegie and Bourgoin are putting out what amounts to a pair of A teams for tonight's clash. This represents a rare start for Alberto Di Barnardo in his new club colours, which must sit strangely with him, having been a virtual ever-present in the blue of Leeds Carnegie in the previous two seasons. He will be lining up against Jason Strange for Leeds, making his first start (and indeed his first appearance of any sort) in the Leeds line-up. Pete Bucknall makes his long awaited debut in the first teams colours, and it will be interesting to see what his experience will add to the pack which has been looking a bit ragged of late. A total of 13 changes from the side that ran out against Gloucester last week will allow the A team guys to stake their claim for a more regular place in the matchday 23 come Premiership time again, but make no mistake that this is an A team on their way to Bourgoin.

However, because Bourgoin has done more or less the same thing, there is still the chance of a close game, and in fact a real possibility of a freer, more open game as a result which may well entertain the handful of people who have made their way across the channel, as well as the local population. The legendary French "esprit de clocher" will ensure that the weakened Bourgoin team will do everything they can to win at their home ground, and it remains to be seen whether Leeds can break the current trait and get a win from good performances.

Bourgoin will have too much pride at stake for it to be anything other than a tough encounter, and for Leeds it is a competition they aren't too bothered about. On that basis, and rather reluctantly, I think it'll be a fairly routine home win.