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Evergreen Leeds Carnegie veterans win boss’ plaudits
BE BACK SOON: Mike MacDonald, pictured feeling the might of the Rotherham Titans defence, is battling back after his hand injury and is hoping to play his part in the play-off matches.
Diccon Edwards has hailed Leeds Carnegie’s “senior service” – with several of their experienced brigade putting their hands up in a big way to be involved in the Championship play-offs.
Carnegie, who visit Nottingham on Sunday, have won three out of four league matches so far in 2012 and while their fresh-faced talents have largely been the story of the season, a few old heads are now starting to make their presence felt with just three matches to go in the regular campaign.
After frustrating seasons in the main, the likes of Lee Blackett, Scott Barrow and Sean Hohneck are starting to hit their straps, while the sight of a fit-again Jon Pendlebury on the pitch is a further fillip for head coach Edwards.
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That said, Carnegie’s young guns have gained plenty of “wool on their backs” already after being blooded from the start of the season, with Edwards happy with the balance of his squad ahead of the business end of the year.
He said: “The challenge all season has been to get the right balance between experience and youth because we know it’s not about finishing at the top at the end of the season, but about giving the team the opportunity to gel, developing individuals and building towards the play-offs.
“Some of the senior players have had limited opportunities so far. But they have shown the right mentality and attitude to the younger players and some have now found their way back in the side. they have warranted that at this stage of the season.
“It’s good to have that level of competition and experience. As a squad, we also have experience of winning close games and that will be massively positive in the play-offs as it shows that we’ve played under the pressure of expectation and the pressure of the scoreline. We know we can deal with it.”
After a nightmare campaign afflicted by illness and injury, the entrance to the fray of popular lock Pendlebury – as a late replacement for Tom Denton – raised the heartiest cheer among the Carnegie faithful in Sunday’s 21-17 victory over second-placed Bedford Blues.
No-one was more pleased than Edwards to see the former Gloucester and Rotherham Titans man back in action last Sunday, with the head coach also revealing that former captain and powerhouse prop Mike MacDonald’s rehabilitation from a hand injury is going extremely well with the US international on schedule to return in the play-off campaign.
He said: “It was brilliant to see Jon back out there on Sunday. Nobody has worked harder and shown a more professional attitude than Jon and despite the setbacks, he’s kept his high standards up, which is testament to his attitude.
“It’s great to see a whole-hearted player like him back on the pitch.
“Mike’s also coming along nicely. It’s been all positive for Mike and he’s really pushing himself in the gym. He can’t be working any harder at the moment and he’s training the house down.”
Hooker Scott Freer is struggling with a knee injury and unlikely to feature in Sunday’s encounter with the Green and Whites at Meadow Lane.
Edwards said the club are also likely to err on the side of caution and not field flanker Jacob Rowan, who injured his wrist in last weekend’s win over the Blues.
Centres Joe Barker and Scott Barrow are also slight doubts with groin strains.
New pack recruits Ed Williamson and Halani Aulika will be involved against Nottingham on Sunday, with Edwards confirming that both will be part of the match-day squad and take their places on the replacement bench.
Edwards added: “Ed and Halani have had a good training week so far and are positives in terms of their experience and physicality – we’re happy with that added competition.”
Nottingham will be without flanker Brent Wilson with the club having imposed an internal suspension on him while they await his tribunal for an alleged spear tackle against the Cornish Pirates on January 22.
Elsewhere, ex-Carnegie loan signing Kane Palma-Newport has penned a new two-year deal with Premiership outfit Bath.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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