No luck of the draw for cup heroes
WHOEVER coined the expression "luck of the draw" is unlikely to receive a warm welcome at West Hartlepool.
West could well take the cliche and add a fifth word to the front: "no".
Talking of five-word expressions, West player-coach Tim Sawyer had the perfect one to sum up his feelings after hearing the EDF Intermediate Cup quarter-final draw.
"A bit of a bummer" said it all.
Hartpury College, who are closely related to Guinness Premiership neighbours Gloucester, are the All Blacks of cup rugby.
Look at this Twickenham record:
EDF Junior Vase winners 2007, beating Billericay 71-12
EDF Senior Vase winners 2008, running in 13 tries to hammer Wheatley Hills 83-5
BUSA Champions 2008, defeating Loughborough in the Universities final.
Should they go all the way and lift the EDF Intermediate Cup, it will make it four Twickenham triumphs in a 25-month period.
On paper West have no chance against the undefeated league leaders.
Sawyer will have to adopt a Churchillean approach ahead of the February 28 journey to Gloucestershire.
When Hitler was intent on destroying everything in front of him 70 years ago, Winston Churchill and and our Great islands of Britain decided to take the evil tyrant on and defeat him.
Granted, Tim does not have the luxury of having a few million Americans and Soviets to call upon to get the boys over the finishing line.
But, you get my drift? Sawyer will be drumming into his troops that Hartpury, for all their muscle, all their might, can be beaten.
It promises to be some battle.
SEE Tuesday's Mail for full Kelly's Eye column
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Weather for Hartlepool
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
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