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Leeds Carnegie head to France for pre-season test
PREMIERSHIP newcomers Leeds Carnegie will head to France in August as they prepare for their return to the English elite
Andy Key and Neil Back's team will take part in the Issoire Tournament playing two games in four days.
It will be the second time that the Yorkshire club have taken part in the French pre-season tournament, following defeats to Clermont Auvergne and Gloucester in 2005.
Leeds will play French side Aurillac, who play in French rugby's Pro2, on Tuesday August 4, kick-off 6pm, before taking on Montauban on Friday August 7, 6pm.
Montauban are potential European Challenge Cup opponents for Leeds next season as they finished eighth in the French Top 14.
Director of rugby Andy Key said: "Being able to take part in a tournament like Issoire will form a vital part of our preparations for returning to the Guinness Premiership.
"Aurillac in our first game cannot be underestimated but we face a huge test on the Friday against Montauban. That will be a good game for us to test ourselves in the middle stage of our pre-season as they will in their final preparations for the start of their own competition.
"Training camps are essential parts of pre-season and it gives the players an opportunity to get together especially those players who are new to the squad.
"It is also an intense five days and we will do as much work off the field as on it, as we look to get an understanding as a group of the style of play we want to produce next season.
"We are looking to finish with a home fixture on Sunday 23 August at Headingley Carnegie and our aim is for that to be against testing opposition.
"That will give us two weeks to fine tune athletically and tactically before our first game back in the Guinness Premiership.
"Three games is a good yardstick for us of our ability and a test of what we are practising in pre-season. We will also be ensuring that we are as self critical as we need to be in training to make sure that we get the little things right that make a big difference come the start of the real stuff on 5th September."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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