A Game of Surprises - barring the Result!
Some Leeds Players
By apb on 18/11/2002
November 18 2002
A first minute penalty surprised most home fans, given that BVS decided to kick for the corner. Richie's "Sword of Braamocles" article has clearly been read by someone! However this was after a very strong start from Leeds that threatened to overwhelm Saints right from the start.
Several phases with good quick recycling failed to put points on the board however, when a knock-on gave the ball to Saints. Kicking away posession proved to be costly to them, when BVS produced an inspired kick ahead for Big George Harder to dive over the line for an excellent score. He slotted the kick over for the extra two, giving a 7-0 lead after just six minutes.
Some restart Tennis ensued, but the result was a good attacking lineout for Leeds on the twenty-two. Realising the danger Leeds' quick recycling posed, Saints slowed it down by killing it and giving a gift of three points to BVS.
Saints now woke up a bit and attempted to apply some more pressure. However the Leeds defence was more than up to the task, with Saints continually being pushed back behind the gain-line. Indeed this was the fundamental difference between the teams. Leeds were able to go forwards across the gain-line in numbers, whereas Saints were struggling to keep up. Its difficult to score whilst going backwards!
Leeds' relentless crash and quick recycling tactic resulted in a superb Dan Scarbrough try, but with the conversion missed by an out of sorts BVS, the score was 15-0.
There was no denying Saints' effort and commitment, and with several penalties awarded on the Leeds twenty-two, they showed the confidence to go for touch and drive for the line. However the Leeds defence stood firm once more, and so the next opportunity saw Paul Grayson slot in an easy three pointer. This got Saints going a bit more, and some excellent defensive work again by Leeds, coupled with good solid clearance kicking by Tris, saw them off.
Then came some excellent attacking play, with George Harder crashing through to make twenty metres, and looked certain to set up an easy score, only to spill the ball forward in the tackle. The resulting Saints possesion was given away after a crossing offence, and BVS punished them with another three points. Moments later the Saints returned the complement, and with penalty attempt from half-way by BVS unusually falling short, the half-time score was 18-6.
 Shameful Kicking display... |
The "Tetleys Bomb" half time show was given extra spice when surprisingly Martin "Legs" O'Keefe - Leeds' replacement prop - stepped up to do the kicking! After three attempts that sailed into the stand, he was sent, head hanging in shame, back to train with his team mates, the kicking duties taken up by Derek Hegarty.
Half Number Two
Perhaps Leeds had started to believe it was going to be easy, or perhaps the Saints coach had had a firm and frank exchange of views in the half-time dressing room. Whatever went on, Saints started to look a lot sharper and began to expose the odd chink in the Leeds armour. Only some big hitting by the loose boys, notably Alix Popham and Jimmy Ponton, kept the Saints honest at this point, but infringements at the fringes came more often now, and the Saints could see they had a chance. A couple of well taken penalty kicks made it 18-12, and suddenly it didn't look so easy.
 Talisman Hooker.... |
So a perfect time for Ronnie to enter the fray, and to chivvy the team along a bit. It looked like the talisman was working too, when from the restart, BVS caught the high ball, sending a delicious kick over the top to regather and slip the ball to Big Georgy Harder. George crashed through the gain line, and quick hands from the resulting ruck sent Chris Hall in at the corner for a well taken and deserved try. BVS missed a difficult conversion, so the score remained at 26-12. Still, it was all over, right? Just a matter of time before another try and a bonus point, right?
Errm, no, actually. Saints were not going to give up just because they were more than one score down! Constant pressure was applied by a gutsy Saints pack, and time after time the mauls and rucks were stopped for infringements by Leeds players. Eventually, the only yellow card of the day was handed out to Tom Palmer with ten plus minutes to go. Saints saw - and took - their chance, with a drive over the line combining all the forwards to send Rob Hunter over for the score. The conversion was duly taken and the score was now 26-19.
With Leeds a man down and ten minutes to go, Saints saw a glimmer of hope and pressured the Leeds defence remorselessly. Despite a penalty, Saints knew three point wouldn't be enough, and went for all-out attack. The leeds defence stayed strong however, and, with Tom Palmer back on for the last two minutes of the game, saw the Tykes home to another good win.
Analysis
So, what can we take from this, then? Well, to a certain extent, last weeks match against Wasps could almost have been repeated with different teams in different roles. This week it was Leeds who looked like they would walk it in the first half, and Saints who came back strongly in the second and never gave up. Credit must go to a Saints side - heavily depleted by international call-ups and injuries - for that. The Saints fans I spoke to were very proud of their team, and were very happy with the losing bonus point they gained today.
And there is a fundamental truth. This time last year, with that display and those players, Saints would have been bitterly disappointed at losing to a Tykes side also missing key players due to international call-ups. This year they are glad of the bonus. This to me sums up the immense progress the Tykes have made this year, and its good to see they are gaining recognition for that.
This wasn't the best the Tykes can do. For me, the Tykes have never yet reproduced the excellence they showed against Leicester on the first day of the season. But then again, so far, they haven't had to.