Post by Jamie Crawford on Aug 22, 2022 12:32:42 GMT
Doncaster Knights v Wasps pre-season
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Doncaster Knights first pre-season game at home against the Wasps on Friday 26th August, Castle Park, KO 7.45pm.
Apologies if I’m teaching you how to suck eggs but please remember that this game is a pre-season friendly so both teams will be trying different moves, plays, partnerships, players, positions etc so that they can select the optimal ones when the season starts. Plus, they can develop different styles of play to combat an oppositions style on the day. The winner or loser is irrelevant, the real winner is the team that learns most from the game and has the fewest injuries. That said, it always nice to win!
As an indicator of performance of sorts, Wasps nipped across town to Coventry’s Butts Park Arena last pre-season and beat them 21-52.
The great thing for the Knights playing Premiership opposition is that they will be severely tested and Championship games should be less intense, although it is not always the case because teams raise their game when the result matters. Additionally, Premiership opposition most likely won’t field their strongest team.
A potential negative to playing Premiership opposition is that the tackles will be tougher and the Knights will find it more difficult to tackle a Wasp (no pun) than a Championship player, so there is more potential for injuries.
An annual question for Directors of Rugby (DoR) and coaches is whether to opt for more challenging opposition to severely test the players and risk potential injuries or opt for less challenging opposition when the risk of injury will be less. The generally accepted option is to go for tougher opposition because there is no point not testing the players plus injuries could happen anyway. It often ends up with opportunities and relationships between teams.
Wasps used to be known as London Wasps when they were founded in 1867 in the Hampstead area of London by a group of members who previously had connections with Harlequins – or Hampstead FC as they were then known. Following many home grounds Wasps now call Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on Judds Lane, Longford, Coventry home.
Allegedly Wasps were not one of the founding member teams of the 21-club RFU in 1871, because according to folklore the club’s meeting delegate attended the wrong pub. However, they had become members of the union 12 by March 1872.
The club selected the name Wasps in keeping with the fashion of the Victorian period when it was normal for clubs to adopt the names of insects, birds or animals, there is no obscure reason.
The Black and Gold Army, as they are affectionately known have won 12 major titles. They were European Champions twice, in 2004 and 2007; have won six English Championships including three in a row from 2003–05; and won three Anglo-Welsh Cups. They have also won the 2003 European Rugby Challenge Cup. Wasps most recent trophy is the 2008 Premiership. They remain one of the most successful clubs in the UK.
In Lee Blacket, Wasps have a much-respected DoR, Blacket views last season as a season of two halves, after a good start, ‘the wheels fell off’ as they were struck with many injuries. Different players were brought in that didn’t know the team and had sometimes not even trained with them. Blacket is not happy about their ninth-place finish but is far more optimistic about this season as many academy players have graduated into the first team. He views the greatest success of last season the foundation of their Elite Performance and Innovation Centre in Henley-In-Arden.
Blacket considers that the Wasp maul has become a weapon. Their scrum was starting to move in the right direction but it didn't really work against Sale, which was a bad day at the office after they were beaten 26-18 last January in Salford. He signed Vincent Koch (Springbok Prop) and John Ryan (ex-Irish Prop) to add to their ability at scrum time. Blacket views the hooker as a potential prolific try-scorer from mauls and set pieces.
Captain Joe Launchbury has great experience to bear on any game situation.
These are potential strengths that the Knights need to be wary of.
Wasps have two pre-season friendlies, first the Knights then next up are the Dragons from Rodney Parade in Newport. Their first Gallagher Premiership match is away against Gloucester Rugby.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Doncaster Knights first pre-season game at home against the Wasps on Friday 26th August, Castle Park, KO 7.45pm.
Apologies if I’m teaching you how to suck eggs but please remember that this game is a pre-season friendly so both teams will be trying different moves, plays, partnerships, players, positions etc so that they can select the optimal ones when the season starts. Plus, they can develop different styles of play to combat an oppositions style on the day. The winner or loser is irrelevant, the real winner is the team that learns most from the game and has the fewest injuries. That said, it always nice to win!
As an indicator of performance of sorts, Wasps nipped across town to Coventry’s Butts Park Arena last pre-season and beat them 21-52.
The great thing for the Knights playing Premiership opposition is that they will be severely tested and Championship games should be less intense, although it is not always the case because teams raise their game when the result matters. Additionally, Premiership opposition most likely won’t field their strongest team.
A potential negative to playing Premiership opposition is that the tackles will be tougher and the Knights will find it more difficult to tackle a Wasp (no pun) than a Championship player, so there is more potential for injuries.
An annual question for Directors of Rugby (DoR) and coaches is whether to opt for more challenging opposition to severely test the players and risk potential injuries or opt for less challenging opposition when the risk of injury will be less. The generally accepted option is to go for tougher opposition because there is no point not testing the players plus injuries could happen anyway. It often ends up with opportunities and relationships between teams.
Wasps used to be known as London Wasps when they were founded in 1867 in the Hampstead area of London by a group of members who previously had connections with Harlequins – or Hampstead FC as they were then known. Following many home grounds Wasps now call Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on Judds Lane, Longford, Coventry home.
Allegedly Wasps were not one of the founding member teams of the 21-club RFU in 1871, because according to folklore the club’s meeting delegate attended the wrong pub. However, they had become members of the union 12 by March 1872.
The club selected the name Wasps in keeping with the fashion of the Victorian period when it was normal for clubs to adopt the names of insects, birds or animals, there is no obscure reason.
The Black and Gold Army, as they are affectionately known have won 12 major titles. They were European Champions twice, in 2004 and 2007; have won six English Championships including three in a row from 2003–05; and won three Anglo-Welsh Cups. They have also won the 2003 European Rugby Challenge Cup. Wasps most recent trophy is the 2008 Premiership. They remain one of the most successful clubs in the UK.
In Lee Blacket, Wasps have a much-respected DoR, Blacket views last season as a season of two halves, after a good start, ‘the wheels fell off’ as they were struck with many injuries. Different players were brought in that didn’t know the team and had sometimes not even trained with them. Blacket is not happy about their ninth-place finish but is far more optimistic about this season as many academy players have graduated into the first team. He views the greatest success of last season the foundation of their Elite Performance and Innovation Centre in Henley-In-Arden.
Blacket considers that the Wasp maul has become a weapon. Their scrum was starting to move in the right direction but it didn't really work against Sale, which was a bad day at the office after they were beaten 26-18 last January in Salford. He signed Vincent Koch (Springbok Prop) and John Ryan (ex-Irish Prop) to add to their ability at scrum time. Blacket views the hooker as a potential prolific try-scorer from mauls and set pieces.
Captain Joe Launchbury has great experience to bear on any game situation.
These are potential strengths that the Knights need to be wary of.
Wasps have two pre-season friendlies, first the Knights then next up are the Dragons from Rodney Parade in Newport. Their first Gallagher Premiership match is away against Gloucester Rugby.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
