Spy in the Leeds Camp
By Frank Stormont
January 5 2007
Tykes team named! Tough match ahead for Albion as they play 3rd placed Leeds Tykes on Sunday.
Spy in the Camp Leeds Tykes
SUNDAY 2:30
A few weeks ago this would have been considered to be the biggest hardest match of the season. With Leeds on form after their poor start in the league it looked as though the Tykes were going to be almost un beatable but with their trip to Pirates only resulting in a two points for each team and Rotherham taking the winning points on Saturday it reduced the margins in the top three teams so there is now only one point between the three of them.
Martin Schusterman who started who started 47 times in an Albion top and scoring 26 tries for the white cherry and green team has settled into the Leeds team. He made his debut for Leeds in the first match of the season against London Welsh, one of the three matches Leeds failed to get the 4 win points. He was also part of the first Argentinean team to beat England at Twickenham in the Autumn international.
Last week they suffered at the hands of Rotherham, who report that the Leeds scrum needs improvement and a Pirates fan was heard to say that Albion play like they played in Cambourne they will have no trouble against Leeds.
Leeds have named an on loan lock from Saracens Pelu Taele in their side for Sunday.
Leeds Squad Leigh Hinton, Chris Hughes, Tom Rock, Andre Snyman, John Holtby, Jonny Hepworth, Darren Edwards, Mike MacDonald, Rob Rawlinson, Colin Noon, Stuart Hooper (c), Pelu Taele, Jon Dunbar, Martin Schusterman, Rhys Oakley Reps Michael Cusack, James Parkes, Kearnan Myall, Mark Lock, Jacob Rauluni, Richard Vasey, Andy Rock
The BBC are covering the match on Radio Devon on the Plymouth transmitters but I am not sure if it will be on DAB or online you will just have to try and see.!
Previous meetings
Albion and Leeds have met just 7 times before Sunday and Leeds have come away winners in all but one. In April Leeds came down to Beacon Park and went away as the loosing side at 30 -17. The last meeting in Leeds was in 1995 and a win to the hosts 40 - 8.
Albion will be looking to start the evening out of results by coming away with the first win against Leeds on their home ground
Last three matches
| Home reports | RFU | Away Reports |
Table
| Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
BP |
PTS | |
| 1 | Doncaster | 18 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 520 | 235 | 13 | 73 |
| 2 | Albion | 18 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 532 | 229 | 12 | 72 |
| 3 | Leeds | 18 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 564 | 314 | 14 | 72 |
| 4 | Titans | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 557 | 268 | 15 | 67 |
| 5 | Pirates | 18 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 553 | 282 | 12 | 66 |
| 6 | Bedford | 18 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 505 | 375 | 15 | 57 |
| 7 | Exeter | 18 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 402 | 332 | 7 | 49 |
| 8 | Bees | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 395 | 457 | 11 | 45 |
| 9 | Coventry | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 354 | 411 | 9 | 43 |
| 10 | Nottingham | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 465 | 476 | 12 | 40 |
| 11 | Newbury | 17 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 351 | 422 | 5 | 33 |
| 12 | Sedgley Park | 17 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 322 | 531 | 7 | 27 |
| 13 | Otley | 18 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 277 | 517 | 4 | 24 |
| 14 | Moseley | 18 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 290 | 569 | 6 | 22 |
| 15 | London Welsh | 18 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 301 | 525 | 5 | 21 |
| 16 | Waterloo | 18 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 281 | 726 | 2 | 10 |
Albion sit in 2nd place behind Doncaster and on level points with Leeds. Still with the best defence and best point difference in the league. No one else in the top 6 teams have less bonus points than Albion, a fact that we should not so pleased about.
|
Top Points Scorers | ||
| Player | Team |
Points |
| Alberto Di Bernardo | Pirates | 217 |
| Leigh Hinton | Leeds | 183 |
| Mark Woodrow | Doncaster | 164 |
| Wihan Neethling | Albion | 162 |
| Phil Jones | Sedgley Park | 162 |
| Gareth Steenson | Rotherham | 157 |
| Tom Barlow | Nottingham | 154 |
| Tim Walsh | Newbury | 150 |
| Most Tries | ||
| Player | Team |
Tries |
| Jason Forster | Doncaster | 20 |
| Nic Sestaret | Albion | 16 |
| Rhodri McAtee | Pirates | 12 |
| Mal Roberts | Newbury | 12 |
| Tom Rock | Leeds | 11 |
Nic moves closer to the club record for League tries in a season but further away from league best try scorer as Donny romp home 8 tries to none with two for Jason Forster.
Predictions
BetFred
| Odds to win league | |
| Leeds Tykes | 8/11 |
| Doncaster | 9/4 |
| Plymouth Albion | 4/1 |
| Earth Titans | 7/1 |
| Cornish Pirates | 11/1 |
Leeds to win by just 3 points
Terrace Talk
Huge game at Headingley as second placed Plymouth Albion take on third placed Leeds Tykes with both sides looked on 72 points.
Leeds Tykes will be desperate to return to winning ways after losing at Earth Titans 22-19 last Saturday, which on the back of a 21 all draw at Cornish Pirates has seen them lose top spot in the table.
At home this season they have won all their matches since an opening weekend defeat at the hands on London Welsh.
Plymouth Albion are looking for a fourth consecutive win as they look to keep the pressure on the leaders Doncaster who they trail by a point along with Leeds.
On the Road Albion have a reasonable record losing three times in nine matches, two of the defeats were against top three sides Doncaster and Leeds Tykes but the defeat at Nottingham was costly as a win there would have them top now.
Prediction: 9 point home win for Leeds against Plymouth Albion.
Rugby Round up
Not yet available
Rugby Times
Leeds by 7
Frank's prediction.
Leeds 17 Albion 18
Don't forget you can register your own predictions!
Visiting fans
Tickets available on the gate:
| Ground | Paddock Stand | Seated grandstand | |
| Adult | £15 | £18 | £21 |
| Concession | £10 | £13 | £16 |
Concessions are £3 cheaper if purchased in advance via the ticket line 08700 60 60 50
Ground Information
Car park - ??
Programme £2.50
Food/beer
No information on website
If you are an away fan travelling to Headingley Carnegie and have not got a room yet, the Headingley Lodge is our own hotel based inside the stadium. Rates are highly competitive at just £39.50 per room at the weekend and telephone reservations can be made by calling 0113 278 5323 alternatively click here to email an enquiry.
Partly cloudy sunny intervals , 10degs, light SW winds
Officials
Leeds Tykes vs Plymouth Albion
Referee: Bruce Robertson
Touch judges: Chris Sharp, Martin Buck
Assessor: Colin High
Other top team matches this weekend
Other top 6 team matches that might effect the league lead
Saturday
Bedford(6) v Doncaster(1) (Bedford "5 Donny *12 £6 +6)
Rotherham(4) v Newbury(11) (Titans "22 *19 £12 +15)
Sunday
Cornish Pirates(5) v Coventry(9) (Pirates "15 *16 £14 +10)
*BetFred Handicaps
+Terrace Talk
#Rugby Roundup
"Franks prediction
£Rugby Times
Albion matters
Wihan Neethling is progressing well and hopes to be back fit in time for the Exeter match at the end of the month. Nat Saumi has been keeping Wihan's place warm and performing well at full back making his way into the centre whenever the opportunity arises adding that extra man in the line and giving the wings better ball.
Colin Stewart is likely to be fit until the end of the season after a knee operation on Tuesday.
Keni Fisilau is back to light training but may not be fit for Sundays big match.
Ben Gulliver should be available for the last part of the season but will not be available to play against his old club Coventry on the 13th.
Danny Thomas also has a knee injury and is only 50/50 for the match according to The Herald. If he does not play it is likely that Tom Hayes will step up to the mark and take on the captain's role as he has when Danny has been substituted.
The team selection will not be easy this week and Graham may be looking elsewhere to bolster his side before Sunday's big match that will effect the top of the table.
Franks Team. Nat Saumi, Tom Arscott, Regardt van Eyk, Arran Cruickshanks, Nic Sestaret, Ed Barnes, Ed Lewsey, Martin Rice, Richard Oxley, Scott Zimmerman, Dan Smith, Tom Hayes (c), Brett Stroud, Federico Genoud, Chris Lowrie Bench James Owen, Francisco Deformes, Tim Mathias, Nigel Cane, Dave Delaney, Sila Va'Enuku, & (Bryn Jenkins or John Fabian)
Westcountry Warriors
The Warriors will be visiting Blackheath in a rearranged match in the Canterbury shield on Saturday.
Last week the Warriors only had a short trip to Brixham where they won 22 - 12 but had to borrow a player from Brixham to make up the team.
Steve Johns who has played on the wing and at full back this season, is still on the road to recovery after a burst appendix and expected to be out for a few weeks yet.
Mike Lewis is was hoping to be knocking on the 1st team dressing room had an operation on Tuesday and is likely to be out for 5 or 6 weeks.
Ladies
The Ladies are still having a rest in the Christmas/new year break.