Originally written on Friday, 13. April 2007.

It has been an exciting season in National League One, the second division of Rugby’s hardest domestic league, the English Premiership.

Last season Leeds Tykes were relegated from the top table of English Rugby, consigned to a year of fighting for the right to promotion, a year without any significant cup rugby [the Yorkshire Cup hardly counts, even if it is played in the most beautiful of England’s counties], there is no EDF cup [this was formerly the Powergen Cup and before that the Pilkington Cup * ] and no european rugby.

There were however, some long trips to the south west, to play the likes of Cornwall and Exeter. There were also some very local derbies, against Otley, Doncaster and Rotherham, the latter two being title chasers for pretty much most of the season.

The season started badly though for Leeds. After relegation they were left with a total of eight, yes EIGHT, players on the staff. For those not familiar with the nuances of Rugby, there are 15 in a team with 22 or more in a squad. Eight is just enough for a pack. No backs, just a forwards. So they had to recruit. And recruit they did. The first game of the season though was, to say the least poor. Leeds lost to London Welsh, at home; a team who finished 12th in a league of 16, and lost 18 of their 30 games. Not an auspicious start.

Leeds however, lost only another two games, finishing with 24 wins in 28 games, one draw and three defeats, a massive 21 bonus points and in the total of 119 points. But what am I saying. There are two games left in the season and Leeds have secured promotion already. Stuart Lancaster has done a marvelous job. Truly incredible, considering where he started from. Quins did pretty much the same things the previous year, although what makes the tykes even more impressive than their London counterparts is that Quins were able to keep their entire squad in one place, including their England players. A new manager one Dean Richards, the former Leicester boss, but other than that, the squad remained intact. Leeds had eight players. EIGHT !!!

I have to say, after the first match, I saw nothing but a mid table finish for Leeds. I saw a year or two in the lower league ‘regrouping’, building the squad and team whilst they find some direction. But Lancaster has done that in one year AND gained promotion against some very, very good teams.

So, I am happy to eat my humble pie, to say that I was wrong, very very wrong. Congratulations to Leeds, well done to Lancaster and I am looking forward to Leeds being back where they belong : in the hardest, toughest domestic league in the world, the English Premiership.

* Leeds were the last winners of the Powergen Cup. The sponsors changed to EDF [No I don’t know who they are either!!] and then the whole thing was devalued down to the level of farce. The ‘knock out’ format was dropped, turning the thing into a league and welsh clubs were allowed in.

Why welsh clubs ? Well, there is a huge double standard in wales. Firstly, they see themselves as a country, which they are not, they positively hate the English, and finally, they have no meaningful competitions of their own, no league and no cup. Welsh clubs play in the Celtic league against Scottish and Irish teams.