Doncaster Knights and Ealing Trailfinders to battle it out for Championship title

Ealing Trailfinders leapfrogged Knights into top spot by beating Cornish Pirates last weekend – a win which also ended their opponents’ title hopes.

The big-spending London club are expected to beat Richmond at home on Saturday and finish in top spot.

But Knights can ramp up the pressure on Ealing, and take advantage of any slip-up, by ending their season with a victory at second bottom Nottingham on Friday night.

Ealing and Knights have both appealed against the RFU’s decision to block their promotion to the Premiership because their respective stadiums have capacities less than 10,000.

The permutations

Ealing are top of the Championship on 75 points with Knights second on 72.

If Ealing beat Richmond they will win the title.

If Ealing were to lose and Knights beat Nottingham then Knights would be crowned champions.

If Ealing and Knights were to both finish on 76 points, by Ealing losing but picking up a bonus point and Knights gaining a four-point win, Knights would win the league by virtue of winning more games.

If Trailfinders were to draw or gain two points, the Knights need a bonus point win over Nottingham to win the Championship.

About the opposition

Nottingham used to play at Meadow Lane, the home of Notts County, after the club signed an agreement to become part of Notts County PLC in 2010.

They moved to Lady Bay in January 2015 for commerical reasons.

The option to return to Meadow Lane exists if the Green and Whites get promoted to the Premiership.

Head-to-head

Knights ran out 45-12 winners when these sides met at Castle Park in December.

Knights also ended last season with a home victory over Nottingham, 29-24.

However, Doncaster’s last visit to Lady Bay ended in defeat as they went down 15-0 in the Championship Cup in February, 2020.

Last time out

Knights made it a perfect ten wins out of ten on home soil by beating Cornish Pirates 22-15 at Castle Park on March 12.

Nottingham were last in action on the same say as they went down 48-12 at Jersey Reds.

Dangermen

Winger David Williams has scored 15 tries in 19 games, while fly half Sam Hollingsworth has scored 70 points this season.

Verdict

Form can go out of the window in a local derby so Knights can’t take anything for granted.

They can’t afford to underestimate a Nottingham side who will be determined to finish the season on a high and also dent their rivals’ title ambitions.

Fixtures

Cornish Pirates v Ampthill, Ealing Trailfinders v Richmond.