Doncaster Knights' big kick-off falls flat with loss at Nottingham

After finishing last season with 11 straight wins and a surge into a third-place finish, hopes were high that the Knights would be able to carry that momentum into the new season.

But on Friday night, playing against their long-time Championship rivals Nottingham at Lady Bay, they fell to a 26-8 defeat.

Darren Fearn's side fell 12-0 behind in the first half and never really recovered.

Russell Bennett kicked a penalty at the start of the second half to reduce the arrears, but that's where the fightback ended.

By the time debutant Will Wootton scored an unconnected try with five minutes remaining, the game was over as a constant.

Elsewhere, two of the teams Doncaster hope to be vying for honours with this season, Worcester and Coventry met, in front of 9,000, with the former Premiership club coming out on top.

Doncaster finish the opening round of the fixtures at the bottom of the table.