Where did it all go right? Fourie leads Carnegie to safety

Despite defeat at Bath, Leeds's Premiership status was secured with a game to spare. Here Nick Westby assesses a momentous season for the Headingley Carnegie men.

TRYING to establish a turning point in Leeds Carnegie's season is an onerous task.

Was it that breakthrough win at Wasps back in October, or the almighty scare they gave unbeaten Saracens the week before?

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Does the post-Christmas victory at Newcastle count as the season's defining moment, or should special mention be given to that pivotal win at Sale in February that sparked a run of three straight triumphs and a sequence of results that ultimately saw them secure their Premiership status?

In truth, there were moments in all 22 Premiership games that contributed to Leeds safely avoiding relegation.

From Ceiron Thomas's late long-range penalty that earned a draw in the opener against Newcastle, to the sobering seven-try hammering they suffered at the hands of London Irish two weeks later.

That they never suffered such a heavy loss again, demonstrates that valuable lessons were being learned from every game.

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For this Leeds squad was made up of a large number of players who had suffered relegation two years earlier under Stuart Lancaster, and after three games all the signs were pointing to an inevitible conclusion.

However, the strength of collective- and self-belief instilled in the squad by Neil Back and Andy Key was to prove enough of a counter to any lack of talent.

As the defeats mounted in that opening month and a half, so did the belief, the resilience, and the seige mentality that they would not be forced back so easily from whence they came.

A straightforward win over Rugby Parma in the Amlin Challenge Cup gave them the courage of their convictions but it was the narrow defeat to unbeaten leaders Saracens on October 25 that created genuine optimism that they could challenge in the top flight.

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The win over Wasps seven days later, in front of the Sky TV cameras, told the rest of the elite that Leeds had no intention of going quietly.

Even when they were throwing away winning opportunities against Sale and Harlequins at Headingley, the feeling of belonging was evident.

And as Leeds progressed, so their mental strength and growing physical durability – which had been started in National One when Back and Key first took over – was fortified. With it, came the development of a number of leading individuals in the Leeds team.

The giant Viking Erik Lund grew more fearsome with every passing minute and became a key member in a Leeds scrum that took a while to adapt before evolving into one of their most trusted assets. Mike MacDonald returned from his visa exile in the USA and formed a dependable front-row unit with Argentinian Juan Gomez.

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And the introduction of the mobile and experienced Andy Titterrell at hooker after Christmas was one of the more astute pieces of business by Back and Key.

Andy Gomarsall provided experience at scrum-half but his injury in February created an opening for the lively Scott Mathie, and his try down the blindside in the win at Edgeley Park summed up the increased dynamism he brought to the No 9 shirt.

Henry Fa'afili became a pivotal part of the backline alongside Scott Barrow.

But the man for whom Leeds must give most thanks is Hendre Fourie. The South African back-row forward had an outstanding season. Fearsome in the tackle and unwavering in his determination at the breakdown, his call-up to the England training squad during the Six Nations underpinned his growing reputation.

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There's a case for a turning point in all of Leeds's 22 games, and the fact they picked up bonus points in the majority of their defeats proved crucial in helping them overhaul Worcester.

Going forward, the search for an extra 1m in local investment to help them realise their Heineken Cup ambitions is pressing.

They have lost promising young talent in Joe Ford and Calum Clark, and Lund's departure to Biarritz will prove a large hole to plug.

But whoever they attract now, Leeds this season have proved they belong among the English rugby union elite.