This weekend sees 3 academy players selected in the Knights squad travelling to Kingston Park to face premiership outfit Newcastle Falcons.

This news comes after 7 academy players joined up with Griff’s men for a full pre-season schedule, impressing the Knights DOR and earning call ups to first team action.

Last weekend saw Sam Jones and Alex Keeton feature in the Knights 95-0 victory over Guernsey during Doncaster’s pre-season camp. The academy is set to further influence the Knights first team squad in this Saturday’s clash against Newcastle Falcons with a further 2 academy players, Sam Brooke and Will Burden, making the step up to join Sam Jones in the Knights first team.

Head of academy rugby, Anthony Posa, spoke about the progress made by the academy this pre-season. “It is brilliant to see a unique transparent pathway of academy rugby, national league rugby with Doncaster Phoenix and now game time with the Knights, especially against a premiership outfit in Newcastle Falcons. By unique, I mean where else can you get the different levels of rugby to test a player all under one roof? We have worked hard over the last couple of years and it is now starting to bear its fruits. I am hugely confident that the lads will not let Clive or the Knights down.”

Looking ahead to the fixture, Knights chief Clive Griffiths had this to say. “It’s very satisfying to see the conveyer belt working after the formation of the academy a couple of years ago. Gradually bit by bit the performance of the academy has improved, to the point where I am able to call up some exciting young prospects to be a part of the Knights squad going forward. The 7 academy lads who have trained have all fitted in well and are under no illusion of the demands and standards that are expected in order to be full time rugby players at Doncaster Knights.

These pre-season games are an ideal opportunity for these boys to get a taste for more senior action and Sam will now follow in the footsteps of Sam Jones, Alex Keeton and James Wright, who have been involved in first team action. It is vital that at some time we give youth a chance and see more homegrown players running out in the famous Knights shirt. From their point of view, fulfilling a boyhood dream of going through the grades at Castle Park. Long may it last.”