Captain Wentzel demanding Leeds take a giant stride forward

LEEDS Carnegie captain Marco Wentzel says another season of relegation struggle will constitute a disappointing campaign for the Headingley outfit.

The arrival of 11 new faces to Neil Back's squad, including World Cup winner Steve Thompson, plus Lachlan MacKay, Daniel Browne, Warren Fury and Semi Tadulala have added heightened expectation at Leeds.

Last season a second-half revival and avoiding the drop to the Championship in favour of Worcester was seen as a roaring success for the promoted club.

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But 12 months on and with quality reinforcements having been added, Wentzel, who has just returned to full fitness following minor summer shoulder surgery, has demanded the club must take a giant stride forward on and off the pitch this term.

"I think our expectations this year should be different because I don't think surviving is good enough," said Wentzel, speaking at the Aviva Premiership launch.

"We could survive for four years and it still wouldn't be good enough. It's not about surviving any more – it's about growing as a club.

"Everyone talks about us potentially reaching the top six but, for us, we just have to do better then last year – hopefully, the results will follow.

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"Everyone is pulling in the same direction and we think the squad is in better shape this year and we are all looking forward to it. We have a smaller squad this time around but it is of better quality. There has been a lot said about what we need to achieve but as players we are just keen on doing better then last year.

"We've lost a few players this year but the players we have got in are really senior players like Steve Thompson and I think that was the problem we had last year.

"We didn't have enough senior players in and around the club last season – senior players who could make decisions. That is the main difference this time around."

Wentzel's decision to swap Premiership challengers Leicester for Leeds last season surprised many.

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Outstanding for the Southern Kings against the British and Irish Lions last summer, Wentzel was a man in demand but it was the coaching duo of Back and Leeds Carnegie director of rugby Andy Key that persuaded the lock to head to Headingley.

"There was no secret in why I left Leicester to join Leeds," added Wentzel. "I wouldn't have come here if Backy and Key weren't involved, that is one of the main reasons I went. I believe in the long-term strategy they had in coming up, staying up and then performing."

Aviva Premiership Rugby Schools Programme will work with all 12 clubs to provide over 36,000 pupils at 600 primary schools in England with a solid understanding of rugby. Visit www.avivapremiershiprugby.com