Allez Mes Braves !! Allez

Allez mes Braves Allez !

Captain Cranners had done a great job this week of putting out the strongest 3rd team of the season so far.

We welcomed back Jason Blakey after 6 months out post shoulder surgery, Jamie Tweddle after extra girlfriend activity ! and new boy James in his first game for 2 years.

Chris in the 2nd row was kindly lent to us by the 2s and he proceeded to have a storming game.

After the young tyros of last week it was a relief to see Cleckheaton 3s turn up looking very similar to ourselves in terms of age, build, girth ! etc.

The game began on a damp but firm surface of long lush grass ably tended by the ever growing Ryan whose 3rd team debut must be imminent.
Leos started well with pick and go being marshalled ( more of him later ) by the usual suspects Cadgey, Hill, Liam N Adams and Chris. Returning at 10 Jason sought to “ On my command Unleash Hell ! “ but the Leos backs found the visitors defence a tough nut to crack, at least to start with.

Lovers used his boot to seek to put Leos deep in oppo country and mostly did ok gaining good ground through some tactical kicking that the ref was later to describe, with some surprise in his voice, as “ intelligent “ High Praise indeed !! Maybe a bit flattering too !!
However the amiable visitors were a sizeable bunch and played a direct driving game very well. Their forwards were led by a very effective and abrasive no 8 who carried making the hard yards all game.

Their centres were also solid gentlemen with the 12 looking l
ike a slightly slimmer version of our own Lovers ! The 13 had wheels and got on the outside several times evading a desperate tackle from Niall. The warning signs were clear, relax and Leos would be in trouble. Their attack was all instigated by a 54 year old fly half who was a constant threat, making breaks, putting folk into gaps and kicking for position accurately. Clearly he was the Cleck version of Jon Eagle only a touch greyer !

Leos scored first after a long pass from a Cleck player was well read, juggled and finally intercepted by new boy James to cross the whitewash under the sticks. Good job as he totally committed to the move and we would have been horribly exposed had he not caught the pill.

This encouraged Leos and they started to control possession. The forwards were pretty even at scrum time with mostly own ball being won on both sides. This did not stop an almighty contest with Cadgey and Capell seeking to get the wood on their equally robust opposite front row. Honours fairly even. The lineout was also hard fought with Bartons accurate throwing helping Liam and Chris to win quality quick, and sometimes , off the top ball.

From a series of attacking lineouts Leos catch and drove well but were strongly held up over the line at least twice. Good visitor defence. Andy Hill was a hairs breadth from a try on one notable occasion.
Cleck cleared their lines through good use of the boot at the game remained tight.

Finally Chris in the row executed a delightful piece of skill. At full tilt he saw that the defence was all up flat and chipped ahead a couple of times. Outpacing everyone including a couple of chasing Leos he dotted down to score a good long range try. The missing Diddy Doc Herring would have been most appreciative.

Leos were now a couple of scores ahead but were being made to defend for their lives. Jason was being shielded from contact by a blowing lovers, who tried to do the 10 s tackling for him along with his own. The rotund one had a couple of atomic clashes with the oppo centres stopping them head on at times and at other times grasping desparately at a bit of shirt to try and slow them down until the calvalry arrived !! This was often Liam who was everywhere smashing people in the tackle. Along with the amiable mountain that we know as Cadgey who did a lot of the close quarter tackling, at one time arriving like a 22 stone missile under Capel as the farmer boy was trying to stop a cleck forward. Great stuff.

Cleck kept coming and only some last ditch tackling out wide from new boy James averted a score or 2. This included a wonderful dump hit which was maybe slightly harshly penalised but great to watch and the Cleck lad was fine.

Jamie Young made a welcome return to form at 9. He sniped and chivvied his pack all game long. Jamie is a talented chap although very modest and unassuming he does occasionally demonstrate moments of pure class on a rugby pitch. Setting off on a trademark run he delicately chipped ahead gathered the ball and sprinted clear to score a memorable individual try.

Halftime arrived and the chat from Captain Cranners was for more of the same and to make our tackles as he wanted to nil these boys.

The second period saw Leos play some very impressive and at times attractive rugger. Jason pulled the strings at 10, Niall ran some good lines with James making an impression on one wing and the redoubtable Ben Clemens making countless hard yards by expert boshage on the other. This was well supported by Andy Hill, Liam, Chris and Capel who all got around the park to tidy up any loose ball.

By now Hairy and Macklin were on and they brought their usual maturity and control to proceedings. Cleck would not lie down and their silver fox at 10 was by no means daunted. Only a flying scramble of a tackle by Lovers who somehow got back deep into his own 22 stopped a dangerous move. Leos were maybe tiring a little and the big Cleck fowards just kept on running hard making progress towards the Leos line. At some point all their hard work was rewarded as they crossed for a deserved try which was converted.

As the game entered the last 20 mins it opened up as we both sides got tired. After a bosh tastic run of at least a whole 15 yards Lovers came out of a perfectly fine tackle with a bloody nose, oh well broken for only the 5th time I think. Unbowed he played on as fun was being had and frankly your scribe did not want to leave the pitch. Jason was holding up well and he and Chris worked a further long range try with another skillful chip and chase by Chris leading to the aforementioned 2nd row scoring his second try of the game.

With Richie Edgar being given to the 2s at the very last minute before Kick Off Jamie Tweddle mopped up any problems at 15. He is a silky runner but it was one tackle that sticks in the memory. He was very aware of just how up flat the Cleck backs were all day. He kicked ahead and absolutely exploded into the ball catcher with gleeful abandon a la Lewis Moody, ie with no regard for his own personal wellbeing of safety whatsoever !! Thump !

Liam also showed his party piece with a dummy to kick, this was bought hook line and sinker and he set off into the heart of the oppo forwards. He had a very strong game. The returning Blakey got the last try of the game using his pace to score after good build up work by the forwards.

The final score was Leos 31 – Cleckheaton 7

Leos converted 3 of their 5 tries with Jason landing 2 and Lovers 1.

Tries Chris Bullough 2, James Barnett 1, Jason Blakey 1, Jamies Young 1.

It felt a great deal closer than the score suggests and was a very enjoyable game played in excellent spirits by 2 committed teams. We enjoyed some friendly banter with our opposite numbers throughout the game.

Man of the match was by common consent very close. Liam and Chris were superb but Jamie Young won the award for by far his finest display for many games.

Also it was clear he felt he had a point to prove after recent games and he did so in some style. You could almost hear the oppo groan whenever he took off on a run !

We retired to the bar where the beer tasted ever so massively better after a win, and clearly our best performance of the season so far.
Your humble scribe was most delighted to meet a living Leos Legend in the bar. A certain Mr Paul Marshall was visiting from his French retreat and was kind enough to mention that even in the land of the cheese eaters he read of our expoits with enjoyment. High Praise from a good friend.

So the Leos 3s bandwagon rolls on, next week currently we have Ilkley at home who are always tough, please make every conceivable effort to be available and if the missus wants to go to Ikea, give her all the credit cards and tell her to phone a friend , ie come out and play rugby !