Post by Jamie Crawford on Mar 28, 2022 11:20:28 GMT
Nottingham rugby preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 22, Lady Bay Friday 1st April 2022 7.45pm KO.
We advance towards the final round of the season when Nottingham look to seize the opportunity to end the season with a flourish by taking the scalp of their nearest Championship team. Either Ealing Trailfinders or Doncaster Knights could win the Championship but if Nottingham beat the Knights, any chance is extinguished. It’s all to play for in this final weekend with Doncaster Knights second and Ealing Trailfinders retaking top spot after beating the Cornish Pirates 44-24. The Knights are three points below Trailfinders and two points above the Pirates. Essentially if Ealing beat ninth-placed Richmond as expected, they will win the Championship and be eligible for promotion. It will then be decided by the RFU. The RFU have already stated that Trailfiinders’ and the Knights’ eligibility for promotion does not meet the minimum entry criteria due to each ground not being able to hold at least 10 001 supporters. Both clubs have appealed the decision.
About the opposition
Nottingham Rugby are nicknamed the Archers or the Green and Whites. The Archers in reference to the famous Nottingham folk hero Robin Hood, who was in fact born nearer Doncaster (Loxley, South Yorkshire). They play their home games at lady Bay. Little known is that the late 1980’s Nottingham rugby club fielded some top Internationals. These included Simon Hodgkinson, Rob Andrew, Gary Rees, Dusty Hare and Brian Moore (also a Lion) who represented England and Chris Gray represented Scotland.
The Green and Whites used to play at Meadow Lane (Notts County’s ground) because in 2010 the club signed an agreement to become part of Notts County PLC. They moved to Lady Bay in January 2015. This was due to commercial reasons, an average crowd of just over a thousand or so can’t sustain a ground with a 20,000 capacity. The option to return to Meadow Lane exists if the Green and Whites get promoted to the Premiership.
Recent head to head performances
Historically scores have been very close, with the Knights tending to win most often. I remember a home game (I think in May ’21) when the Knights won but Nottingham returned home with two league points (equivalent to a draw) because they scored four tries and finished within seven points.
In January 2020, the Knights beat Nottingham 16-15, you can’t get closer other than one point! The previous game at Lady Bay chronicled a 15-0 win to Nottingham.
The Knights have recorded nine wins to Nottingham’s four; the teams last played each other on 11th December 2021
Last time out
Nottingham travelled to Jersey to play the fourth-placed Reds on 12th March. They returned home after losing 48-12. Eight tries were conceded to the Reds but the Green and Whites kept ‘fighting’ to the end. The Reds were very pleased with their performance but apparently Nottingham’s set piece didn’t function, so most scrums and lineouts were lost.
Doncaster Knights kept Castle Park a fortress against tough opposition to record their tenth win in ten games with a 22-15 win. It was the archetypal game of two halves, the Knights gained the try-bonus point after dotting down their fourth try just before half time, to go for oranges (as used to happen) 22-5 in the lead. The Pirates reduced the deficit by scoring ten unanswered points. The Knights gave away numerous penalties in their danger zone with five minutes to go, thankfully one of the decisions was reversed after some ‘handbags’ and the Knights regained possession.
Nottingham danger men
It was reported in February ’22 that winger David Williams averages a strike rate of scoring 1 try in every 1.44 games. This strike rate being the highest strike rate to be recorded in a Championship level career. Williams is the Championship’s equal-fourth top try-scorer.
Captain and No. 8 Josh Poullet and back row Nathan Tweedy played for Leicester Tigers against Newcastle Falcons on Friday 18th March.
Team strengths and weaknesses
New Zealand born, ex-Captain Nottingham Director of Rugby, Craig Hammond (Hammo) helped the Green and Whites gain promotion to the Premiership in his first season as a professional in 2010. They beat Exeter Chiefs 20-9. Strong leadership.
After scoring fifteen tries in nineteen games winger David Williams is an outstanding try-scorer.
Sam Hollingsworth has scored 70 points this season.
Verdict
A local Derby inevitably means the form book doesn’t apply. Lesser teams tend to up their performance and the better team aren’t prepared for this standard. In this case the Knights are top and Nottingham are tenth but as mentioned, nothing can be taken for granted. Both teams will play ‘out of their skin’, Nottingham for pride and to scalp their local rivels, the Knights for any chance of winning the Championship and a chance of promotion to the Premiership, however slim this might be. The Knights can’t under-estimate Nottingham.
Other fixtures
Cornish Pirates (3) v Ampthill (8)
Ealing Trailfinders (1) v Richmond (7)
Hartpury BYE
Even if Trailfinders and the Knights lose, the Pirates can’t win the league even if they win with a bonus point. IF that was to happen, the Pirates would be on equal league points as Trailfinders and will have won the same number of games but they have not scored (and can’t score on Saturday) more points than Trailfinders.
The top two race to win the Championship and hope their appeals against not being promoted are successful.
Last December Trailfinders beat Richmond at their Athletic Ground 24-33, so not a walk-over.
If Trailfinders beat Richmond, they have won the Championship. (The most likely scenario.)
If Trailfinders lose to Richmond and the Knights win, the Knights will win the Championship.
If Trailfinders lose but win a bonus point and the Knights have a four-point win, the Knights win the Championship because we will be equal on league points, but we will have won more games.
If Trailfinders draw or gain two points, the Knights need a bonus point win over Nottingham to win the Championship.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 22, Lady Bay Friday 1st April 2022 7.45pm KO.
We advance towards the final round of the season when Nottingham look to seize the opportunity to end the season with a flourish by taking the scalp of their nearest Championship team. Either Ealing Trailfinders or Doncaster Knights could win the Championship but if Nottingham beat the Knights, any chance is extinguished. It’s all to play for in this final weekend with Doncaster Knights second and Ealing Trailfinders retaking top spot after beating the Cornish Pirates 44-24. The Knights are three points below Trailfinders and two points above the Pirates. Essentially if Ealing beat ninth-placed Richmond as expected, they will win the Championship and be eligible for promotion. It will then be decided by the RFU. The RFU have already stated that Trailfiinders’ and the Knights’ eligibility for promotion does not meet the minimum entry criteria due to each ground not being able to hold at least 10 001 supporters. Both clubs have appealed the decision.
About the opposition
Nottingham Rugby are nicknamed the Archers or the Green and Whites. The Archers in reference to the famous Nottingham folk hero Robin Hood, who was in fact born nearer Doncaster (Loxley, South Yorkshire). They play their home games at lady Bay. Little known is that the late 1980’s Nottingham rugby club fielded some top Internationals. These included Simon Hodgkinson, Rob Andrew, Gary Rees, Dusty Hare and Brian Moore (also a Lion) who represented England and Chris Gray represented Scotland.
The Green and Whites used to play at Meadow Lane (Notts County’s ground) because in 2010 the club signed an agreement to become part of Notts County PLC. They moved to Lady Bay in January 2015. This was due to commercial reasons, an average crowd of just over a thousand or so can’t sustain a ground with a 20,000 capacity. The option to return to Meadow Lane exists if the Green and Whites get promoted to the Premiership.
Recent head to head performances
Historically scores have been very close, with the Knights tending to win most often. I remember a home game (I think in May ’21) when the Knights won but Nottingham returned home with two league points (equivalent to a draw) because they scored four tries and finished within seven points.
In January 2020, the Knights beat Nottingham 16-15, you can’t get closer other than one point! The previous game at Lady Bay chronicled a 15-0 win to Nottingham.
The Knights have recorded nine wins to Nottingham’s four; the teams last played each other on 11th December 2021
Last time out
Nottingham travelled to Jersey to play the fourth-placed Reds on 12th March. They returned home after losing 48-12. Eight tries were conceded to the Reds but the Green and Whites kept ‘fighting’ to the end. The Reds were very pleased with their performance but apparently Nottingham’s set piece didn’t function, so most scrums and lineouts were lost.
Doncaster Knights kept Castle Park a fortress against tough opposition to record their tenth win in ten games with a 22-15 win. It was the archetypal game of two halves, the Knights gained the try-bonus point after dotting down their fourth try just before half time, to go for oranges (as used to happen) 22-5 in the lead. The Pirates reduced the deficit by scoring ten unanswered points. The Knights gave away numerous penalties in their danger zone with five minutes to go, thankfully one of the decisions was reversed after some ‘handbags’ and the Knights regained possession.
Nottingham danger men
It was reported in February ’22 that winger David Williams averages a strike rate of scoring 1 try in every 1.44 games. This strike rate being the highest strike rate to be recorded in a Championship level career. Williams is the Championship’s equal-fourth top try-scorer.
Captain and No. 8 Josh Poullet and back row Nathan Tweedy played for Leicester Tigers against Newcastle Falcons on Friday 18th March.
Team strengths and weaknesses
New Zealand born, ex-Captain Nottingham Director of Rugby, Craig Hammond (Hammo) helped the Green and Whites gain promotion to the Premiership in his first season as a professional in 2010. They beat Exeter Chiefs 20-9. Strong leadership.
After scoring fifteen tries in nineteen games winger David Williams is an outstanding try-scorer.
Sam Hollingsworth has scored 70 points this season.
Verdict
A local Derby inevitably means the form book doesn’t apply. Lesser teams tend to up their performance and the better team aren’t prepared for this standard. In this case the Knights are top and Nottingham are tenth but as mentioned, nothing can be taken for granted. Both teams will play ‘out of their skin’, Nottingham for pride and to scalp their local rivels, the Knights for any chance of winning the Championship and a chance of promotion to the Premiership, however slim this might be. The Knights can’t under-estimate Nottingham.
Other fixtures
Cornish Pirates (3) v Ampthill (8)
Ealing Trailfinders (1) v Richmond (7)
Hartpury BYE
Even if Trailfinders and the Knights lose, the Pirates can’t win the league even if they win with a bonus point. IF that was to happen, the Pirates would be on equal league points as Trailfinders and will have won the same number of games but they have not scored (and can’t score on Saturday) more points than Trailfinders.
The top two race to win the Championship and hope their appeals against not being promoted are successful.
Last December Trailfinders beat Richmond at their Athletic Ground 24-33, so not a walk-over.
If Trailfinders beat Richmond, they have won the Championship. (The most likely scenario.)
If Trailfinders lose to Richmond and the Knights win, the Knights will win the Championship.
If Trailfinders lose but win a bonus point and the Knights have a four-point win, the Knights win the Championship because we will be equal on league points, but we will have won more games.
If Trailfinders draw or gain two points, the Knights need a bonus point win over Nottingham to win the Championship.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
