Leeds Carnegie 30 Leinster A 30: Edwards delighted as Leeds pitch in to earn draw

THE way things are going, Leeds Carnegie head coach Diccon Edwards will soon be as knowledgeable about all things pitch related as he is rugby.

It seems a game does not go by without him inevitably being asked about some playing surface issue or another.

This was the case again on Saturday when, less than 48 hours after being told by the RFU they must replay their recent Championship victory over Plymouth Albion due to problems with the Headingley turf – an “absolutely astounding” decision they will appeal – the pitch was once more centre of attention.

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West Park Leeds was already the third choice of venue for Carnegie’s British & Irish Cup Pool 5 game against Leinster A after Headingley was ruled out and then South Leeds Stadium was frozen off.

It was due to kick off at 11.30am but, at that point, an amalgam of covers and snow still dominated the main pitch area and there was confusion as to whether any rugby would be seen at all.

Though it was ultimately deemed playable, West Park Leeds were understandably mindful they had a long-held agreement to host England’s pre-Six Nations training camp this week – coach Stuart Lancaster was in the crowd and takes the Red Rose’s first session tomorrow – so, concerned about how it might cut up, instead suggested this fixture took place on their adjacent 3G surface.

The club were well within their rights and, eventually, both sides and the match officials agreed to press ahead, given the artificial pitch had already been largely cleared in readiness for an Academy game.

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It is thought to be the first time a 3G surface has been used in this country for a professional first-team match – Saracens will do so next month – but it proved a worthy decision given the determined sides played out an absorbing contest with some attractive football which is unlikely to have been attained using the original option.

The high-quality Irish visitors secured the point they needed to confirm a quarter-final spot while tested Leeds, unable to qualify, produced just the sort of all-round performance they had hoped for ahead of Friday’s crucial Championship trip to Bristol.

Admittedly, they were thankful Leinster’s replacement fly-half Cathal Marsh struck a post with a simple conversion attempt of Leo Auva’a’s 71st-minute try to leave it all-square, but any defeat would have been harsh on a vibrant Leeds side that had invested so heavily in this encounter.

“There was a bit of indecision about whether the game was going to go ahead, but once the decision was made the mentality of the team to front up and get on with it was excellent,” said
Edwards.

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“We showed a real dominant mentality out there. Ryan Burrows epitomised that with his dominant carries, Jacob Rowan led from the front, Calum Green stepped up..

“I could name the whole team as each showed in their own way a fantastic attitude against a very good side who came here to win to guarantee their place in this competition. We’ll take a lot from it and to be in a position where we’re disappointed not to win the game says a lot about how far we’ve come so far this season.”

Indeed, Leeds had lost 47-18 in the reverse fixture last October but their defiance here, especially when desperately protecting their line after Rob Baldwin was yellow-carded on the hour-mark, points again to a bright future when the league resumes.

There was also no little skill involved, illustrated perfectly with a fine passage of play in the first period when scrum-half Craig Hampson chipped over the defence and regathered before some quality off-loading from the pack saw the omnipotent Rowan charge close and Sam Lockwood only denied by a double-movement in the opposite corner.

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Leeds – who led 20-18 at the break – scored tries through Scott Freer, in the hooker’s first game after five months injured, Burrows and the excellent Baldwin with Rory Clegg kicking 12 points and Joe Ford adding a penalty.

Leinster responded with an intercept from Brendan Macken and tries from prop Jack McGrath, Marsh and that late runaway 
effort from Auva’a.

But Edwards was left in disbelief at the RFU’s earlier decision to quash the Plymouth result and rule the referee was correct to move to uncontested scrums following safety concerns over the Headingley pitch in that fixture.

“I’m absolutely astounded by the decision and genuinely disappointed they have come to it without any justification, in my understanding,” he said.

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“Obviously, we’re going to appeal and all we’ll do as a group is continue to work hard and look forward to Bristol.”

However, with a wry smile, he added: “It’ll be interesting if England decide to train at Headingley on Friday given that the ground is obviously unsafe.”

The international side are due to move from West Park Leeds to Carnegie’s home ground at the end of the week for a session in front of 5,000 fans from schools and clubs across Yorkshire.

Leeds Carnegie: Georgiou; Wilson, Goss (Griffin 27), Lucock, D Doherty; Clegg (Ford 43), Hampson (J Doherty 66); Lockwood (Harris 49), Freer (Graham 45), Tussac, Green, Smith, Baldwin, Rowan, Burrows (Nilsen 74).

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Leinster A: Kearney (Marsh 23); Conway, Macken, Coghlan, Carr; Reid (Boyle 37), Cooney (L McGrath 71); J McGrath, Sexton, Hagan, Marshall (Conan 47), Flanagan, Murphy (Gilsenan 59), Ryan, Auva’a.

Referee: S Rees (WRU).

Leicester memorably sent four-time European champions Toulouse skidding out of the Heineken Cup at a snow-swept Welford Road to book their place in this season’s quarter-finals.

Fly-half Toby Flood was the Leicester matchwinner, making light of punishing conditions by kicking three penalties, while Toulouse marksmen Lionel Beauxis and Luke McAlister crucially missed five shots at goal between them in a 9-5 win.

Charlie Hodgson’s late try gave Saracens a bonus-point win as they sealed their progress to the last eight of the Heineken Cup with a 40-7 win over Edinburgh.

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Heineken Cup quarter-final line-up: Harlequins v Munster, Clermont Auvergne v Montpellier, Toulon v Leicester, Saracens v Ulster.

Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final line-up: Bath v Stade Francais, Gloucester v Biarritz, Perpignan v Toulouse, Wasps v Leinster.

Ties to be played April 5-7.