Darren Fearn and Sir Ian McGeechan have named their squad to face Nottingham in the final game of the 2025/26 season.

There are changes in the front row, with Conor Davidson starting at loosehead and Lewis Thiede coming in at tighthead. Ben Chapman retains the starting hooker shirt.

There is plenty of strength among the replacement front row, with Cole Keith and Logovi’i Mulipola set to make an impact from the bench alongside hooker Corey Tait.

In the second row, captain Ben Murphy returns to partner Morgan Jones. Jasper McGuire, Adam Hopkinson and Viliamu East Timor make up the back row.

Ehize Ehizode is named among the replacements alongside guest player Max Allen-Paver.

At half-back, Alex Dolly starts alongside Morgan Bunting, while Connor Edwards and Joe Margetts form the centre partnership. The back three sees Zach Kerr and Aidan Cross on the wings, with Russell Bennett selected at full-back.

Ollie Fox, Semesa Rokoduguni and Matt McNab complete the replacements as the reserve backs.

Secure your tickets now and support the team in there final game of the season.

SQUAD: 1. Conor Davidson,  2. Ben Chapman, 3. Lewis Thiede, 4. Ben Murphy (C), 5. Morgan Jones, 6. Jasper McGuire 7. Adam Hopkinson, 8. East Timor Viliamu, 9. Alex Dolly, 10. Morgan Bunting, 11. Zach Kerr, 12. Connor Edwards 13. Joe Margetts, 14. Aidan Cross, 15. Russell Bennett

REPLACEMENTS: 16. Corey Tait, 17. Logovi’i Mulipola, 18. Cole Keith 19. Ehize Ehizode, 20. Max Allan-Paver, 21. Ollie Fox,  22. Semesa Rokoduguni, 23. Matt McNab

Unavailable for selection: Josh Williams, Thom Smith, Telusa Veainu, Jordan Olowofela, Ryan Olowofela, Rhys Tait, Josh Bainbridge 

Doncaster Knights can confirm that Fred Davies will leave the club a week earlier than planned to provide short-term cover for Bristol Bears this weekend.

The hooker, who was already set to depart at the end of the season, will not be available for selection for the Knights in the final fixture as he joins up with the West country club this week. 

Davies leaves the club after two seasons, having made 41 appearances and playing a key role within the squad during his time at Castle Park.

Everyone at Doncaster Knights would like to thank Fred for his commitment and contributions over the past two years, and we wish him all the best for his time with Bristol and whatever comes next in his career.

Doncaster Knights are delighted to announce that Zach Kerr has re-signed with the club in what is a major boost ahead of next season.

Kerr has been a standout performer throughout this campaign, finishing as the club’s top try scorer and establishing himself as one of the most consistent players in the squad. His versatility across the backline, featuring both on the wing and at centre, has made him a key asset for the Knights.

Remarkably, Kerr is the only player to have featured in every single game this season, amassing an impressive 1,820 minutes. His durability and consistency have been unmatched, following on from his debut season where he missed just three games.

Now a core part of the squad, Kerr continues to develop week on week. Having reached the milestone of 50 caps at the weekend, he is likely one of the quickest players in the club’s history to reach that landmark.

Head Coach Darren Fearn said:

“Zach has been one of the standout players this season, whether on the wing or at centre. Everyone sees how competitive and hard-working he is, but what often gets overlooked is his ability to finish opportunities and his understanding of the game defensively.

“He always wants to improve and is often the last one out, speaking with Geech about the game and where he can get better. That attitude is a big reason why he’s developed the way he has.”

“I can’t speak highly enough of him as both a player and a person.”

Kerr also shared his thoughts on extending his stay with the Knights:

“There are some exceptional people at this club who have shown faith in me and loyalty towards me. Ultimately, my job is to help Doncaster Knights win games of rugby and I am so driven to do this, and hopefully repay some of that faith and loyalty.”

Doncaster Knights are delighted to announce that Telusa Veainu has re-signed with the club for his third season.

Arguably the most decorated player in the current squad, Veainu continues to showcase his class with quick feet and electric pace, remaining a constant attacking threat for the Knights.

Veainu began his rugby career in New Zealand, progressing through the ranks with Canterbury before representing New Zealand U20s at the 2010 World Championship. He enjoyed a standout tournament, scoring five tries, including a hat-trick in the final. He went on to break into the Canterbury first team, making 34 appearances and scoring 21 tries.

In 2015, he made the move to England to join Leicester Tigers, where he quickly established himself as one of the Premiership’s most exciting players. Over a five-year spell, he made 80 appearances and scored 32 tries, becoming a fan favourite and helping the club lift the Anglo-Welsh Cup during the 2016/17 season.

On the international stage, Veainu has represented Tonga, earning selection for both the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups. Across his international career, he has earned 12 caps and scored eight tries, finishing as Tonga’s top try scorer at the 2019 tournament. Ahead of the 2020/21 season, Veainu moved to France to join Stade Français, where he remained a consistent performer, scoring 10 tries across three seasons in the capital.

He later returned to the north of England with Sale Sharks before joining Doncaster Knights. Since arriving at the club, Veainu has made 42 appearances and is set to reach the milestone of 50 next season.

Head Coach Darren Fearn said:

“Telusa’s talent is obvious to anyone who’s seen him play. What people don’t always see is the leadership and standards he brings to an environment. He’s a key driver of our environment and a brilliant example for our younger players. I am delighted he’s staying with us.”

Doncaster Knights are delighted to announce that scrum-half Ollie Fox has re-signed with the club for next season.

Fox has been integral to the Knights this campaign, showing significant development from last season and continuing to grow into a key figure within the squad. His tempo, quick thinking, and game understanding have made him a crucial part of the team’s performances.

A Yorkshireman, Fox joined the Yorkshire Carnegie rugby academy at the age of 14. He went on to make his Championship debut for the Leeds-based side during the 2016/17 season.

His performances earned him a move to Premiership outfit Bath ahead of the 2019/20 campaign, where he made 21 first-team appearances across three seasons at The Rec. During this time, he also represented England at Under-19 and Under-20 level, featuring in both the U20s Six Nations and U20s World Cup.

Fox joined Ealing Trailfinders for the 2022/23 season before returning to Yorkshire and joining the Knights. This season, he reached the milestone of 50 appearances for Doncaster Knights, further cementing his place as a key member of the squad.

Head Coach Darren Fearn:

“Foxy’s taken a big step this year as a player and leader. He brings real tempo through how he sees the game, and we saw that on Saturday.

His kicking game has become a real strength of his, credit to the work with Fordy. Off the field, he’s a big presence in the group and does a lot in schools within the community. We’re all delighted to have foxy with us again next season.”

Fox said: 

“I’m really happy to be staying at Doncaster. Very grateful to be able to continue my career in Yorkshire. Looking forward to what’s to come.”

Doncaster Knights scored five tries on the road to secure a five-point victory over Caldy.

It was East Timor Viliamu who opened the scoring for the Knights. After a cagey first 10 minutes, Doncaster finally broke through. Ben Chapman pounced on an overthrown lineout before moving the ball quickly. Strong carries from Connor Edwards, Viliamu, and Rhys Tait propelled Donny to the 5m line, where Viliamu powered over to score. 0–5.

Edwards then relieved pressure following a long defensive set, winning a turnover at the breakdown to allow Doncaster to exit their 22 and build another attack.

The centre soon added a try of his own. A slick backline move saw the ball shipped out to Zach Kerr on the wing, who drew in the defender before offloading to Fox. Fox quickly moved it on to Edwards, who finished under the posts. Bunting added the extras. 0–12.

Fox then got on the scoresheet himself. He combined well with Jasper McGuire, who ran a superb line at pace to slice through Caldy’s defence. With Fox in support, McGuire returned the pass, allowing the scrum-half to cross the line. 0–17.

Fox continued to influence the game, assisting another try by picking the ball from the base of a breakdown and carrying around the corner before passing to Hopkinson, who powered over. Bunting converted. 0–24.

Caldy opened the scoring in the second half with quick reactions to a loose ball. They chipped ahead, regathered, and moved it through the hands to create space and score. The conversion was added. 7–24.

Doncaster responded with a Bunting penalty, followed by a superb try from Jordan Olowofela. Cross gathered the ball and offloaded to Olowofela, who showed great pace to finish from just over halfway. Bunting added the extras. 7–34.

The hosts hit back with a second try, driving their maul over in the corner. 12–34.

The Knights worked hard to maintain control, with Kerr producing an excellent 50:22 to relieve pressure.

Caldy claimed their final try by spreading the ball wide and advancing down the wing before an inside pass to a replacement hooker allowed them to finish in the corner. 17–34.

A late penalty from Russell Bennett ensured Doncaster had the final say of the match.

Full-time score: 17–37.

The Knights now turn their attention to the remaining game of the season. We face Nottingham at Castle Park on Saturday 9th May. Secure your tickets here.

Darren Fearn and Sir Ian McGeechan have named their squad to face Caldy on the road this weekend.

In the front row, props Logovi’i Mulipola and Cole Keith are named either side of hooker Ben Chapman. The second row features Adam Hopkinson and Morgan Jones, with regular captain Ben Murphy absent following the birth of his son.

In the back row, Rhys Tait and Josh Bainbridge start on the flanks, with East Timor Viliamu at number eight.

The replacement front row sees Corey Tait named at hooker, alongside props Conor Davidson and Lewis Thiede. Ehize Ehizode and Jasper McGuire are the other forwards on the bench.

Ollie Fox starts at scrum-half, with Morgan Bunting pulling the strings at fly-half. The centre partnership is this week’s captain, Connor Edwards and Joe Margetts, while last week’s hat-trick scorer Zach Kerr is named on the wing. Kerr is set to reach his 50th Doncaster Knights appearance this weekend. Ryan Olowofela returns to start at full-back, with Aidan Cross on the opposite wing.

Alex Dolly and Russell Bennett provide half-back cover on the bench, with Jordan Olowofela the remaining replacement.

SQUAD: 1. Logovi’i Mulipola,  2. Ben Chapman, 3. Cole Keith, 4. Adam Hopkinson, 5. Morgan Jones, 6. Rhys Tait 7. Josh Bainbridge, 8. East Timor Viliamu, 9. Ollie Fox, 10. Morgan Bunting, 11. Zach Kerr, 12. Connor Edwards (C) 13. Joe Margetts, 14. Aidan Cross, 15. Ryan Olowofela.

REPLACEMENTS: 16. Corey Tait, 17. Conor Davidson, 18. Lewis Thiede, 19. Ehize Ehizode, 20. Jasper McGuire, 21. Alex Dolly,  22. Russell Bennett, 23. Jordan Olowofela.  

Unavailable for selection: Josh Williams, Thom Smith, Telusa Veainu, Semesa Rokoduguni (Army duty), Ben Murphy (Paternity leave).

Unavailable loan players: Patreece Bell, Connor Hancock, Tye Raymont