Post by Jamie Crawford on Oct 24, 2022 9:09:05 GMT
Ampthill Rugby preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round seven, 29th October 2.30pm Castle Park
Doncaster Knights welcome Ampthill to Castle Park for a game where sixth plays seventh. Both teams have scored a remarkably similar number of points and an equal number of tries this season.
Ampthill RUFC
Known as the A’s, they have played in the Championship since the 2019/20 season. Their Dillingham Park home ground is an old-fashioned style club with a seemingly endless trek through the woods to get to their pitch from their clubhouse.
New Signings
Ampthill fields a different set of Forwards this season as they have a new Front Row and three new Back Row signings.
• Matt Gallagher Hooker from Sedgley Park Tigers.
• Syd Blackmore Wales International Hooker from Cornish Pirates.
• Joe Sprotson, Prop is an ex-Ampthill Prop that joined Doncaster Knights in 2015, he left five years later for French side Beziers. Sprotson returned to very familiar surroundings at Ampthill this season and so gelling with his teammates is facilitated.
• Jake Elwood Prop from London Scottish.
• Dom Hardman Prop is a Yorkshireman who spent a few seasons with Western Force in Super Rugby in Australia.
• Griff Phillipson Prop from Loughborough University.
• Caleb Montgomery was a Worcester Warriors Back Row player who was on loan to the Cornish Pirates.
• Harry Wilson is a more recent Back Row Ampthill player to leave and return. Wilson joined London Scottish for a season before returning.
• No 8. Morgan Strong joined from Ospreys, a Welsh regional team.
In September Steve Boden said that Ampthill had recruited well and I bow down to his superior knowledge.
Recent head to head performances
29/01/22 Doncaster 19-13 Ampthill
10/10/21 Ampthill 18-20 Doncaster
07/03/21 Ampthill 17-19 Doncaster
25/01/20 Ampthill 30-26 Doncaster
The Knights have won each encounter, which makes them sound the much better team, however if you note the scores, the Knights only won by four, two, two and six points in chronological order. Added together these total 14 points over four games, not a significant margin.
Last time out
Ampthill welcomed Caldy to their Dillingham Park home ground and won 26-24, both teams won a try-bonus point (BP) and Caldy a losing BP also. Ampthill converted three of their tries to Caldy’s two. Ampthill tries were scored by Winger Conor Rankin, Winger Ben Cambriani, Full Back Thomas Bacon and Fly Half Gwyn Parks.
The Knights flew to Jersey to play the Reds at their Stade Santander International and returned unlucky 19-17 losers. At least a losing BP was earned by finishing within seven points of the winner and big-spending Jersey Reds remain unbeaten this season.
Ampthill danger men
After scoring eight tries over six games winger Ben Cambriani is the equal top try-scorer in the Championship. These eight tries also record Cambriani as the Championship’s seventh highest points-scorer – a try-scoring machine to look out for.
Team strengths and weaknesses
Ampthill seem to be unlucky with their results, scoring and conceding points ‘at the wrong time’. By that I mean that they have a positive points scored/conceded difference of 20 but Coventry in fifth place have a negative points difference of -34, so a difference of 54 points between them over six games. That said, Ampthill have scored 11 more points and conceded 13 fewer than Cov, yet they are seven points or two places below them! Ampthill have scored five bonus points (equal second highest) in the process, this indicates close games that they have narrowly lost.
Ampthill were only beaten by fifteen points by the top two teams and only lost by two points on two other occasions, they have had some unfortunate results and shouldn’t be underestimated.
Ampthill have conceded the fewest points away in the Championship (41), two fewer than Ealing Trailfinders’ 43. Equal with the Knights, Ampthill have scored three try bonus points (BPs).
A weakness is that Ampthill have scored the fewest away points in the Championship and they have the reputation for being the worst travellers after six games.
The rest of the Championship this Saturday
Caldy (10) v Coventry (5)
Cornish Pirates (8) v London Scottish (12)
Doncaster Knights (6) v Ampthill (7)
Ealing Trailfinders (1) v Nottingham (3)
Hartpury University (9) v Jersey Reds (2)
Richmond (11) v Bedford Blues (4)
The Knights are sixth a win could propel them to fourth if Richmond and Caldy win. A loss could lower them to ninth if the Pirates win and Hartpury win with a BP. If we lose but score a BP, only the Pirates could overtake us but they would need to score a BP.
In both attack and defence of the try line both teams are virtually equal. Both have scored 25 tries during this campaign but the Knights have conceded 19 tries to Ampthill’s 20.
Just 14 points scored distinguish the Knights from Ampthill and the Knights have conceded three points fewer (137 compared to 140).
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round seven, 29th October 2.30pm Castle Park
Doncaster Knights welcome Ampthill to Castle Park for a game where sixth plays seventh. Both teams have scored a remarkably similar number of points and an equal number of tries this season.
Ampthill RUFC
Known as the A’s, they have played in the Championship since the 2019/20 season. Their Dillingham Park home ground is an old-fashioned style club with a seemingly endless trek through the woods to get to their pitch from their clubhouse.
New Signings
Ampthill fields a different set of Forwards this season as they have a new Front Row and three new Back Row signings.
• Matt Gallagher Hooker from Sedgley Park Tigers.
• Syd Blackmore Wales International Hooker from Cornish Pirates.
• Joe Sprotson, Prop is an ex-Ampthill Prop that joined Doncaster Knights in 2015, he left five years later for French side Beziers. Sprotson returned to very familiar surroundings at Ampthill this season and so gelling with his teammates is facilitated.
• Jake Elwood Prop from London Scottish.
• Dom Hardman Prop is a Yorkshireman who spent a few seasons with Western Force in Super Rugby in Australia.
• Griff Phillipson Prop from Loughborough University.
• Caleb Montgomery was a Worcester Warriors Back Row player who was on loan to the Cornish Pirates.
• Harry Wilson is a more recent Back Row Ampthill player to leave and return. Wilson joined London Scottish for a season before returning.
• No 8. Morgan Strong joined from Ospreys, a Welsh regional team.
In September Steve Boden said that Ampthill had recruited well and I bow down to his superior knowledge.
Recent head to head performances
29/01/22 Doncaster 19-13 Ampthill
10/10/21 Ampthill 18-20 Doncaster
07/03/21 Ampthill 17-19 Doncaster
25/01/20 Ampthill 30-26 Doncaster
The Knights have won each encounter, which makes them sound the much better team, however if you note the scores, the Knights only won by four, two, two and six points in chronological order. Added together these total 14 points over four games, not a significant margin.
Last time out
Ampthill welcomed Caldy to their Dillingham Park home ground and won 26-24, both teams won a try-bonus point (BP) and Caldy a losing BP also. Ampthill converted three of their tries to Caldy’s two. Ampthill tries were scored by Winger Conor Rankin, Winger Ben Cambriani, Full Back Thomas Bacon and Fly Half Gwyn Parks.
The Knights flew to Jersey to play the Reds at their Stade Santander International and returned unlucky 19-17 losers. At least a losing BP was earned by finishing within seven points of the winner and big-spending Jersey Reds remain unbeaten this season.
Ampthill danger men
After scoring eight tries over six games winger Ben Cambriani is the equal top try-scorer in the Championship. These eight tries also record Cambriani as the Championship’s seventh highest points-scorer – a try-scoring machine to look out for.
Team strengths and weaknesses
Ampthill seem to be unlucky with their results, scoring and conceding points ‘at the wrong time’. By that I mean that they have a positive points scored/conceded difference of 20 but Coventry in fifth place have a negative points difference of -34, so a difference of 54 points between them over six games. That said, Ampthill have scored 11 more points and conceded 13 fewer than Cov, yet they are seven points or two places below them! Ampthill have scored five bonus points (equal second highest) in the process, this indicates close games that they have narrowly lost.
Ampthill were only beaten by fifteen points by the top two teams and only lost by two points on two other occasions, they have had some unfortunate results and shouldn’t be underestimated.
Ampthill have conceded the fewest points away in the Championship (41), two fewer than Ealing Trailfinders’ 43. Equal with the Knights, Ampthill have scored three try bonus points (BPs).
A weakness is that Ampthill have scored the fewest away points in the Championship and they have the reputation for being the worst travellers after six games.
The rest of the Championship this Saturday
Caldy (10) v Coventry (5)
Cornish Pirates (8) v London Scottish (12)
Doncaster Knights (6) v Ampthill (7)
Ealing Trailfinders (1) v Nottingham (3)
Hartpury University (9) v Jersey Reds (2)
Richmond (11) v Bedford Blues (4)
The Knights are sixth a win could propel them to fourth if Richmond and Caldy win. A loss could lower them to ninth if the Pirates win and Hartpury win with a BP. If we lose but score a BP, only the Pirates could overtake us but they would need to score a BP.
In both attack and defence of the try line both teams are virtually equal. Both have scored 25 tries during this campaign but the Knights have conceded 19 tries to Ampthill’s 20.
Just 14 points scored distinguish the Knights from Ampthill and the Knights have conceded three points fewer (137 compared to 140).
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
