Match Preview

Hull Ionians have been playing Leicester Lions regularly since 2005 when we first met having both gained promotion into National 3 North from our respective North & Midlands divisions. This proved a typical season, Lions winning 24-17 at home with tries by Mark FitzGerald, Chris Townsend and Gary Watson and goals by Dan Yuill with I’s tries from Mark Cahill and Danny Hague and goals by Mark Jasnikowski. I’s then won 15-13 at Brantingham Park thanks to 5 penalty goals from Glenn Boyd to Lions try by Chris Woods and goals by Dan Yuill.
Honours were even after 18 matches at the start of this season with 9 wins each and Hull Ionians having scored 372 to Lions 369. However Lions 17-0 win at their ground last December in heavy rain has moved them ahead, 372 vs 386. Nine of our fixtures have been decided by a single score, two of them by a single point, so once again a close match may well be in prospect.
In 2007 Lions had an 18 year old Billy Twelvetrees playing at centre against us in two closely fought matches but our defence kept him off the score sheet both times, Jon Boden being their efficient goal kicker who kept the scores close, but again one win each.