The new management team of Andy Key and Neil Back has, I am sure, a clear idea of how it wants the team to play. Routines on the training ground will support and emphasise this. When the team gets out onto the pitch at the weekend it seems to forget the game plan for much of the eighty minutes and reverts to a stuttering disorganised game which enables lesser opposition to enjoy more of the play than they really should. There has not yet been a match this season where I have come away thinking that I had seen real progress, indeed the best I have seen Leeds play was against Newcastle in a pre-season game.

Last season the pack fought manfully against the monsters of the GP, often holding its own against top flight opposition. This season the scrum has been all too easy to disrupt, the lineout is a shambles and the forwards lose the ball far too easily when tackled. The big plus for the pack this time has been the defence. All eight have been willing to put in the tackles when the lads have had their backs to the wall. The addition of Little Murph and John Pendlebury have been welcome, the latter proving himself to be a real leader on the pitch when no-one else has risen to the occasion.

Most of this season’s new personnel play behind the scrum which goes some way to explain why the back-play has been so hit and miss. Several centre pairings have been tried but I think we are yet to see the “first choice” centres play together. The Doc has taken advantage of the ELV’s to maximise his kicking from hand and his decision making is better in a division where he has an extra half second to make them. We have not seen Jason Strange or John Goodridge this season. Will they add to the quality of the back play when they get their opportunity? We have three pacey wings in the squad. When they get the chance they have already shown what they can do.

This weekend’s fixture will, I do not doubt, end in a home win and we will probably be top of the table by 5 p.m. on Sunday, depending on the Bedford-Exeter result. However I will be looking for a slicker, more polished performance resulting in the total demolition of lesser opposition. If Manchester get into double figure then I will consider the result tarnished. There is no reason why we should not shut them out completely. The backs selected must start to show that they are capable of performing competently and at pace utilising all the weaponry at their disposal. The following week there is a potential banana skin waiting at the Old Deer Park so players need to stick to the game plan.

I would keep the same pack on Sunday , start with Mathie and the Doc with Paul and Vickerman in the centres. A back three of Biggs Armstrong and Goodridge to complete my starting XV. Anything less than a fifty point winning margin for Leeds can be considerd a moral victory for the visitors.

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