Doncaster Knights 35 Hartpury 22: Knights recruitment underway as Hartpury beaten
After celebrating their eighth league win by five tries to three, it became clear that the Knights’ plans for next season are taking shape quickly.
It’s understood that so far six new players have been signed by director of rugby Sir Ian McGeechan and head coach Darren Fearn and that of the current squad, several have already committed to playing again at Castle Park.
Both are highly satisfied with the quality of the new players, and the recruitment is by no means over. Doncaster expect to announce shortly the names of those who’ve been signed and those players who are staying.
Meanwhile, the Knights, currently ninth in the Champ on 53 points, remain optimistic that they reach the top six play-offs with five games remaining against Ampthill on Saturday followed by Richmond, Caldy, London Scottish and, finally, Nottingham.
Doncaster have, though, some catching up to do as they’re seven points behind rivals Chinnor, Hartpury and Nottingham, all on 60 points.
Definite progress was made against Hartpury as the Knights earned a maximum of five points in a contest in which the referee was the central figure as several players from both sides were dismissed.
Doncaster’s number eight Jasper McGuire was issued with a red card after receiving two yellows and his colleague in the pack, East Timor Viliamu, was also shown a yellow; the result was that Doncaster finished with 13 men.
Hartpury also suffered with three of their side being sent off for 10 minutes. The indiscipline didn’t stop a competitive and entertaining game. Doncaster’s five tries by centre Connor Edwards, a penalty try, hooker Ben Chapman, and two from Scottish winger Aidan Cross, were the reward for creativity and an aggressive approach by the forwards.
Showing character to fight back from 17-7 down, what pleased Cross, 24, unusually, a Latin graduate from Edinburgh University, was the right attitude shown.
He said: “I’m proud of the boys because we gritted it out in the last five minutes when we were down to 13 men.
“Our next opponents, Ampthill, are good on their patch, but you never know their team because they get players from Saracens on loan.
“I do know that if we can put in a performance like we did against Hartpury, we can beat anyone.”