Doncaster Knights eye derby double

Knights recorded a rare victory at Headingley in September but have not won in the league since.

Beaten play-off semi-finalists last year, the ninth-placed visitors have also suffered a disappointing campaign to date and look to have little chance of claiming a top-four spot.

Knights’ director of rugby Clive Griffiths, who took in Carnegie’s first home league win of the season against Moseley last Sunday, says the early-season game will count for little tomorrow.

“Since that game they’ve had a change of coach and a change of direction,” he said.

“They’ve got a big pack, so we’ll have to deal with that, and they’ve also got some dangers out wide when they play an expansive game, so we can’t afford to under-estimate them.

“They had a real dig against Worcester at Headingley, which was another one of their games we’ve watched, and they ran Bristol very close (28-28) at Ashton Gate last month.

“Maybe the fact that they’ve only had a six-day turnaround will help us because it’s a very important game - especially in view of what is happening down in Plymouth - and I’m hoping that the crowd really get behind us.”

He added: “I wouldn’t say that they’ll be much stronger than Munster A, who we beat in our last game (B&I Cup) at Castle Park, so with the wind in our sails you never know.

“We are still in there fighting and we didn’t look like a side which was second bottom at Worcester last weekend.”