Doncaster Knights lacking consistency required to make Champ Rugby play-offs
DONCASTER KNIGHTS’ underwhelming start to the season,only two wins, three defeats and a draw from their opening six games, is a poor return for a full-time squad and one that is among the most talented in the Champ.
So, a big improvement is required, not least this coming Sunday when the Knights take on the current champions and league leaders, Ealing Trailfinders, in London.
While Doncaster lost at Castle Park to Chinnor and earned only a losing bonus point in a close contest against part-timers, dropping them to ninth place, Ealing thrashed Ampthill 71-0 scoring 11 tries, taking them to 30 points – 16 ahead of the Knights.
As things stand, Doncaster, who started last season slowly, have much to do to finish in the top six to qualify for the play-offs, but as they prepare for Ealing, they can take encouragement from their success in the 2024-25 campaign when they beat the London club twice in the league.
A revival of that form is urgently needed in the other games to come before Christmas: Coventry, Hartpury, Ampthill and Richmond.
With only two victories against Cambridge and Worcester, new head coach Darren Fearns is understandably concerned as he explained after the Chinnor match:
“I am very disappointed with the performance and the result. We missed scoring opportunities and losing lineouts didn’t help. If you cough up possession, you are going to struggle.
“We need a lot of improvement from all of us. Ealing are in good form, they are a serious outfit, so we must up our game.
“What we are lacking is consistency. We beat Worcester, gifted Bedford 21 points when we should have won there for the first time in eight years and then lose to Chinnor.”