Post by Jamie Crawford on May 25, 2021 13:01:16 GMT
Nottingham rugby preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 10, Caste Park, Sat 29th May - 4:30pm
Our last game of this unusual, truncated season sees the Knights gratefully welcoming some supporters to Castle Park when they welcome a resurgent Nottingham coming hot off the back of two wins after losing their first seven games.
This will be Nottingham’s first visit to Castle Park since early January last year when Sam Olver’s last minute conversion of a Howard Packman try secured a 16-15 victory for the Knights.
On paper we should win because we are playing a team that is five places below us and have a point’s difference of 176 less than the Knights. However, it’s a local derby for both teams now that Rotherham Titans have been relegated, so all bookie’s odds are off. The Green and Whites will want to scalp a well-performing Knights to end their season on a high and avenge last season’s last minute single point defeat.
Last Sunday Nottingham welcomed Bedford Blues to Lady Bay whilst we travelled down to Trailfinders Sports Club in Ealing the day before. That was Trailfinders last game because they have played ten games and are the last team to have a BYE weekend. This weekend is the other Championship team’s last game. Trailfinder’s demonstrated their quality in their 38-15 victory at Vallis Way. The Knights played well above their cost compared to the high-spending Trailfinders and had them worried early in the game. Remember that they are used to scoring over 50 points when they win.
The weekend that we had our BYE, Nottingham had their first win, when they beat Richmond at their Athletic Ground (RAG) 17-34. That win took Nottingham to tenth with Richmond below them in eleventh. The win obviously boosted their confidence because they beat Bedford Blues 22-20 last Sunday at Lady Bay to rise to eighth in the Championship league table, leapfrogging Hartpury and the Blues. The game was 7-0 at half time and then the scores seesawed between the teams. What a finish to the game because Nottingham were winning 19-17 after 80 minutes but then the Blues scored a penalty after 81 minutes to make it 19-20 after 81 minutes. It later became 22-20 after 87 minutes when Nottingham slotted their own exceedingly difficult penalty in the very windy conditions. The commentators were questioning if they should have gone for the lineout with the strong wing but then Scrum Half Alex Dolly kicked between the uprights to rapturous applause in their last home game plus some supporters were allowed. It was also Nottingham Head Coach Neil Fowkes’ last home game because he joins our own Bomber Hislop going to Wasps next season. Apart from Dolly, other notable Nottingham players in my opinion were Centre Charlie Thacker for making breaks, Hooker Jake Farnworth for darting runs off the back of the set piece plus spotting interceptions (he scored a brace of tries) and both No. 8 Josh Poullet with Flanker Willie Ryan for their strength and agility in breaking tackles (Poullet was another try-scorer).
A revived Nottingham will start the last game of this unusual, condensed campaign brimming with confidence after going the season without a win but then winning their last two games.
An ex-Knight that moved to Nottingham was Curtis Wilson and he will personally want to cross the whitewash to dot down (like he almost did last Sunday.)
As our website said, the Knights are looking to secure third place and make a winning finish to an excellent season with Matt Challinor, Ben Hunter and several other fantastic servants of the club playing their final game for the club.
Elsewhere in the Championship
Jersey Reds (7) are now allowed to welcome away teams, they welcome Cornish Pirates (4th, 1 point below us).
We will stay third if we win but if we draw or lose AND the Pirates win, we will drop to finish the season fourth regardless of permutations.
We are nine points below second-placed Sarries and six points above fifth-placed Coventry, so both teams are out of reach.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 10, Caste Park, Sat 29th May - 4:30pm
Our last game of this unusual, truncated season sees the Knights gratefully welcoming some supporters to Castle Park when they welcome a resurgent Nottingham coming hot off the back of two wins after losing their first seven games.
This will be Nottingham’s first visit to Castle Park since early January last year when Sam Olver’s last minute conversion of a Howard Packman try secured a 16-15 victory for the Knights.
On paper we should win because we are playing a team that is five places below us and have a point’s difference of 176 less than the Knights. However, it’s a local derby for both teams now that Rotherham Titans have been relegated, so all bookie’s odds are off. The Green and Whites will want to scalp a well-performing Knights to end their season on a high and avenge last season’s last minute single point defeat.
Last Sunday Nottingham welcomed Bedford Blues to Lady Bay whilst we travelled down to Trailfinders Sports Club in Ealing the day before. That was Trailfinders last game because they have played ten games and are the last team to have a BYE weekend. This weekend is the other Championship team’s last game. Trailfinder’s demonstrated their quality in their 38-15 victory at Vallis Way. The Knights played well above their cost compared to the high-spending Trailfinders and had them worried early in the game. Remember that they are used to scoring over 50 points when they win.
The weekend that we had our BYE, Nottingham had their first win, when they beat Richmond at their Athletic Ground (RAG) 17-34. That win took Nottingham to tenth with Richmond below them in eleventh. The win obviously boosted their confidence because they beat Bedford Blues 22-20 last Sunday at Lady Bay to rise to eighth in the Championship league table, leapfrogging Hartpury and the Blues. The game was 7-0 at half time and then the scores seesawed between the teams. What a finish to the game because Nottingham were winning 19-17 after 80 minutes but then the Blues scored a penalty after 81 minutes to make it 19-20 after 81 minutes. It later became 22-20 after 87 minutes when Nottingham slotted their own exceedingly difficult penalty in the very windy conditions. The commentators were questioning if they should have gone for the lineout with the strong wing but then Scrum Half Alex Dolly kicked between the uprights to rapturous applause in their last home game plus some supporters were allowed. It was also Nottingham Head Coach Neil Fowkes’ last home game because he joins our own Bomber Hislop going to Wasps next season. Apart from Dolly, other notable Nottingham players in my opinion were Centre Charlie Thacker for making breaks, Hooker Jake Farnworth for darting runs off the back of the set piece plus spotting interceptions (he scored a brace of tries) and both No. 8 Josh Poullet with Flanker Willie Ryan for their strength and agility in breaking tackles (Poullet was another try-scorer).
A revived Nottingham will start the last game of this unusual, condensed campaign brimming with confidence after going the season without a win but then winning their last two games.
An ex-Knight that moved to Nottingham was Curtis Wilson and he will personally want to cross the whitewash to dot down (like he almost did last Sunday.)
As our website said, the Knights are looking to secure third place and make a winning finish to an excellent season with Matt Challinor, Ben Hunter and several other fantastic servants of the club playing their final game for the club.
Elsewhere in the Championship
Jersey Reds (7) are now allowed to welcome away teams, they welcome Cornish Pirates (4th, 1 point below us).
We will stay third if we win but if we draw or lose AND the Pirates win, we will drop to finish the season fourth regardless of permutations.
We are nine points below second-placed Sarries and six points above fifth-placed Coventry, so both teams are out of reach.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
)