Making the tackle

Have a look Large to see the crowds expressions

First of all many thanks for the comments and stars etc for my 300th blip Christmas selfie yesterday. They are much appreciated.

After a very nice Christmas lunch yesterday (which I helped with the washing up)we all went to visit my Gran in her care home for her first Christmas there, and it seems as if she had quite an enjoyable day there.

Today is Boxing Day and I used to go to see the Leeds Rhinos play in a festive pre-season friendly, but for the last few years I've not been as they have often fielded teams with reserve players in as many of the international players have only just started pre-season training.

However after getting the bug from watching live Rugby League during the World Cup in the autumn I thought about going along to Headingley today to watch Leeds Rhinos play Wakefield Trinity Wildcats as it was a nice bright day, and it would afford me a chance to get a blip. I also took the chance to take my proper camera with my long lens with me as I thought that the stewards would be pretty relaxed today. It was a nice day and I had a pretty good seat in the sunshine, but it did mean I was always looking and shooting into the sun, so it was a little challenging to get some pictures.

I have chosen this picture of a last ditch tackle being made on a Trinity player who had made a line break. I think that this shows some of the essence of the game, but what really clinched the picture being my blip for today is the expression on one of the young fans to the left in the South Stand (just above the tackling players boot). I think it shows how much the game means to that young fan, even if it is a friendly. The game ended as an 18 all draw with Trinity tying the game with a last second penalty.

Some other pictures from the day can be found on Flickr