Team News | Knights Named for 2023/24 Opener at Castle Park
7th September 2023
Doncaster Knights have named their team for Round 1 of the 2023/24 Premiership Rugby Cup – their opening game of the season for which they welcome Cambridge to Castle Park.
Director of Rugby Steve Boden and Head Coach Joe Ford have named their first side with 3 debutants involved in the starting line-up and a further 6 to come off the bench.
The front row is one of experienced Knights with Conor Davidson at loosehead, Andrew Foster at tighthead and George Roberts – gaining his 50th appearance – between the two at hooker.
Adam Hopkinson, having graduated from the Knights Academy to a First Team contract in the summer, joins Ben Murphy in the second row.
The back row is full of new signings as Harry Wilson and Rhys Tait occupy the flanks with newly announced co-captain Jack Digby at eight.
The half-back duo is the settled and familiar pairing of Alex Dolly at scrum half and co-captain Sam Olver at fly-half.
Maliq Holden and George Simpson occupy the wings with summer signing AJ Cant behind the two at full-back. The centre partnership is another welcome sight for Knights fans as Connor Edwards starts alongside Joe Margetts.
On the bench, it’s a completely new-look replacement front row in the hands of hooker Harri Morris – on a season-long loan from Edinburgh Rugby – with summer signing props Harrison Courtney and Corrie Barrett.
Further forward replacement options come in the form of Ehize Ehizode with new signings Fyn Brown and Seb Nagle-Taylor.
New signing scrum half Ollie Fox and the familiar face of Harry Davey round out the bench as the back options.
Kick-off is at 19:30 at Castle Park on Friday, September 8, and live updates will be available on our Twitter throughout the match.
Starting XV | 15 AJ Cant; 14 George Simpson, 13 Joe Margetts, 12 Connor Edwards, 11 Maliq Holden; 10 Sam Olver, 9 Alex Dolly; 1 Conor Davidson, 2 George Roberts, 3 Andrew Foster, 4 Adam Hopkinson, 5 Ben Murphy, 6 Harry Wilson, 7 Rhys Tait, 8 Jack Digby.
Replacements | 16 Harri Morris, 17 Harrison Courtney, 18 Corrie Barrett, 19 Ehize Ehizode, 20 Fyn Brown, 21 Ollie Fox, 22 Harry Davey, 23 Seb Nagle-Taylor.
