Doncaster Knights v Newcastle Falcons: Clive Griffiths on Knights' final friendly + team news

Doncaster Knights will be looking to end their pre-season campaign on a winning note when they entertain a Newcastle Falcons XV at Castle Park tomorrow (2.30pm).
Paul JarvisPaul Jarvis
Paul Jarvis

The Premiership side posted a 31-8 win when the two sides met up at Kingston Park a fortnight ago and director of rugby Clive Griffith is hoping his charges will be good enough to avenge that defeat.

“We’ve beaten a Newcastle XV before so I’m sure we can do it again,” he told The Star.

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“They closed us down quickly when we had the ball and they’ll be looking to do the same thing tomorrow and we’ll need to counter it better than we did up there.”

Knights, as they will do until the end of next month, will again lack injured centre Mat Clark and he’ll be joined on the sidelines by Dougie Flockhart and Andy Bulumakau, both injured in last weekend’s win over Loughborough Students at Coulman Road.

But full-back Paul Jarvis (inset), who has nursed a hamstring problem since the club’s opening warm-up game in Guernsey, hooker Ben Hunter and summer signing Will Owen are all set to feature.

Griffiths says that there are still shirts up for grabs for the club’s opening Championship game at Jersey tomorrow week.

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“I’m not going to forget what the players (who were already here) have done for the club in recent years and how good they have been for us,” he said.

“But at the same time if a new player has played out of his skin in the warm-up games and a regular from last season has had four average games then you have to think about things, haven’t you?

“You have to in fairness (to the player) alone.

“Then again you need players who are going to be warriors over in Jersey.”