West Leeds 16 v Leos 46

With half a dozen players returning,Leos assembled a strong team to travel across the city to face West Leeds.The teams had already faced each other twice this season,with Leos securing comfortable early season victories in both the League and Shield.

However,as Leos found out last season,Wests are always a difficult proposition at home and this season have taken the scalps of both Pocklington and Doncaster.

For Leos,it was pleasing to see the former Harrogate centre Will Tattershall,make a rare appearance at full back, James Haslam return from long term injury in the back row and Owen Bebb after another failed attempt to become a physician,on the bench!!.

In delightful but blustery conditions,Leos opened with devastating forward drives,led by returning props Dave Robinson and Ed Connell,whilst WL used local knowledge to secure field position.Both sides were prepared to play open football,but lacked the necessary accuracy to finish movements.

The home side took the lead on 10 mins with a penalty,when Leos failed to release at the breakdown,but Leos looked far stronger in the set piece,with James Forton accurately finding James Debenham and Jordache Myerscough and the scrum enjoying a distict nudge.The scores were levelled on 18mins,when James Henry put over a penalty after a high tackle.

An intelligent chip through by Dave Barden was fumbled by the full back on the hard ground,leading to another attacking scrum.Henry and James Knibbs combined but were repelled by the resolute defence,but at the second time of asking, Will Levitt broke strongly and fed the supporting Nick Wainwright for James Henry to spin over.His conversion gave Leos a seven point lead after 30 mins and signalled some delightful running rugby from both sides.

However it was Leos who struck again. Will Tattersall linked with Neal Liu to return a long clearance, Nick Wainwright kept the move flowing before feeding the maurauding Jordache Myerscough,who carried three players with him,before off loading to Nick Wainwright,who held off a defender,before making 35m to the line.The inevitable James Henry conversion took Leos 14 points clear after 35mins.

West Leeds were dangerous themselves,particularly in broken play,with speed on both wings,requiring cover tackles from both James Haslam and Neal Liu.However,it was Leos who had the final say in the half. Will Levitt was enjoying unusual freedom, Dave Barden was invariably in support,before centres James Knibbs and Mark Winter made 50m,before Dave Barden popped up again,to give the scoring pass to Stuart Baker in the right corner and a comfortable half time score of 3 - 22.

West Leeds responded with some pressure securing two penalties to reduce the margin to 9 - 22 and indeed,a third attempt fell just wide.

It took a typical barn storming run from Stuart Baker with Will Tattershall again linking intelligently to revive Leos attitude,together with a driving maul,covering fully 30m,led by skipper Dave Robinson to the delight of his wife on the touch line.Despite 10 mins of continuous pressure,Leos couldn't find a way through the tenacious defence.

Indeed,after turning down a couple of long range penalty attempts,Leos accepted a kick at goal from James Henry after 65mins,to ease Leos ahead at 9 - 25. Owen Bebb and Roger Wood replaced Ed Connell and Stuart Baker respectively.

This signalled 15 mins of exhilarating,exhibition open rugby from the Leos,as backs and forwards combined to produce three further long range tries.Firstly, James Debenham secured quick,clean line out ball,deep in his own half,before Nick Wainwright used superb footwork to beat three defenders, James Knibbs was in support,before a pass of John Holmes proportions,put centre Mark Winter clear for a classic try.

West Leeds were still playing with tremendous pride and spirit and it was actually them who scored next,with a well worked try,with a blindside break from a scrum and a delightful touchline conversion - 16 - 32.

However,Leos had the last words.Firstly, Roger Wood put a defender under pressure,producing a weak clearance kick, James Henry took the swirling ball, James Haslam and Jordache Myerscough secured quick ball,which released runners Nick Wainwright, James Knibbs and Mark Winter,before accurate hands put speedy winger Neal Liu clear and in the corner for a Barbarian try.

If anything,this was followed by an even better try,when from deep in their own half,Leos opened up.With his mother falling asleep on the touch line, James Knibbs beat the first two defenders,fed Will Tattershall,who drew his man and sent a sensational pass out to Mark Winter,who rounded the full back for a glorious try covering fully 80m converted by James Henry and a final score of 16 - 46.

A flowing,open game of rugby,played in good spirit and quietly but firmly officiated by the referee.However,Leos will need to be more fully focused,next week,when they entertain Ripon,if they are to reverse an earlier,narrow defeat at Mallorie Park.Ripon lie just one place below Leos in the league table.

Today (Sun 3rd),Leos Ladies have a double header,kicking off at 2.30.The first team entertain Lakenham Hewitt,where a victory will confirm the Ladies as Champions of RFUW Championship North 1 and the second team face Leigh Ladies in RFUW NC North 1.The bar will be open all afternoon and all support will be more than welcomed.
Report by Peter Cooke
Leos scorers:Tries Henry,Wainwright,Baker,Winterx2,Liu Penalties:Henryx2 Conversions Henryx5
West Leeds scorers Try:Thorpe, concversion: Monk Penalties: Monkx3
Leos:Tattersall,Baker,Knibbs,Winter,Liu,Henry,Wainwright,Robinson,Forton,Connell,Myerscough,
Debenham,Levitt,Haslam,Barden,Bebb,Wood
West LeedsStokes,Thortpe,Neave,Leal,Wilkinson,Monk,Booth,Robinson,George,Nutter,Finn,Maeer,Anderson,
Cockin,Firth,Wilson,Bedford,Kirk