Doncaster Knights face toughest possible start to Championship season

Ealing are odds-on favourites to win the Championship again.

Big-spending Yorkshireman and ex-SAS soldier Sir Mike Gooley is estimated to have pumped around £20m into the club by February last year and there’s much more where that came from.

No other Championship club can spend anywhere near that amount and instead rely on the quality of coaching and a collective team strength.

Knights director of rugby Steve Boden has certainly punched above his weight regarding performance compared to the amount spent on players – and long may that continue, starting on Saturday!

Trailfinders have easily recruited the most ex-Premiership players to the Championship: Ollie Fox (Bath Rugby), Harry Casson (Bath Rugby), Dan Lancaster (Leicester Tigers), Rob Farrar (Newcastle Falcons), Will Montgomery (Newcastle Falcons), Ollie Newman (Northampton Saints) and Jack Metcalf (Sale).

They played four pre-season games, losing narrowly at Biarritz Olympique, winning at National One side Rosslyn Park and then Championship rivals Richmond before an impressive 42-12 victory against Italian United Rugby Championship team Zebre Parma.

Knights were in strong form at Castle Park last time out as it took until the 80th minute for Premiership outfit Newcastle Falcons to sneak a 29-33 friendly win on Friday.

Maliq Holden, George Simpson, John Kelly and Robbie Smith scored Doncaster’s tries who showed some slick handling at times, while Boden is likely to work on Knights’ attacking and defensive lineouts in training this week.

This weekend in the Championship: Ampthill v Jersey Reds, Caldy v Hartpury University, Cornish Pirates v Richmond, Coventry v Bedford Blues, London Scottish v Nottingham.