By Ryan Stewart
The Leeds Trinity Titans rugby league side are in a three-battle in the race for the BUCS 2016-2017 Northern 2B men’s competition.
The Titans, with one game remaining, have played an extra match over their two title rivals, Huddersfield and Leeds Beckett, but those two still have to face each other.
This is how the table looks:
(Source: http://www.bucs.org.uk/bucscore/League.aspx?id=4848&sport=Rugby%20League)
Leeds Beckett clearly have a huge advantage in terms of goal difference. The Titans have their most important match of the season yet against Durham on March 1. The last time the two sides met it was a close encounter where it finished 16-22 in the Titans’ favour.
The top finishing team of this division goes into a head-to-head against the northern 2A league victors for the opportunity to play in the Northern premier division. The Titans believe they have what it takes to be a success in top flight university rugby league.
The Titan’s top try-scorer and fullback, James Morelli, believes that if his team can put in a big performance in their last game against Durham, they will be in a great position to win the division.
Morelli said: “In the last few training sessions, our predicament is becoming more apparent. The lads know we need to go out and smash into Durham and come out at the other end with a big score in our favour.
“We (Titans) need Huddersfield and Beckett to get a win each, which is probably the most likely outcome as both teams only dropped points against us (Titans), so the teams are very even.
“All we can do is go out and play well against Durham and sit and hope.”
Morelli hopes he can carry on his early form into the Durham match, and put some points on the board like he did here against one of the Titans’ title rivals.