Post by Jamie Crawford on Apr 4, 2023 15:11:30 GMT
Jersey Reds preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 19, Doncaster Knights v Jersey Reds, Castle Park Sat 8th March, KO 1pm
After the first fixture between the teams was cancelled due to the poor weather and poorer forecast, the Knights can now welcome the Reds to Castle Park. They are eager to improve on their defeat by two points in Jersey last October. The game was a woulda, coulda won but the 19-17 score settled that objective.
Second-placed Reds are the only team capable of overtaking league-leaders Ealing Trailfinders but are six points behind with only four games to play. They have all-but cemented second place because Coventry, in third are 12 points below with the four games to go. OK, the cement hasn’t set yet because there are a possible 20 points left to win but Jersey have only lost one and drawn one from 19 so far.
Realistically the Knights are playing their last four games aiming to obtain fifth place and not drop to eighth. Fifth-eighth are separated by just three points but that’s not to say that ninth-placed Caldy or tenth-placed Nottingham couldn’t rise but it’s unlikely.
Last time out the Reds welcomed tenth-placed Nottingham to Jersey at the same time as the Knights faced Scottish in London. The Reds inevitably taught Nottingham a lesson, beating Nottingham 52-10.
A small plus for the Knights is that the 24-33, bonus point win over Scottish has taken our points difference to a positive number (1).
The Reds are second in the list of Championship points scored, points conceded, tries scored and tries conceded, the Knights have scored 186 points fewer (10.3/game), and conceded 155 more points (8.6/game). These include scoring 39 fewer tries and conceding 20 more. The Knights are the underdogs with no expectations.
Fly Half Russell Bennett is the fourth highest points-scorer in the Championship.
The Reds are prolific try-scorers; Wing Will Brown is equal-second, Wing Ben Woollett is equal-fourth, Centre Jordan Holgate is equal-sixth plus Wing Tomi Lewis and Hooker Eoghan Clarke have scored just one try less. With eight tries scored, Hooker Antonio TJ Harris is just behind the previous two.
Three Wingers and two Hookers make the list of the top 20 Championship try-scorers.
The only other game taking place in the Championship is Ampthill (7) v Coventry (3) in this free weekend intended to allow teams to catch up on missed games. All teams will have played 19 games after Saturday.
A Knight W would leapfrog the Pirates to fifth.
A Knight L could drop us to seventh if Ampthill beat Cov.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 19, Doncaster Knights v Jersey Reds, Castle Park Sat 8th March, KO 1pm
After the first fixture between the teams was cancelled due to the poor weather and poorer forecast, the Knights can now welcome the Reds to Castle Park. They are eager to improve on their defeat by two points in Jersey last October. The game was a woulda, coulda won but the 19-17 score settled that objective.
Second-placed Reds are the only team capable of overtaking league-leaders Ealing Trailfinders but are six points behind with only four games to play. They have all-but cemented second place because Coventry, in third are 12 points below with the four games to go. OK, the cement hasn’t set yet because there are a possible 20 points left to win but Jersey have only lost one and drawn one from 19 so far.
Realistically the Knights are playing their last four games aiming to obtain fifth place and not drop to eighth. Fifth-eighth are separated by just three points but that’s not to say that ninth-placed Caldy or tenth-placed Nottingham couldn’t rise but it’s unlikely.
Last time out the Reds welcomed tenth-placed Nottingham to Jersey at the same time as the Knights faced Scottish in London. The Reds inevitably taught Nottingham a lesson, beating Nottingham 52-10.
A small plus for the Knights is that the 24-33, bonus point win over Scottish has taken our points difference to a positive number (1).
The Reds are second in the list of Championship points scored, points conceded, tries scored and tries conceded, the Knights have scored 186 points fewer (10.3/game), and conceded 155 more points (8.6/game). These include scoring 39 fewer tries and conceding 20 more. The Knights are the underdogs with no expectations.
Fly Half Russell Bennett is the fourth highest points-scorer in the Championship.
The Reds are prolific try-scorers; Wing Will Brown is equal-second, Wing Ben Woollett is equal-fourth, Centre Jordan Holgate is equal-sixth plus Wing Tomi Lewis and Hooker Eoghan Clarke have scored just one try less. With eight tries scored, Hooker Antonio TJ Harris is just behind the previous two.
Three Wingers and two Hookers make the list of the top 20 Championship try-scorers.
The only other game taking place in the Championship is Ampthill (7) v Coventry (3) in this free weekend intended to allow teams to catch up on missed games. All teams will have played 19 games after Saturday.
A Knight W would leapfrog the Pirates to fifth.
A Knight L could drop us to seventh if Ampthill beat Cov.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
