Tough one to take.

Caldy were very good & fully deserved it today and we were just 1/2% off it & that’s enough in this league.

Created 2 or 3 opportunities in the first half that we couldn’t convert & Caldy built a good lead off doing the opposite really & being clinical in the 22. Showed good fight to play 20 minutes with 14 men & to keep them out at the end and get a losing bonus point.

Ultimately poor discipline cost us which invited them to start with the ball too many times deep in our half.

Some great lessons for us to take out of today and we’ve got to come back after the Christmas break and respond positively with January being a massive month for us in the league.

Shown a number of times we can respond well to set backs already this season, got to move on fast and get excited about the challenges ahead, starting with 2 back to back home games against Ampthill and Bedford Blues.

 

–Joe Ford, Head Coach

Statement by the Championship Clubs – December 22, 2023. 

 

The RFU did not inform Championship clubs in advance of publication of the comments that the CEO and others chose to give to the press last week about our collective discussions over the future of the second tier. The game will also have seen the Funding and Growth strategy document which was sent to our clubs and the Council a few days ago containing certain conditional proposals. 

 

We wish to respond on a number of matters.

 

First, we share the RFU’s desire to build a competitive and valuable second tier with all the ambition you need in a sporting competition. That is not possible for as long as Premiership Rugby Ltd and the RFU choose to maintain the current barriers to entry, which by necessity leaves the Championship as the top of the competitive pyramid in English rugby.

 

Second, the significant underinvestment in our league over recent times – central funding cut by 75% with no prospect of meaningful improvement – has left us self-reliant, self-funded and self-sustaining. This is the overall backdrop.

 

The RFU has now chosen to criticise our attitude to their flawed proposals, which we do not believe represent a whole-game solution. Not only do we need a whole-game solution, but we need a whole-game response to the proposals laid out by the RFU, so in the New Year we will be making public our views on the details – as far as we can ascertain them – of the Premiership II plan.

 

For now, we would like to repeat what we said on November 17, that the Championship clubs are not interested in a league that follows a franchise or selection-based model.

 

That means a league in which clubs are chosen to be part of a new tier two because of a commercial, geographic or financial consideration, rather than gaining membership by virtue of promotion and relegation. Meritocracy is a longstanding principle of rugby in this country, even if franchises might work elsewhere and in other sports. Basing entry to Tier 2 on minimum operating standards or on the perceived importance of their “brand”, rather than merit, would deprioritise the quality of rugby, of coaching and player development in Tier 2 at a time when Tier 1 is already cutting squads back.

 

However, we fully support the research going on to identify ambition in other parts of the country to assist in growing the game.

 

We share the RFU’s view that a second tier must be viable and of the highest possible standard. This requires continual improvements over time on and off the field, but the critical point, which the RFU knows, is that these improvements have to be developed and paid for. Unfortunately, while so little funding is allocated towards the second tier in general, our attitude has to be progressive and clubs need time to build a business plan. We have constantly urged earlier disclosure of funding plans to allow time for our clubs to plan with confidence.

 

We commit totally to an effective player development pathway when PRL and RFU have decided, with us, what they really mean by that. Discussions are ongoing. Gametime and vital life experience is achieved for our young players by meaningful contracts and time spent with our clubs. Our value over the last years is undeniable, with more than 100 International recognitions for players who have been part of the Championship.

 

Unlike the RFU, we believe that the Championship under our amended proposals is a wholly investible proposition. Indeed, collectively the current clubs’ benefactors have invested some £200 million since this league first came into being. We accept that it would be even more investible if the RFU had not cut funding levels so deeply during the most difficult period for competitive sports clubs in the modern era. They have failed by their own admission to commercialise our business. Now that, at our request, we have been given those rights to exploit, we can try to build separate revenue streams.

 

Governance of Tier Two is a key consideration here at a time when the whole Union is to be reviewed and upgraded following independent analysis. A joint venture with the RFU is the most appropriate at this time while understandably PRL ensures its own fitness for purpose. This does not mean we cannot formally connect to the very top of the game over time in this area.

 

A key point is that our clubs have very strong rugby DNA. We believe in that heritage as a force for the future and so do dozens of other clubs in leagues below the Championship who aspire to the top. We are committed to working with the RFU to find ways of preserving that DNA – all that is best about the sport we love – while continuing the vitally important work of creating a strong and sustainable second tier for the good of the whole game. 

 

Our objectives are common and we agree on so much, but our approach is different and based on decades of rugby and business experience. That demands respect and attention and the RFU Board should engage its full effort in listening to us. The Union was set up to be a guardian of the whole game in this country across all ages and talents. It must now fulfil those responsibilities.

 

We will have more to say on this early in the New Year.

 

 

 

Here is your starting XV Doncaster Knights for the Round 8 Championship Rugby clash Vs. Caldy Rugby

1.CONOR DAVIDSON

2.GEORGE ROBERTS

3.CORRIE BARRETT

4.FYN BROWN

5.EHIZE EHIZODE

6.HARRY WILSON

7.ARCHIE SMEATON

8.JACK DIGBY (C)

9. ALEX DOLLY

10.RUSSELL BENNETT

11.MALIQ HOLDEN

12.CONNOR EDWARDS

13.JOE MARGETTS

14.GEORGE SIMPSON

15.BILLY MCBRYDE

REPLACEMENTS

16. TOM DOUGHTY
17. HARRISON COURTNEY
18. ANDREW FOSTER
19. ADAM HOPKINSON
20. EVAN MINTERN
21. OLLIE FOX
22. JOE BEDLOW
23. JACK METCALF

 

We’re carrying a few injuries within the squad currently with Seb Nagle-Taylor, AJ Cant & Lewis Thiede all out with concussion, Ben Murphy & Harry Davey are both out with shoulder injuries and Rhys Tait sprained his ankle Vs. Edinburgh, so isn’t quite ready for this week.

We’re putting out a team as close as that of our Cornish Pirates starting XV from a couple of weeks ago that performed really well, so were hoping we can keep that performance level high against a very tough team.

Caldy are always very strong at home and got a great away win at the weekend at Ampthill, so we are going to have to be at our very best.

-Joe Ford

Here are your match day highlights from the Friday night lights friendly with Edinburgh Rugby.

Here is your Doncaster Knights Starting XV for the Christmas Friendly with Edinburgh Rugby

Friday 15th December 2023

7:30pm Kick Off

Castle Park

 

1 HARRISON COURTNEY

2 TOM DOUGHTY

3 KARL GARSIDE

4 ADAM HOPKINSON

5 EVAN MINTERN

6 RHYS TAIT

7 ARCHIE SMEATON

8 OLLIE LEATHERBARROW

9 OLLIE FOX

10 SAM OLVER ©

11 MALIQ HOLDEN

12 JOE BEDLOW

13 VEREIMI QOROWALE

14 JACK METCALF

15 BILLY MCBRYDE

 

REPLACEMENTS

16 GEORGE ROBERTS

17 CALVIN MITCHELL

18 CORRIE BARRETT

19 FYN BROWN

20 JACK DIGBY

21 WILL METCALFE

22 RUSSELL BENNETT

23 CONNOR EDWARDS

 

 

A few words on this weeks team choice from Head-Coach, Joe Ford

It’s a great opportunity to keep momentum going from the pirates game, we were really pleased with where our game was at after that one and felt with the jersey game being cancelled, we needed another game in this period to keep the lads match ready & also to get minutes into all the squad because if we are going to be successful this season, it will require everyone.

 

With regards to players, the team sheet and injuries, we are just light in a couple of areas with a few knocks & we have a great relationship with Newcastle who wanted to get some minutes into lads, so it worked really well for both of us. Both Ollie & Vereimi on loan for 1 week from Newcastle Falcons.

 

Vereimi Qorowale (#13) played for us last season on a couple of occasions and really impressed. He’s really powerful and loves the contact side of the game so I’m really excited to see him go again for us and I’m sure the fans will enjoy what he has to offer.

Ollie leatherbarrow (#8) won the university league (BUCS)  back to back & captained them in the second year. Represented @ under 20’s level for Scotland & played for Newcastle first team last week in Europe & is highly rated up there, we have been really impressed with his attitude this week and how quickly he has picked up our systems so again it’s really exciting to see how he goes on Friday.

 

Edinburgh are obviously one of only 2 top outfits in Scotland, so it’s a brilliant test for us to see how we hold up against another top full time outfit, they are known for moving the ball around so it should be all set up for a really exciting game.

We have an exciting opportunity for an ambitious Chef to help us create exceptional food experiences for stadium customers, contracted to 30 hours per week. This will progress to full time in the very near future for the right candidate.

If you are an innovative and creative Chef, passionate about creating great food whether it be on a match day, for a wedding or for a large conference,  – we want to hear from you!

In return we offer support and development to progress within a company that invests in its people, celebrates individuality, and rewards and recognises employees who go beyond the plate.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Preparing delicious, high-quality food that delights our clients and customers
• Creating attractive food and counter displays
• Representing Doncaster Rugby Football Club and maintaining a positive brand image
• Complying with Food Handling & Hygiene standards
• Complying with Health & Safety regulations

Chef – Doncaster Rugby Club

£13.00 per hour, 30 hours per week

Our ideal Candidate will:

• Have an enthusiastic can-do attitude
• Display passion for delivering excellent customer service
• Be an excellent team player
• Arrive equipped with a desire to succeed in your role
• Thrive working under pressure
• Demonstrate outstanding timekeeping and reliability
• Have a safety-first mind set
• Have experience within a similar catering-related role, but this isn’t essential.

Please email Kyoung@castle-park.co.uk with your current C.V

 

Doncaster Knights achieved one of the best results in their recent history by beating Cornish Pirates for the first time in five years at the Mennaye Field in Penzance.

The Knights’ 39-28 triumph, by five tries to four, earned the Castle Park club a maximum of five points, enabling them to regain second place in the Championship on 24 points – just two behind leaders Ealing Trailfinders.

Doncaster have now won five of their six league games.

First-half tries by forwards Fyn Brown, Harry Wilson and Ehize Ehizode were followed by a powerful second-half display in which winger Maliq Holden and full-back Billy McBryde scored on 56 and 60 minutes.

Doncaster’s control was also exerted by fly-half Russell Bennett, who joined the club after the collapse of Jersey Reds, kicking 14 points – four conversions and two penalties.

The Knights’ constant pressure forced Pirates into making several mistakes, and before the Cornish side added two late tries, Doncaster were leading by 25 points – an amazing margin considering five consecutive defeats in Penzance.

Apart from their attack producing five tries at a hostile venue, made worse by rain, Doncaster also defended solidly.

Earlier, Doncaster enjoyed an excellent first half as they scored three tries to shock the Pirates. Second row forward Brown scored from a scrum in only the second minute and with fly-half Bennett converting, the Knights lead 7-0.

However, this promising start gathered pace soon afterwards when a thrilling attack involving Holden, playing against his old club, supported by forwards Ehizode and Brown, set up a second try in the sixth minute for flanker Harry Wilson.

Following another successful conversion from Bennett, Doncaster were now 14-0 in front.

Soon, though, Pirates gradually won some ball and territory as they came back strongly to break through to score two tries which threatened Doncaster’s authority in a highly competitive contest.

The two converted Pirates tries cut the lead to 17-14, but just before half time, Pirates’ winger Matt McNab was sin-binned and with the home side reduced to 14 men, Bennett kicked his second penalty stretching his team’s advantage to 20-14.

And then with Pirates a man down, Doncaster attacked again and finished the opening 40 minutes outstandingly as second-row forward Ehizode galloped through the Pirates’ defence to score his team’s third try and with it a decent lead of 25-14.

Cornish Pirates: Moyle, McNab, Elderkin, Georgiou, Nowell, Houston, Schwarz, Zigiadis, Nelson, Johnson, Bokenhom, Barker, Everett, Stevens, Grubb. Replacements: Williams, Walker, Richardson, Rice, Gibson, Dawson, Jenkins, Pittman.

Doncaster Knights: McBryde, Simpson, Margetts, Bedlow, Holden, Bennett, Dolly, Davidson, Roberts, Thiede, Brown, Ehizode, Wilson, Smeaton, Digby. Replacements: Fletcher, Courtney, Barrett, Hopkinson, Tait, Mintern, Fox, Metcalf.

Referee: Joe Jones (RFU)

Match Report By Guy Williams

Photo Credit: Brian Tempest

Here is your Doncaster Knights team for their away, Round 6, Championship Rugby clash against the Cornish Pirates.

1 DAVIDSON
2.ROBERTS
3.THIEDE
4.BROWN
5.EHIZODE
6.WILSON
7.SMEATON
8.DIGBY (C)
9.DOLLY
10.BENNETT
11.HOLDEN
12.BEDLOW
13.MARGETTS
14.SIMPSON
15.MCBRYDE

REPLACEMENTS
16. FLETCHER
17. COURTNEY
18. BARRETT
19. HOPKINSON
20. TAIT
21. MINTERN
22. FOX
23. METCALF

#16 Ollie Fletcher is a Hooker on loan from Newcastle to cover injury within the forwards