Post by Jamie Crawford on Nov 22, 2021 15:45:19 GMT
Ealing Trailfinders preview
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Round 9, Castle Park 27th November, KO 2:30 pm
Ealing Trailfinders RFC
Ealing Football Club (Rugby Union) played its first match in 1869 on Ealing Common, prior to the founding of the RFU in 1871. The early years saw regular fixtures against the likes of Wasps, London Irish, Harlequins, Richmond and Blackheath. London leagues followed as the club moved locations before entering National Division 3 South in 2007–08. They are now top of the Championship, finished top last season but lost the play-offs to Saracens, finished second in 2019/20, second in 2018/19, second in 2017/18 and third in 2016/17. So, Trailfinders have nearly gained promotion for the last five seasons.
Trailfinders Sports Ground on Vallis Way, Ealing is also home to the only professional rugby league club in the south of England, London Broncos.
In 2018 Ben Ward (Director of Rugby) announced their intention to play in the Premiership.
Sheffield born, ex-SAS Trailfinder Club founder and owner Mike Gooley was awarded a knighthood in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours List. Gooley founded Trailfinders in 1970 and has invested an estimated 20 million (as of January 2021, http://www.therugbyjournal.com) into the club from his highly successful Trailfinders travel business.
The Rugby Football Union last season ruled that Trailfinders could not be promoted to the Premiership if they beat Saracens because they could not provide evidence that the ground met entry criteria. I assume that evidence can be provided a year later.
Recent head to head performances
Last season in January 2021 after covid delayed competitive action, the Knights lost 26-46 at Castle Park in the Trailfinders Cup. We lost again 40-20 a month later in Ealing, then in the Championship you must go back to 2018 to see a Knights win:
22/05/21 away loss 38-15.
16/11/21 home loss 9-24
09.02/19 away loss 33-24
22/09/18 away loss 22-38
07-Apr-2018 home win 50-19
Last time out…
Last week Trailfinders welcomed Jersey Red to Vallis Way and won 35-29 in a tough encounter. Trailfinders’ first try was after they broke Jersey’s line, then scrum half Craig Hampson passed to fly half fly half Steven Shingler for him to break tackles and score. Their second was after Shingler spotted space, kicked through and full back Luke Daniels picked the ball up and raced along the wing to score after Jersey knocked the ball on.
Jersey managed to breach the Trailfinders defensive line to score three tries in the first half to lead 14-15. Trailfinders’ hooker Shaun Malton was at the back of the rolling maul following a lineout catch and drive. Back row Simon Uzokwe read the Jersey attack intercepting the ball at the half-way line, then raced ahead to dot down. Finally with ten minutes left on the clock, Trailfinders’ Hampson tapped a quick penalty to himself, darted inside to score what would prove to be the decisive try.
Man of the match was Uzokwe.
Doncaster Knights managed to record a hard-fought 15-20 away win against Hartpury.
Trailfinders' danger men
Winger Charles Walker is the joint highest try-scorer in the Championship with seven tries from seven games, hooker Eoghan Clarke and hooker Jan-Henning Campher are all equal third after scoring six tries each. Craig Hampson, back row Rayn Smid and scrum half Jordi Burns have all scored five tries apiece. Shaun Malton is just a try behind after scoring four tries.
Steven Shingler now tops the Championship in the number of points scorers.
Essentially Trailfinders can score from any position, but the Knights must be particularly wary of tries being scored by hookers, the scrum half or the back row rolling off the set piece or the ball being shipped out wide to flying Walker. Again, the penalty count must be kept to a minimum.
Team strengths and weaknesses
Throughout the season Ealing have scored more tries than any other team and try-scoring has been fairly even across forwards and backs. Obviously the wingers have scored the most individual tries but collectively both the front row and the back row have scored more tries. Both the Cornish Pirates and Jersey had conceded fewer tries than Trailfinders. Tries had predominantly been scored by wingers and then by the front row. Unfortunately Stabunker is not up-to-date, so accurate numbers are not available, we can only gain a tendency.
Saturday’s game
Ealing Trailfinders top the Championship table after only losing one game so far, 15-12 against next week’s opponents, Cornish Pirates. The Knights are fourth after losing two games, however Ealing have scored a bonus point in each of their seven games played and the Knights must rue missed opportunities because they have only scored two bonus points. Third-placed Jersey Reds drew a game that the Knights won but they have also scored seven bonus points and so are three league points above the Knights. The Knights must try to score four or more tries when they win or be within seven points IF they lose but let’s not consider losing! ‘Defence wins games’; Doncaster Knights have the best home defence in the Championship so far this season after conceding 36 points, however
Trailfinders have the strongest attack, scoring a massive 268 points.
The rest of the Championship
Ampthill (7) welcome Hartpury (8)
London Scottish (11) host Coventry (9)
Jersey Reds (3) play Cornish Pirates (2)
Bedford Blues (6) welcome Nottingham (10)
Richmond (5) BYE
A Knights win could see them move up to third IF the Pirates beat the Reds, a loss could see the Knights drop to seventh depending on if Bedford and Ampthill win with a bonus point.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
Sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 9, Castle Park 27th November, KO 2:30 pm
Ealing Trailfinders RFC
Ealing Football Club (Rugby Union) played its first match in 1869 on Ealing Common, prior to the founding of the RFU in 1871. The early years saw regular fixtures against the likes of Wasps, London Irish, Harlequins, Richmond and Blackheath. London leagues followed as the club moved locations before entering National Division 3 South in 2007–08. They are now top of the Championship, finished top last season but lost the play-offs to Saracens, finished second in 2019/20, second in 2018/19, second in 2017/18 and third in 2016/17. So, Trailfinders have nearly gained promotion for the last five seasons.
Trailfinders Sports Ground on Vallis Way, Ealing is also home to the only professional rugby league club in the south of England, London Broncos.
In 2018 Ben Ward (Director of Rugby) announced their intention to play in the Premiership.
Sheffield born, ex-SAS Trailfinder Club founder and owner Mike Gooley was awarded a knighthood in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours List. Gooley founded Trailfinders in 1970 and has invested an estimated 20 million (as of January 2021, http://www.therugbyjournal.com) into the club from his highly successful Trailfinders travel business.
The Rugby Football Union last season ruled that Trailfinders could not be promoted to the Premiership if they beat Saracens because they could not provide evidence that the ground met entry criteria. I assume that evidence can be provided a year later.
Recent head to head performances
Last season in January 2021 after covid delayed competitive action, the Knights lost 26-46 at Castle Park in the Trailfinders Cup. We lost again 40-20 a month later in Ealing, then in the Championship you must go back to 2018 to see a Knights win:
22/05/21 away loss 38-15.
16/11/21 home loss 9-24
09.02/19 away loss 33-24
22/09/18 away loss 22-38
07-Apr-2018 home win 50-19
Last time out…
Last week Trailfinders welcomed Jersey Red to Vallis Way and won 35-29 in a tough encounter. Trailfinders’ first try was after they broke Jersey’s line, then scrum half Craig Hampson passed to fly half fly half Steven Shingler for him to break tackles and score. Their second was after Shingler spotted space, kicked through and full back Luke Daniels picked the ball up and raced along the wing to score after Jersey knocked the ball on.
Jersey managed to breach the Trailfinders defensive line to score three tries in the first half to lead 14-15. Trailfinders’ hooker Shaun Malton was at the back of the rolling maul following a lineout catch and drive. Back row Simon Uzokwe read the Jersey attack intercepting the ball at the half-way line, then raced ahead to dot down. Finally with ten minutes left on the clock, Trailfinders’ Hampson tapped a quick penalty to himself, darted inside to score what would prove to be the decisive try.
Man of the match was Uzokwe.
Doncaster Knights managed to record a hard-fought 15-20 away win against Hartpury.
Trailfinders' danger men
Winger Charles Walker is the joint highest try-scorer in the Championship with seven tries from seven games, hooker Eoghan Clarke and hooker Jan-Henning Campher are all equal third after scoring six tries each. Craig Hampson, back row Rayn Smid and scrum half Jordi Burns have all scored five tries apiece. Shaun Malton is just a try behind after scoring four tries.
Steven Shingler now tops the Championship in the number of points scorers.
Essentially Trailfinders can score from any position, but the Knights must be particularly wary of tries being scored by hookers, the scrum half or the back row rolling off the set piece or the ball being shipped out wide to flying Walker. Again, the penalty count must be kept to a minimum.
Team strengths and weaknesses
Throughout the season Ealing have scored more tries than any other team and try-scoring has been fairly even across forwards and backs. Obviously the wingers have scored the most individual tries but collectively both the front row and the back row have scored more tries. Both the Cornish Pirates and Jersey had conceded fewer tries than Trailfinders. Tries had predominantly been scored by wingers and then by the front row. Unfortunately Stabunker is not up-to-date, so accurate numbers are not available, we can only gain a tendency.
Saturday’s game
Ealing Trailfinders top the Championship table after only losing one game so far, 15-12 against next week’s opponents, Cornish Pirates. The Knights are fourth after losing two games, however Ealing have scored a bonus point in each of their seven games played and the Knights must rue missed opportunities because they have only scored two bonus points. Third-placed Jersey Reds drew a game that the Knights won but they have also scored seven bonus points and so are three league points above the Knights. The Knights must try to score four or more tries when they win or be within seven points IF they lose but let’s not consider losing! ‘Defence wins games’; Doncaster Knights have the best home defence in the Championship so far this season after conceding 36 points, however
Trailfinders have the strongest attack, scoring a massive 268 points.
The rest of the Championship
Ampthill (7) welcome Hartpury (8)
London Scottish (11) host Coventry (9)
Jersey Reds (3) play Cornish Pirates (2)
Bedford Blues (6) welcome Nottingham (10)
Richmond (5) BYE
A Knights win could see them move up to third IF the Pirates beat the Reds, a loss could see the Knights drop to seventh depending on if Bedford and Ampthill win with a bonus point.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
