Post by Jamie Crawford on Aug 15, 2022 8:10:02 GMT
This season sees the return of a twelve-team Championship after Caldy were promoted from National One and Ealing Trailfinders, the Championship winners failed to reach the Premiership minimum entry criteria, set by the Rugby Football Union (RFU). Specifically, their home ground, Trailfinders Sports Ground must be able to accommodate 10 001 supporters and it can currently accommodate approximately 5,000 with 2,115 seats. Bill Sweeney RFU Chief Executive has indicated that minimum entry numbers will be reduced to 5,000 in line with Premier League football’s entry requirements. in time for the 2023-24 season.
Doncaster Knights’ Castle Park currently has a capacity of 5,183 with 1,926 seats, so arguably both the Knights and Trailfinders would meet the minimum entry criteria at the end of this season. Obviously, that will depend on how approximate Ealing’s “approximately 5, 000 spectators” is. The RFU want the Gallagher Premiership to return to 14 teams from 13 this season. There will be no relegation again so that clubs can rebuild after the unprecedented financial pressures of Covid. However, whilst the entry criteria are so unachievable for Championship teams it looked destined to remain 13 teams as currently no Championship ground could accommodate 10, 000 supporters; so something had to be done.
Championship devotees would argue that one or more of England’s foremost rugby clubs have temporary stands, temporary toilets and generally a lack of facilities. Fortunately for them, they don’t need to meet entry criteria. Sweeney reiterated that the Premiership will not be ringfenced and promotion is a definite possibility in 2023, with the reduced supporter minimum standard. There will be a return of bottom team in Premiership plays-off against Championship winners to decide a possible promotion/relegation. The Knights are not relying on this and have plans and planning permission to build new stands to increase capacity to 10 015. This could be the season that sees Doncaster Knights become a Premiership team, so we should all support the boys and be the sixteenth player. It would be fantastic for the new city of Doncaster to have a Premiership rugby team.
Caldy RFC are new entrants to the Championship after being promoted from National One division. Caldy beat Sale FC 13-9 at Paton Field in their penultimate game to clinch the National League One title and secure promotion to The Championship for the 2022/23 season.
(For Knights supporters only) The Wirral-based club amassed 111 points from 28 matches to come out on top of a closely fought title race, with Sale FC, Rosslyn Park and Cambridge, being the chasing pack. Incidentally the last team relegated from the Championship, the renamed Leeds Tykes finished 13th.
The Knights have already got better potential for a great start to their season compared to last season; the majority have re-signed, 21 from 35 of last season’s squad (60%). Unfortunately, eleven players have departed for pastures (or pitches) new and prop Gaz Denman has retired from top-flight, fully professional rugby. Two players were on loan and have returned to their clubs. So far there are8 9 new players to don the Knights shirt this season, these are (as announced):
1. Karl Garside - Tighthead Prop from Northampton Saints.
2. Jared Cardew - Back Row from Richmond.
3. Will Varnell - Scrum Half from Exeter University Rugby plus he played in the Premiership, twice for Exeter Chiefs and twice for Leicester Tigers.
4. George Simpson – Back Three (Full Back/Wing) from Hartpury after a season-long loan from Ealing Trailfinders in 2019/20.
5. Robbie Smith – Centre from Hartpury.
6. Ehize Ehizode – Lock from London Scottish (ex-Bristol Bears).
7. Mak Wilson – Tighthead Prop from Harlequins.
8. Sam Daly – Back Row from Watsonians (Scottish Super6 league)
9. Maurice Nwakor - Loosehead Prop from London Scottish. (added 16th Aug)
At a Meet the New Players evening the club announced that more players are due to be signed to cover injury, increase competition for places, keep the team fresh and increase options for attack and defence as each player will have different strengths. Bodes (Doncaster Director of Rugby Steve Boden) mentioned the need for more Locks (2nd Row)
Bodes has kept to his plan of recruiting young, eager players that have demonstrated great promise. They show perception and awareness, great team spirit plus prowess in both defence and attack. Bodes has talent-spotted and chosen candidates that may have previously been undervalued and so a move to the Knights is a positive move for their rugby careers, as Bodes intends to progress the players to a higher level. Bodes considers team dynamics and only signs players that are ‘good blokes’ and will fit into the team environment seamlessly. Finally he mentioned that he tries to ensure that playing rugby for the Knights is good fun, a win:win for player and club.
Last season Doncaster Knights had a covid-messed up pre-season with just one pre-season game being played. They lost a third of their first nine games. The Knights went on to win their remaining eleven Championship games, so the initial pre-season losses might have cost them the Championship league title. The other major factor was the few bonus points that were won.
All supporters are looking forward to a far superior start to the season. Most players have already played together and are used to that winning feeling, giving the Knights a positive mental attitude that can’t be bought or trained, it can only be earned and won.
Doncaster Knights’ Castle Park currently has a capacity of 5,183 with 1,926 seats, so arguably both the Knights and Trailfinders would meet the minimum entry criteria at the end of this season. Obviously, that will depend on how approximate Ealing’s “approximately 5, 000 spectators” is. The RFU want the Gallagher Premiership to return to 14 teams from 13 this season. There will be no relegation again so that clubs can rebuild after the unprecedented financial pressures of Covid. However, whilst the entry criteria are so unachievable for Championship teams it looked destined to remain 13 teams as currently no Championship ground could accommodate 10, 000 supporters; so something had to be done.
Championship devotees would argue that one or more of England’s foremost rugby clubs have temporary stands, temporary toilets and generally a lack of facilities. Fortunately for them, they don’t need to meet entry criteria. Sweeney reiterated that the Premiership will not be ringfenced and promotion is a definite possibility in 2023, with the reduced supporter minimum standard. There will be a return of bottom team in Premiership plays-off against Championship winners to decide a possible promotion/relegation. The Knights are not relying on this and have plans and planning permission to build new stands to increase capacity to 10 015. This could be the season that sees Doncaster Knights become a Premiership team, so we should all support the boys and be the sixteenth player. It would be fantastic for the new city of Doncaster to have a Premiership rugby team.
Caldy RFC are new entrants to the Championship after being promoted from National One division. Caldy beat Sale FC 13-9 at Paton Field in their penultimate game to clinch the National League One title and secure promotion to The Championship for the 2022/23 season.
(For Knights supporters only) The Wirral-based club amassed 111 points from 28 matches to come out on top of a closely fought title race, with Sale FC, Rosslyn Park and Cambridge, being the chasing pack. Incidentally the last team relegated from the Championship, the renamed Leeds Tykes finished 13th.
The Knights have already got better potential for a great start to their season compared to last season; the majority have re-signed, 21 from 35 of last season’s squad (60%). Unfortunately, eleven players have departed for pastures (or pitches) new and prop Gaz Denman has retired from top-flight, fully professional rugby. Two players were on loan and have returned to their clubs. So far there are
1. Karl Garside - Tighthead Prop from Northampton Saints.
2. Jared Cardew - Back Row from Richmond.
3. Will Varnell - Scrum Half from Exeter University Rugby plus he played in the Premiership, twice for Exeter Chiefs and twice for Leicester Tigers.
4. George Simpson – Back Three (Full Back/Wing) from Hartpury after a season-long loan from Ealing Trailfinders in 2019/20.
5. Robbie Smith – Centre from Hartpury.
6. Ehize Ehizode – Lock from London Scottish (ex-Bristol Bears).
7. Mak Wilson – Tighthead Prop from Harlequins.
8. Sam Daly – Back Row from Watsonians (Scottish Super6 league)
9. Maurice Nwakor - Loosehead Prop from London Scottish. (added 16th Aug)
At a Meet the New Players evening the club announced that more players are due to be signed to cover injury, increase competition for places, keep the team fresh and increase options for attack and defence as each player will have different strengths. Bodes (Doncaster Director of Rugby Steve Boden) mentioned the need for more Locks (2nd Row)
Bodes has kept to his plan of recruiting young, eager players that have demonstrated great promise. They show perception and awareness, great team spirit plus prowess in both defence and attack. Bodes has talent-spotted and chosen candidates that may have previously been undervalued and so a move to the Knights is a positive move for their rugby careers, as Bodes intends to progress the players to a higher level. Bodes considers team dynamics and only signs players that are ‘good blokes’ and will fit into the team environment seamlessly. Finally he mentioned that he tries to ensure that playing rugby for the Knights is good fun, a win:win for player and club.
Last season Doncaster Knights had a covid-messed up pre-season with just one pre-season game being played. They lost a third of their first nine games. The Knights went on to win their remaining eleven Championship games, so the initial pre-season losses might have cost them the Championship league title. The other major factor was the few bonus points that were won.
All supporters are looking forward to a far superior start to the season. Most players have already played together and are used to that winning feeling, giving the Knights a positive mental attitude that can’t be bought or trained, it can only be earned and won.
