James "The Lid" Lund enjoys the mud Bath

Leos turned up at Yarnbury following WPL being unable to fulfill the merit league figure to be met with concerns around the playing conditions. Thankfully President Birdie was there to walk the pitch in his wellies to cast his eye and judge conditions unplayable and that we should all drive around Yorkshire looking for a suitable pitch. Thankfully the Ref and Tweds over ruled and prevented everyone needing to book a valet on their vehicles come Monday.

It was clear this was a different Yarnbury, to the 4th team we met in the merit league a few weeks before, masquerading as their 3rds but with the sun bursting through and a strong but bare 15 ready to do Leos proud the game kicked off. In unusual Leos fashion the pack started strongly turning over the first scrum of the game and then winning a penalty that was kicked to the corner secured and the wise old fox Birdie positioned himself at the back of the maul to get the first try of the game. From the kick off the James Lund show started with the ball recycled from the kick off Elliot freed Lundy down the left who showed his strong running then hurdling tekkers to avoid the bog in the middle of the pitch before rounding the full back for try number 1 of the day.

It was clear that this was Leos game from this point and it was a case of staying mentally switched on to how many we could score and how ruthless we wanted to be. With Si Dowling and Simon Winterburn leading the forward caries and Guy James proving he is pound for pound one of the biggest hitters in the club (despite his shocking taste in shell suits post game) Leos kept pouring forward. With Jack Newton, Oli Hill and Tim Martin providing some finesse in midfield Birdie added his 2nd, Lundy is 2nd, 3rd and 4th and there were tries for Tweds, Jack, and Oli. It should and could of been more but Dylan learnt a valuable lesson in the art of scoring the try before celebrating the try as he was tackled over the line when coasting his way behind the posts. I'm not really sure who gave him more abuse his own team mates or the opposition, but it was definitely a lesson in respecting the game.

At 52-0 at the end of the first 40 the biggest challenge for the 2nd half was to keep going and try and keep up the intensity of the first half. Leos started the half slowly in comparison to the 1st but built slowly before Lundy ran away and added his 5th and 6th to his afternoons work and Si Winterburn got a well deserved try from a hard carry and Oli got his 2nd of the day.

With the Yarnbury hooker suffering a shoulder injury and instant vomiting bug the game came to an anti climatic finish but overall a very good Leos victory. Fair play to Yarnbury who never gave up and where great hosts as always afterwards before we returned back to Crag Lane so Lundy could get his double jugs in!