Doncaster Knights v Bristol
Boyde
Doncaster Knights v Bristol
Sat 20th November 2.30 pm
After 12 rounds of the RFU Championship Doncaster Knights return to Castle Park with their armour breached. Last Friday at Billesley Common a buoyant Knights squad who had taken bonus point wins from their previous 4 games were sent crashing from their steeds by a Moseley tem enjoying only their 3rd victory of the season so far. The fact that 2 of those 3 victories were at the expense of Doncaster was all the more frustrating.
Lynn Howells admitted in interviews that the only saving grace for his wounded side was an opportunity to put things right with the fans as Bristol visit Castle Park this Saturday.
Bristol have finally found some form in the Championship. After not such a successful start the West Country side have managed wins in consecutive weeks. Defeating Plymouth Albion away at Brickfields 2 weekends ago by a single point is a better result than it looks and their 30 points to 17 home victory over Esher at the Memorial ground will have added to their confidence.
Once again Doncaster find themselves pitted against a side that has begun to find form, another twist in the Knights’ tale.
“ The Finish” has seemingly been an issue for Bristol this season, with only a single player in the top 20 try scorers table the ex Guinness Premiership club have by all appearances lacked a cutting edge this season. Underestimating Paul Hull’s side would be the wrong approach to the game though as their 3 tries last weekend proved.
No one can doubt the edge on the Knights’ blade this season though as Matty Williams and Stevie McColl seem intent on battling it out for the top try scorer position for the Armthorpe Rd side. The pair have 9 tries apiece in the league , having both scored more than the Knights top league try scorer already from the 2009/10 Championship stage 1.
Bolstering the attack are Scrum Half Chris Hallam and Fly Half Tristan Roberts, the half back duo weighing in with 5 tries apiece taking pressure off both forwards and backs alike. Last season the Knights forwards suffered the frustration of winning position and ball only to feel hard done by when the back division struggled to put the ball over the line some games. This season the synergy of the backs and forwards has created the desired effect going forward.
Bristol visit the Knights having only won game out of the last 3 meetings against the South Yorkshire side. 2009/10 saw the Knights defeat Bristol at Castle Park in a shock win touted as one of the best performances of the season by Lynn Howells men. The return fixture at the Memorial ground was a horror show for an injury ravaged Knights squad which evened the balance.
The first meeting of the pair this season at the Memorial Ground was another surprise for the media, the Knights coming away with the win and entertaining the crowds with blistering tries by Hallam and Boyde.
Despite the 10 points separating the sides the Knights will be heading into a tough contest, a big game for their last home match in November.
