Doncaster Knights: New signing wants club to end 2019 on a high

Recent signing Howard Packman is confident that Doncaster Knights can end what has been a mixed year on a high.
Howard Packman.Howard Packman.
Howard Packman.

The Knights travel to Hartpury in their final Championship Cup Pool 2 game this coming Saturday (2pm) before visiting Yorkshire Carnegie on the resumption of the Championship the week after.

Ahead of the pre-Christmas double-header, Packman said: “I’m confident that we can win them both and go into 2020 with some real momentum.

“This will be the third time we will have played Hartpury.

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"If we can build on our previous two wins against them, and go there with the right attitude, then I’m confident we can beat them again and secure our place in the quarter-finals.

“A win on Saturday would give us a boost going into the Carnegie game.

“Everyone knows they are struggling but they’ve shown they can play and no one wants to become the first side to lose against them this season.”

Given the fact that Packman, who had been playing in New Zealand prior to joining Knights, played for England at various youth levels the club look to have done good business in bringing him to Castle Park.

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The 24-year-old represented his country at under-16, 17, 18 and under-20 level and he believes he has quickly settled into life in South Yorkshire.

“The facilities here are great – you can’t expect much better at a Championship club,” said Packman, who has previously played for Northampton, Bedford and Ealing.

He made his Doncaster debut against Ealing at full-back, but has played out on the wing in the subsequent two games .

“I prefer playing wing but can slot in at full-back as and when required,” he said.

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“But no matter where I’m playing I like to get the ball in my hands and run with it and I’m starting to see more of it in the last couple of games.”

Although Packman, whose father Frank played almost 400 games for Northampton, has yet to finish on the winning side for Knights, he claims that Clive Griffiths’ side have been competitive in all three outings.

And he believes that momentum is building within the Castle Park side.

He added: “We are handling the ball well and making breaks. It’s just a case of converting more chances into points, going forward.”