Doncaster Knights still to comment on RFU funding cut as they prepare for Jersey clash

The RFU's decision to revert back to the level of funding prior to the current argreement is likely to have major implications for many Championship clubs.

Tongan international Penikolo Latu is set to make his Doncaster debut, probably off the bench, in the game.

“We’ve brought him in until the end of the season to strengthen our middle backs,” said director of rugby Clive Griffiths. “He’s a centre but he also plays on the wing and has the pace of a winger. He’s also very direct.”

Knights, who had just 21 of their signed players available in last weekend’s game at Cornish Pirates, will be without dual-registered Bath forward Will Britton, who went over on his ankle 20 minutes into his debut.

But the likes of Rory Pitman, Michael Hills, Matt Challinor, Colin Quigley and Howard Packman will all come into contention to face the fifth-placed Channel Islanders after missing one or more recent games.

In-form back-rower Wian Conradie will again be missing due to a leg infection, however, and scrum-half Tom James, who has missed the last two games, faces a late fitness test.

“It will be the fourth time we’ve played each other this season,” said Griffiths. “We beat them in the Championship Cup at the start of the season at Castle Park but we lost the two games over there when we fielded injury-hit teams.

“Home advantage really helps when you play Pirates and Jersey because of the travelling involved and the disruption.”

“Even though we got beat at Pirates we played well in the second half and only lost it 10-7 despite playing into a blustery wind and could have snatched an unlikely losing bonus point but for a dropped ball late on.

“Hopefully, we can take confidence from what was a determined 40 minutes and pick up our third successive home win. If we can do that it would lay down a marker for the rest of the season.

“Hopefully we can start to make Castle Park a place where teams go away with a bloody nose as they have often done in past seasons but to do that we’ve got to be more consistent.

“As a coaching staff we are looking inwardly at our performances and how can we improve. But we’ve also got to challenge the players as well because some of them aren’t performing as well as they can do.”