Post by Jamie Crawford on Feb 9, 2021 12:38:10 GMT
Saracens v Knights in Trailfinders Challenge Cup
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Saturday, 13th February – 4.15pm KO – Saracens v Doncaster Knights @ StoneX Stadium
After the encouraging loss to Trailfinders, the Knights must now face the three-time European Club Champions (2019 last win) in their own back garden; the renamed StoneX Stadium. Encouraging because of the performance of a very new team of players, most of whom have never played with each other and all have not played a game for over ten months.
DoR Steve Boden mentioned in his on the whistle reaction video that after the game the players had only had eight, nay seven minutes of contact rugby, so mistakes were inevitable. Trailfinders had already played five games this season. It was announced before the Sarries v Trailfinders game that more England players v Scotland later were from Saracens than any other club. I don’t think they’ll stay in the Championship next season. However, Trailfinders will be hot on their tale. Even though Trailfinders beat Sarries 26-39 at StoneX Stadium, I think a fitter Sarrie team with all their International and Barbarian players will be unbeatable in the Championship except by us!! 😊
“Bodes handed sixteen Knights their debut in what was the Knights first outing in over ten months. Bodes cannot have been unhappy with what he saw against a side that have beaten Saracens, Newcastle Falcons & Bristol Bears teams since the 2019/20 season was ended prematurely.” (DRFC website)
Bode’s Knights put in a promising first shift against a team that are likely to be the only team that may compete for a Premiership place against Sarries. The Knights have experienced that intensity and now a likely step-up in performance is required to beat the European champions on their home turf. Sarries won’t want to lose twice to two Championship teams even if it is only a Cup match.
Our own website started off the review of the game, “Trailfinders too much for plucky Knights. Doncaster Knights 26-46 Ealing Trailfinders. An impressive second half showing saw Doncaster Knights record a four try Trailfinders Challenge Cup bonus point against Ealing Trailfinders in a display that showed plenty of potential.”
Overall Bodes and interviewed players were pleased with the physicality and ambition of the players but obviously there were too many errors that led to penalties, which is to be expected after more than ten months without playing a game.
When Sarries lost by just one point to Trailfinders in the first Cup game, Trailfinders scored first but just before half time the Sarrie Forwards steam-rollered through the Trailfinder defence which led to an infringement. A solid five-metre scrum saw Vunipola pop a pass to Aled Davies (Scrum Half) and the speed of the play outwitted Ealing as Full-Back Elliot Obatoyinbo dived over.
Trailfinders scored early in the second half but then Sarrie replacement Front Row Kapeli Pifeleti finished a line-out maul.
Trailfinder’s Walker scored his second before Sarrie’s Hooker Tom Woolstencroft finished a forward assault from a short-range free-kick to secure a losing bonus point for the visitors.
Then in their narrow home defeat Sarrie’s Centre Dom Morris grabbed a first-half double, before Trailfinders scored their own brace plus a penalty to give them a half time lead. Rotimi Segun (Sarrie Left Wing) touched down three minutes into the second half only for Trailfinders to score again and remain ahead. Kapeli Pifeleti (Sarrie sub Hooker) scored a consolation try for Mark McCall’s side in the closing stages.
At StoneX Stadium Ealing were incredibly pleased to come from behind twice and beat Sarries. They felt that Sarries are great in the air and very quick on the ball, so they needed to match or better that. Trailfinder Director of Rugby Ben Ward thought he had identified a couple of areas that that they could possibly exploit, and they tried to do that. Sarries made it exceedingly difficult for them to play to their own game plan because you must react to their style of play most of the time. Hopefully Bodes has identified any Sarrie weakness(es).
The Saracens that played Trailfinders first time out are first, Sarries v Trailfinders second time are se3cond. Players that played in the same position in both games are bold:
15 Elliott Obatoyinbo
14 Ben Harris
13 Dom Morris
12 Duncan Taylor (Scotland) / Harry Sloan
11 Rotimi Segun
10 Will Hooley (USA) / Tom Whiteley
9 Aled Davies (Wales)
1 Eroni Mawi (Fiji) / Richard Barrington
2 Tom Woolstencroft ©
3 Vincent Koch (Springbok)
4 Joel Kpoku
5 Ollie Stonham / Callum Hunter-Hill
6 Janco Venter (Namibia) / Mike Rhodes
7 Andy Christie / Ollie Stonham
8 Billy Vunipola (England) / Janco Venter (Namibia)
Eight Internationals over both games.
We can compare these players to the team that play us, although Saracens have a massive squad.
Hopefully Sarrie’s Barbarian players are still banned from playing after the breach of Coronavirus rules in October because of the lack of games recently. “…eight personnel banned for their involvement in the Barbarians' breach of coronavirus protocols in October suffered a setback in their first match since being relegated from the Gallagher Premiership, but amends can be made at Doncaster Knights on Saturday." (skysports.com)
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
Sponsored by 24 IT Services
Saturday, 13th February – 4.15pm KO – Saracens v Doncaster Knights @ StoneX Stadium
After the encouraging loss to Trailfinders, the Knights must now face the three-time European Club Champions (2019 last win) in their own back garden; the renamed StoneX Stadium. Encouraging because of the performance of a very new team of players, most of whom have never played with each other and all have not played a game for over ten months.
DoR Steve Boden mentioned in his on the whistle reaction video that after the game the players had only had eight, nay seven minutes of contact rugby, so mistakes were inevitable. Trailfinders had already played five games this season. It was announced before the Sarries v Trailfinders game that more England players v Scotland later were from Saracens than any other club. I don’t think they’ll stay in the Championship next season. However, Trailfinders will be hot on their tale. Even though Trailfinders beat Sarries 26-39 at StoneX Stadium, I think a fitter Sarrie team with all their International and Barbarian players will be unbeatable in the Championship except by us!! 😊
“Bodes handed sixteen Knights their debut in what was the Knights first outing in over ten months. Bodes cannot have been unhappy with what he saw against a side that have beaten Saracens, Newcastle Falcons & Bristol Bears teams since the 2019/20 season was ended prematurely.” (DRFC website)
Bode’s Knights put in a promising first shift against a team that are likely to be the only team that may compete for a Premiership place against Sarries. The Knights have experienced that intensity and now a likely step-up in performance is required to beat the European champions on their home turf. Sarries won’t want to lose twice to two Championship teams even if it is only a Cup match.
Our own website started off the review of the game, “Trailfinders too much for plucky Knights. Doncaster Knights 26-46 Ealing Trailfinders. An impressive second half showing saw Doncaster Knights record a four try Trailfinders Challenge Cup bonus point against Ealing Trailfinders in a display that showed plenty of potential.”
Overall Bodes and interviewed players were pleased with the physicality and ambition of the players but obviously there were too many errors that led to penalties, which is to be expected after more than ten months without playing a game.
When Sarries lost by just one point to Trailfinders in the first Cup game, Trailfinders scored first but just before half time the Sarrie Forwards steam-rollered through the Trailfinder defence which led to an infringement. A solid five-metre scrum saw Vunipola pop a pass to Aled Davies (Scrum Half) and the speed of the play outwitted Ealing as Full-Back Elliot Obatoyinbo dived over.
Trailfinders scored early in the second half but then Sarrie replacement Front Row Kapeli Pifeleti finished a line-out maul.
Trailfinder’s Walker scored his second before Sarrie’s Hooker Tom Woolstencroft finished a forward assault from a short-range free-kick to secure a losing bonus point for the visitors.
Then in their narrow home defeat Sarrie’s Centre Dom Morris grabbed a first-half double, before Trailfinders scored their own brace plus a penalty to give them a half time lead. Rotimi Segun (Sarrie Left Wing) touched down three minutes into the second half only for Trailfinders to score again and remain ahead. Kapeli Pifeleti (Sarrie sub Hooker) scored a consolation try for Mark McCall’s side in the closing stages.
At StoneX Stadium Ealing were incredibly pleased to come from behind twice and beat Sarries. They felt that Sarries are great in the air and very quick on the ball, so they needed to match or better that. Trailfinder Director of Rugby Ben Ward thought he had identified a couple of areas that that they could possibly exploit, and they tried to do that. Sarries made it exceedingly difficult for them to play to their own game plan because you must react to their style of play most of the time. Hopefully Bodes has identified any Sarrie weakness(es).
The Saracens that played Trailfinders first time out are first, Sarries v Trailfinders second time are se3cond. Players that played in the same position in both games are bold:
15 Elliott Obatoyinbo
14 Ben Harris
13 Dom Morris
12 Duncan Taylor (Scotland) / Harry Sloan
11 Rotimi Segun
10 Will Hooley (USA) / Tom Whiteley
9 Aled Davies (Wales)
1 Eroni Mawi (Fiji) / Richard Barrington
2 Tom Woolstencroft ©
3 Vincent Koch (Springbok)
4 Joel Kpoku
5 Ollie Stonham / Callum Hunter-Hill
6 Janco Venter (Namibia) / Mike Rhodes
7 Andy Christie / Ollie Stonham
8 Billy Vunipola (England) / Janco Venter (Namibia)
Eight Internationals over both games.
We can compare these players to the team that play us, although Saracens have a massive squad.
Hopefully Sarrie’s Barbarian players are still banned from playing after the breach of Coronavirus rules in October because of the lack of games recently. “…eight personnel banned for their involvement in the Barbarians' breach of coronavirus protocols in October suffered a setback in their first match since being relegated from the Gallagher Premiership, but amends can be made at Doncaster Knights on Saturday." (skysports.com)
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
