This Sunday (28th November) we face Leeds Tykes at the Stoop in what will be another fierce contest. Leeds are a very good team, who are extremely difficult to beat. They have a good set-piece, they contest the tackle area vigorously and it should be remembered that we have lost our last two home games to them!

One of our concerns over the last few weeks has been the number of penalties that we have conceded. We realise that by contesting the tackle area that you are always liable to give away penalties, as it is a very fine line between being legal and not. However, the penalty count last Friday was 18 to seven against us.

Last season we had one of the lowest penalty counts in the Zurich Premiership and we have not changed our style or technique this season. There were a few contenscious decsions in amongst the 18 penalties, but in truth there were also a number of areas that we need to improve upon to avoid being penalised. We need to reduce the number of penalties awarded against us as it is giving our opposition a huge amount of territory and allowing them to build pressure on us, when we should be doing the same to them.

Away from the team, I can confirm that from next season we will be moving our training ground away from the Military base here at Aldershot. From July, our new home will be in Roehampton Vale, the former training ground of Wimbledon Football Club, which has been vacant since the Dons went into administration earlier this year. We have had four good years at Aldershot, but with the growth of our Academy set-up and the need for improved weights training facilities for all our squads, it became imperative that we found a new base and the site at Roehampton is ideal.

In terms of team selection for this weekend, this will be confirmed tomorrow (Friday), although there are not likely to be any changes to the 22 that faced Sale last Friday. Mike Worsley is on standby with England and if he is not available to us then Jon Dawson will come into the front row with Maurice Fitz Gerald on the bench.

We have a Zurich A League game against London Irish on Monday evening (29th November) at the Stoop, kick-off 7.30pm and the team for this fixture will be announced on the day of the match.

We do not play many games at the Stoop on Sunday, but after our last home game against Saracens I would hope that we will see (and hear) a big home crowd giving the team some vociferous support in what is sure to be a very difficult game.

It would also be good to give Chris Bell a tremendous welcome on his first return to the Stoop - he is playing well for Leeds and is sure to want to make a big impression against his former team-mates.

Look forward to seeing you all on Sunday.