It’s pointless worrying about lack of points insists Yorkshire Carnegie’s Martyn Wood

DIRECTOR OF rugby Martyn Wood will not get “hung up” on Yorkshire Carnegie’s scoreless start to the season, writes DAVE CRAVEN.
Lee Smith, left, is on the bench for Yorkshire Carnegie against London Scottish.Lee Smith, left, is on the bench for Yorkshire Carnegie against London Scottish.
Lee Smith, left, is on the bench for Yorkshire Carnegie against London Scottish.

The club face their third Championship Cup game of the campaign tonight when they head to London Scottish still seeking not only their first win but first points.

Carnegie lost 83-0 at Nottingham a fortnight ago and then fell 48-0 against Cornish Pirates last weekend.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There would perhaps be an urge, come what may, to just kick a drop goal or penalty tonight to ensure there is not the embarrassment of a third successive nilling.

However, Wood said: “To be fair, I’d not actually thought about it – it’s not bothered me.

“Against Nottingham we should have scored a try in the last 10 or 15 minutes when we put some pressure on and we were unlucky not to.

“And we had a couple of opportunities to score from driving line-outs at the start of last weekend’s game when our skills let us down.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But I’m not going to get hung up that we’re not scoring points. There was an opportunity to kick some points last week and we didn’t take them. If it had been a league game we might have taken a couple of penalty goals but it wasn’t and I’m not worried by that.”

Wood added: “Overall, I was pretty pleased with our first half performance against Cornish but in the second period we went off-script which was disappointing.

“Overall, it was a step in the right direction and we’re looking forward to taking on Scottish now.

“Graham Steadman is a good coach, who always has his sides well-organised and well-drilled.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It’ll be tough but we’re looking forward to going down there.”

Wood and head coach Joe Ford make six changes.

Winger Andrew Lawson returns to the right wing in place of Ross Whitmore. Zach Kerr starts at centre in place of Lee Smith, who is amongst the replacements while Joe Carlisle, who missed out last week due to illness, will make his first start for the club at fly-half.

Scrum-half Jamie Elliott replaces Joe Green while up front British Army prop Gareth Smith starts at tighthead prop allowing Conor Davidson to switch to loosehead.

James Seabrook starts in the second-row and Leicester Tigers loanee Henry Lavin reverts to No8 o replace Guy Graham.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Scrum-half Elliot Turner is set for his debut off the bench and Leeds University student Alex Reid is another newcomer having been drafted in as a replacement after impressing in the Varsity game at Emerald Headingley.