Knights v Blues preview

Match Preview

Doncaster Knights v Bedford Blues

This Saturday, at 3pm, the Knights kick off the first ever RFU Championship season against potentially some of their toughest opposition of the season in Bedford Blues. The new RFU Championship , slimmed down to 12 teams, means tougher games week by week for Doncaster with the addition of the British and Irish Cup seeing them in cross Border competition.
After a pre season so tough that it saw 17 of the first team on the injury list the Knights are now to launch themselves into a collision with a side that last season were a victim at home, yet a conqueror away. Doncaster put up their strongest home performance of the season, arguably better than their defeat of Leeds Carnegie , when they destroyed a fancied Bedford side with a mix of wit and power. Conversely the Knights where handed their biggest defeat of the season away at Goldington Road as a wounded Bedford side were the only side to score 40 points past the traditionally tough Knights defensive line. Only twice in the whole of the 2009/09 season did Doncaster concede 30 points or more.
Lynn Howells men line up this weekend without influential back row players Chris Planchant and Neil Cochrane, both of whom succumbed to knee injuries this season but will be looking to hand debuts to Fly Half James Brooks and Scotttish winger Dougie Flockhart. Flockhart will relish the opportunity to re-forge the link between himself and centre Bevon Armitage, a potent attacking force for their previous club Esher.
Welsh Due Roger Davies and Chris Briers are also in contention for debuts, as well as Scotland “ A prop” Stuart Corsar as the injury list shortens at Castle Park, new second row signing Glen Townson is also expected to make his debut as the Knights will need to counter the power Bedford Blues posses in their pack right from the off.
Lyn Howells commented, “now is the time we get to see how the new players and old gel together in league competition, as the Championship is a league every player involved will relish. With every game being a true contest due to the new league setup there will be no let up between now and the end of the season. This is the type of challenge I believe my players were made for, and a tough game like Bedford to open with only drives that point home early in the competition”.