'You can’t sweep it under the rug' - Darren Fearn will not tolerate repeat of Doncaster Knights disappointment
Darren Fearn stopped short of reading his Doncaster Knights players the riot act in the wake of a disappointing home defeat to Chinnor last week, but left them in no uncertain terms that a repeat performance will not be tolerated.
Indeed, if they don’t respond with a stronger showing at unbeaten Champ Rugby pacesetters Ealing Trailfinders on Sunday, they could be in for a hiding.
For a Doncaster team that finished last season with 11 straight victories and has declared its intent to challenge for promotion to the Prem, a return of two wins and a draw from their opening six games is not good enough. Last Friday’s 23-21 loss to Chinnor at Castle Park set the alarm bells ringing.
“Very frustrating, a poor performance and really disappointing,” head coach Fearn told The Yorkshire Post. “You can’t sweep it under the rug when you lose like we did, in the nature we did, you’ve got to look at it.
“It’s not a case of reading the riot act, it’s ‘come on, let’s have some honest conversations again because we’ve got to get better’.
“We don’t expect to perform like we did, whoever we’re playing. I’d be very disappointed if that happens again.”
Fearn has repeatedly warned his players not to take anyone lightly in second-tier competition, and while he applauded Chinnor for their game plan and execution, he knows the shoe is on the other foot this week.
Ealing have won the division in three of the last four seasons, only to be denied a shot at promotion because their ground doesn’t meet the RFU’s minimum standards criteria.
This year they look stronger than ever, picking up five points in every game to open up a seven-point lead at the top, scoring nearly 100 points more than their closest rival and conceding 50 fewer.
But Doncaster, despite their own inconsistencies, beat them home and away last season.
“They’ve always been a decent team but they’re playing some very good rugby,” said Fearn, who was Doncaster’s forwards coach last term. “It’s an opportunity for us but we’ve got to go there, fully ready to put a game on.
“They’re not naive. I know their coach well, they don’t take anybody lightly. They’ve lost to us twice last year, they’ve slipped up before, so they won’t be taking us lightly.
“We’ve got to go toe-to-toe and it’ll be a proper contest.”
Doncaster will hand a debut to prop Connor Hancock, who is on loan from Newcastle Red Bulls.