Doncaster Knights hope to return to winning ways against Chinnor

Eighth-placed Doncaster Knights want to return to winning ways after losing by four points to Bedford Blues when they welcome 11th-placed Chinnor to Castle Park.

After just five games played, both teams have won two games. The Knights have scored 28 more points than Chinnor (5.6/game) and conceded 11 fewer (2.2/game). Of these points, the Knights have scored 2 fewer tries (0.4/game) than Chinnor but conceded 7 fewer (1.4/game).

Chinnor fly half Nathan Chamberlain is their leading points-scorer with 29 points to his name (5.8/game). Neither the Knights nor Chinnor have a try-scorer in the Champ top 15 yet.

The sides have played each other twice and it’s a game apiece, I’m saying nothing about floodlights at Chinnor last season…

Last Friday the Knights battled hard in Beford but let a 0-15 lead go to lose 36-32. It was obviously a closely fought contest as the score indicates, at least the Knights returned home with 2 league points after scoring 5 tries and finishing within seven points of the winner.

Bonus points are very important in the league. On this occasion, the Knights’ 2 points meant that they could only be overtaken in by two teams; Ampthill if they beat Chinnor plus the Pirates if they beat this season's surprise package, the unbeaten Caldy with a bonus point.

Knights try-scorers were wing Jordan Olowofela (5'), scrum half Ollie Fox (18', pictured), hooker George Roberts (46'), fly half Russell Bennett (57') and substitute hooker Ben Chapman (80').

The Pirates beat Caldy 34-27, scoring 5 tries and therefore scoring the bonus point win. Chinnor beat Ampthill 17-10, scoring 3 tries, 2 of which were scored by the hooker Alun "Wally" Walker. Walker is known for his strong set-piece play, so the Knights need to wary of him darting from behind a scrum/ruck/maul/lineout etc. The other Chinnor try-scorer was wing Freddie Owsley.

Tenth-placed Chinnor welcomed eighth-placed Ampthill for a battle where Chinnor would need a winning bonus point to overtake Ampthill. ‘Unfortunately’ for them Chinnor won without the winning try bonus-point so they remain tenth, one point below Ampthill.

Fixtures

Friday, November 7

London Scottish (13) v Bedford Blues (5)

Nottingham (3) v Cornish Pirates (6)

Saturday, November 8

Ampthill (10) v Ealing Trailfinders (1)

Caldy (2) v Worcester Warriors (4)

Cambridge (14) v Richmond (12)

Hartpury RFC (7) v Coventry (9)

A Knights win would see us rise to 6th if both the Pirates and Hartpury RFC lost. A bonus point win would see us rise to 5th if Bedford also lost. We would have the same league points as Bedford, with the same number of wins but we will have drawn a game that Bedford lost.

A Knights loss would see us drop to 11th if both Coventry and Ampthill win.

COYK

DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…