PowerGen Cup Farewell for Exiles
London Irish will go into this match with the Cardiff Blues on Sunday, knowing that there is absolutely feck all they can do to progress into the knock-out stages. After a good fecking, away to Tigers, and with Agen and Sorries to come before taking on the premiership champions, the Pests, on New Years Eve, Brian Smith will be excused in treating this fixture as a dead rubber.For the Blues, this is not the case, and may also be a showcase to show off their latest signing, Lumu. It would be, without doubt, a huge reception that will await the fecking AB legend if and when he finally graces the fields of Europe after his life threatening illness; and best of luck to the man mountain.
Cardiff have also a slim chance of progressing to the next round if they achieve a 5 point win at the Madstad, and Sorries gain an unlikely victory at the home of the Wasps without the Pests getting a BP.
This is likely to play in the mind of both the selection of Brian Smith and Dai Young for differing reasons.
Young has not had his squad blooded in a competitive match since a home defeat (16-18) to Munster in the Celtic league at the start of November, and this was without his Welsh internationals, who were getting a fecking shoeing at the hands of the Abs at the time.
This weekend the bodies of R Thomas, Sidoli, M Williams and Phillips have returned from their win over the Aussies and are available for selection, WRFU rules permitting.
With back-to-back games in the HC against Calvisano to come for the Welsh regional outfit, the coach must have an eye on getting combinations back in sync, and this game could be the opportunity to achieve this.
As well as numerous Welsh internationals, the squad now contains former AB Xavier Rush and former Saints and Aussie ‘A’ Marc Stcherbina who are starting to prove useful additions to the visitors, as well as the recent purchase of Lumu. A front row containing the mighty Yapp will always be combative, and this is ably complimented by a second row with battle scars to prove their profession.
The season for Cardiff has been largely inconsistent, but they are still very much involved in the two-cup competitions they had entered. In the Celtic league, they have won two and lost four and currently sit third from bottom, all be it with a game in hand. In the HC and PC, they are second in their leagues with a one and one return.
In Europe, they will be optimistic of gaining at least a best runner-up place behind Perpignan with two games against Calvisano as well as a trip to Leeds.
For Brain Smith, it is either a time to get the lads playing to the form that was achieved prior to the Tigers mullering, or an opportunity to get pitch time into the returning injured or younger players. Awesome is on the mend and has now had an ‘A’ game under his belt, so may be inline for a call back to the first team. Shane Geraghty, Topsy Ojo, Ross Laidlaw, Richard Thorpe and David Paice are youngsters that could also figure in the plans of Smith, as well as getting more union experience into Dom Feau'nati and Paul Franze.
The front row will have the likes of Collins, Skuse and Russell fecking chomping at the bit for a start, and elsewhere in the pack, Juan Leguizamon and Paul Gustard will fight for a berth in the starting XV.
The exiles team may well be containing a mixture of young, new and more experienced campaigners come Sunday, but the improved squad will give whatever Blues team arrives in Reading a right good go. With the competition for places, all who start will be fecking up for it, to make a point and hope to claim the shirt for the important games that follow this one.
After the cup exit on Sunday, the real work will begin for the remainder of December.
I am off to get a bit of surgery, so would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, before meeting up with you all for a Free Mac Guinness filled New Year’s party.
-- Master Scribe