Doncaster Rugby Club

Yorkshire 3

Doncaster Phoenix 7  Roundhegians 8

Last weekend Doncaster Phoenix welcomed Roundhegians to Phoenix Park, with both sides looking for a win to kick start their seasons. Phoenix made three changes this week with Smit coming into the back row for the injured Taylor and Foster on the wing for Brookfield. Burton also regained his place in the starting line up after Coach Senior wielded the axe last week at Castleford.

In all honesty there is not much to say about this game, it was a very poor game of rugby. Phoenix had a good strong side, a big home crowd and the clear weather suited Phoenix’s style of rugby. But, yet again, Phoenix did not turn up. Simple things like winning first phase, catching and rucking just did not happen. In a game you expect a few errors from the team but in this game most players made a few errors.

It was a Phoenix error that led to the first points of the game. After some good pressure by Roundhegians in the opening ten, Phoenix found themselves with a lineout on their own five yard line. Phoenix won their own ball but then after a good initial drive the Roundhegians pack managed to turn the maul and steal the ball. The ball then went through simple hands for the Roundghegian three quarter to go over to the left of the posts. The conversion was missed. 5-0.

You would think that maybe conceding of a try would inspire Phoenix into playing some rugby, but I am afraid that it just did not happen. Roundhegians managed to convert a penalty and the half ended with the away side leading 8-0 without being threatened.

The 2^nd half pretty much carried on in the same vein as the first. After a stern half time grilling by Coach Senior you would hope some of the players would step up their game. Some did and for a brief five minutes Phoenix actually played some rugby. A good hit by Nick Germain and a turnover by Jim Oakley gave Phoenix some good possession in the opposition twenty-two. After a few more quick phases fly half Tim Elliott was able to draw his opposite number and put Morris in unopposed under the posts. Phoenix easily cut open the Roundhegians defence, but instead of giving confidence and energy to the side Phoenix seemed happy to sit back and just go through the motions. The game finished with a Phoenix loss to a side who came expecting to lose.