'We're not rolling over': Doncaster Knights head coach Darren Fearn gives verdict on club's hybrid future

Knights announced last week that from the 2026-27 season they would be operating a hybrid model and reverting to two nights a week training, with co-benefactor Steve Lloyd unwilling to continue throwing good money at the Prem Rugby dream.

The club believe they have as much chance of being competitive and getting where they want to be by joining the majority of their second-tier rivals as a part-time operation.

And Fearn has experience of that from his playing days at Bedford.

“Naturally change comes with a lot of noise, but sustainability on and off the field is key,” said the Knights’ head coach.

“It’s putting us in a position as a club to be strong, it’s certainly not a case of lowering standards or a lack of ambition, this is to put us in a position where we can move forward and be competitive long term.

“There’s a perception that a full-time team trains 9-5 every day, that isn’t the case. So you have to be smart within this model. I’ve played within this model at Bedford and we got to a Championship play-off final, so I’ve lived it.

“We can definitely get the best out of our group with this model, and the right performance environment to compete in the Champ.”

The full-time Knights haven’t been competitive on enough occasions this season.

They languish 11th of 14 teams, having won just four games out of 14. They are 14 points outside the top-six play-offs ahead of the visit of Cornish Pirates, another established second-tier team who have struggled this term.

“We own our performances,” said Fearn. “Some of them have not been to the level we expect but we have got some very good players, a good environment.

“However, there’s definitely been stuff that has hindered us.

“This week we’ve had 19 players training. It’s Prem Cup week so we can’t get players on loan, last week we had a couple of drop-outs through injury. We’ve drafted in two props for this weekend who haven’t trained with the squad. These aren’t excuses, it’s just the reality.

“So we have to be smart with that to make sure we can be sustainable and competitive.”

But Fearn insists Doncaster are not giving up on this season and that a late charge to the play-offs - much like the one they went on last season when they won 11 straight games to finish the season - is not beyond them.

“Our expectations are we will have a massive push towards the end of this season and we’re confident we can have a real crack,” he said.

“This group of lads are competitors, they want to win. Whatever the situation, whatever the context, this team will go out and put a performance on for Doncaster Knights.

“We’re not rolling over, we’re going after it.

“There are things that are out of our hands and teams like Pirates will look at us and think they’ll be vulnerable, so we’ve got to rise to that and put our best foot forward for the club, the supporters and ourselves.”