Doncaster Knights 62 Rosslyn Park 7
Clinical demolition job at The Castle as Knights cruise through
The Knights cruised into the fifth round of the EDF Energy National Trophy with a straightforward clinical demolition of opposition from two Divisions lower at a windswept Castle Park, where the crowd was the lowest for a long time as supporters failed to see the attraction of the proven mismatch at this stage of the competition.
The Knights had made seven changes, plus two positional, to take a look at several fringe players as well as different combinations; and the backs certainly looked fast and incisive in scoring seven of the ten tries with some thrilling handling moves and excellent lines of running. Wes Davies at full back had a particularly outstanding afternoon, solid in defence when called upon but threatening every time he came upfield, as he ran in two fine tries and made at least two others. Also on the score sheet with a brace was former Sheffield Eagle Rob Worrincy, making his first start after seemingly scoring at will in the “A” team. Still finding his feet in the fifteen man game, he was just denied a hat trick at the death by the call of a marginal forward pass from seasonal debutant Michael Wood, who came off the bench and scored the last try of the match after Dave Scully had made a scorching break up the middle, and Wes Davies timely appearance in the line following fast recycled ball.
Ben Gollings had another start at ten and distributed the ball well, but the only real sign of his Seven’s skills and pace came on the hour when he shot off through a gap in his own half, stepped the defence and hared off upfield. Even Worrincy didn’t have the pace to support him when the scoring pass needed to be given, but Jason Forster did get to the tackle to snaffle the ball on the ground and pop a lovely pass to the next arriving Glen Kenworthy who finished well.
Rosslyn Park came to play quick rugby, moving their ball well at times in open play, and indeed took the lead after ten minutes when full back Richard Jackson looped in the line after a quick line out to get through the Knights’ centres and score at the posts, for Richard Mahony to convert. That cancelled Worrincy’s opening try, but their lead lasted just five minutes before Davies produced a replica of Jackson’s try to get the Knights in front, and they just stretched the game from there. Dan Cook and Paul Bailey scored before the break when the score was 31-7; and in a low intensity second half when replacements came aplenty, Forster and Brad Hunt scored to add to those of Davies, Kenworthy and Wood to seal an easy victory that highlighted the gulf between the two Divisions. There were two periods of four or five minutes when Park did put together cohesive attacks on the Knights’ line; and twice they declined three easy penalty points as they pressed for a second score that their plucky performance deserved. But the Knights’ defence was to well organized, and streetwise, both times ending the pressure periods with turnover ball to get back upfield.
Gollings had succeeded with six of his ten conversions, only two of which were near central, in gusty wind; and the Knights will set off for Cornwall next weekend in excellent heart for a game against the Pirates at Cambourne on the Sunday that could well define their season. Team selection will be interesting, to say the least.
Knights: W Davies, Worrincy (Wood 68), Hunt (Woodrow 65), Davey, Bailey (Wood 59), Gollings, Scully, Tau (T Davies 49), Boden (Plevey 62), Barretto, Rule, D Cook (Kenworthy 66), Grainger, Forster (Earnshaw 62), O Cook.
Rosslyn Park: Jackson, Lear, Ridley, Paul, Trainor, Mahony, Lapidus (McCluggage 60), Daw, Small (Sambrook 64), Heenan (Drayson 55), Ryan, Forster (McGuikian 68), Blankley (Rowland 46), Rodman, Underwood.
Referee: Ed Turnill (RFU) |
