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News
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Doncaster Knights v Pertemps Bees on Saturday 2.30pm at Castle Park
The Knights welcome back an old favourite this weekend when former player Russell Earnshaw, now player coach at the Bees, brings his new charges to Castle Park.
Earnshaw moved to the Midlands earlier this summer after spells playing for Rotherham and Doncaster. His Bees, however, have hardly been buzzing and come North on the back of five consecutive defeats and just the one losing bonus point that anchors them to the bottom of the table. The Bees have never beaten the Knights in the league and the bookies don’t expect them to start this weekend.
Lynn Howells sees it rather differently, and far from a straightforward encounter. Although playing well away from home, his Knights have struggled to beat both Launceston and Esher in the two previous home games and both he and his players are acutely aware that the home supporters require a performance on Saturday that is more in keeping with their 2nd place in the league, just a single point behind Northampton whom they visit the following weekend. The want to go to the Saints unbeaten and have the confidence to give them a competitive game. That process starts on Saturday.
Howells makes four changes to the side that won so well at Nottingham. Both Wes Davies and Paul Bailey picked up minor injuries at Meadow Lane and both are rested, along with Simon Grainger who is being rested ahead of the Saints’ clash. Ben Jones is back to full fitness to make his first start of the season with Antoine Nicoud (who goes back to France at the end of the month) reverting to the bench. Game time is important now for Jones who is looking forward to returning to his old club, Northampton, next week.
The game at Castle Park is preceded by the Academy playing Leeds with a 12 noon kick off – and will be followed by an “as live” recording of the England v Australia world cup match at 4pm.
Kick off at Castle Park is at 2.30pm
Knights: A Carter, J Bishop, B Hunt, S Davey, D Van Vuuren, M Woodrow, B Jones, S Bunting, S Boden, N Tau, B Griffiths, G Kenworthy, O Cook, S Gray, G Wilson.
Bench: T Davies, J Rawson, R List, S Tomes, M Soden, A Nicoud, T Luke.
Referee: N Patterson (SRU)
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