Leeds Carnegie 31 Doncaster Knights 10
Although the score line had a disappointing look about it, Lynn Howells will have seen plenty to be encouraged about at Headingley. As with the game at Newcastle the previous Sunday, the starting line up was pretty much based on last season’s team, with Scott Gray the only newcomer. A lively start was, however, undone by some slack marking that allowed Leeds their first score after 7 minutes when Kearnan Myall trundled over. The second try 11 minutes later was a comedy of errors as everyone stood still as Joe Bedford strolled in, almost in embarrassment at the ease of it all. Alberto Di Bernardo, who had converted both, then danced his way into the right corner, tackles missed galore, before Sam Stitcher suckered the Knights’ defence with a clever move off the front of a line out, straight from the training ground. In the half the Knights did twice get close to a score themselves, but both times contrived to mess things up! First an attacking 5 metre line out was lost; then the backs worked a nice overlap close to the Leeds line but were penalised for crossing in the move. 26-0 to the home side at the break, and the Headingley crowd expecting a big win in the second half.
It didn’t work out like that, though! A raft of changes gave a new look to the Knights, who were immediately sharper, feistier and more competitive at the breakdown. More creative too, with pacey backs’ movement almost creating a try in the opening minutes. Cerith Rees impressed with his distribution and made one blistering break down the right touch line, but lacking enough support to convert the chance into a score. His half back partner Antoine Nicoud was bossing the game, and the combo of forwards graft and backs pace ensured the Premiership side had a real contest. It wasn’t until just past the hour that Leeds scored again – they elected to take a scrum at a penalty and pushed it over the line, giving Stuart Hooper the touch down. But from there in it was the Knights in control, steadily stepping up the tempo and the cohesion, and getting proper reward at the death. The pack attacked the Leeds’ line from a Line out, were held out three times, but finally Mark Soden was driven over. And at the end, lots of hands involved in slick movement that gave Paul Bailey a sniff of the right corner and his pace beat the defence for the “winning” half score.
One respected observer who had watched Northampton the previous day thought the Saints much stronger than Leeds, who may find Premiership weekends less enjoyable than this. For Doncaster, it is Coventry away next Saturday as another National One campaign gets under way. The starting line up was starting to look a bit clearer in the Headingley sunshine. |
