Post by Jamie Crawford on Jan 23, 2024 13:04:31 GMT
Ealing Trailfinders preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 11, Saturday 27th January, Trailfinders Sports Club, Ealing KO 3pm
The Knights hit the road again after 2 consecutive home games and it is the most difficult ground to win at against Ealing Trailfinders. Ealing were the current leaders in the Championship until Coventry overtook them last Saturday when Ealing had another postponed game. Cov are 1st but Ealing have 2 games in hand and only 1 point separates them.
Trailfinders were runners-up last season (2022/23) by 2 points to Jersey Reds.
They won the Championship in 2021/22 but Trailfinders Sports Club didn’t meet Premiership minimum entry criteria. They were second to Saracens in 2020/21, second to Newcastle Falcons in 2019/20, second to London Irish in 2018/19 and second to Bristol Bears in 2017/18. Basically, Trailfinders have been top or second for six seasons and spent millions to achieve that.
Last time out Trailfinders were due to travel to Dillingham Park to play Ampthill, who beat the Knights the week before but the game was postponed following a morning pitch inspection.
The Knights welcomed Bedford Blues to Castle Park and won 26-20 to regain that winning feeling and keep Bedford’s Castle Park impenetrable fortress reputation intact. The Blues scored 4 unconverted tries to gain the try bonus point and finished within 7 points to win the losing bonus point, therefore gaining 2 points in their defeat. A rare occurrence but commendable and deserved.
Unfortunately for the start of the 2024-25 season, the champions of the Championship must still have a supporter capacity of 10,001 and a full statutory general safety certificate for eligibility for promotion to the Premiership. A club eligible for promotion must meet these criteria or have planning permission in place to increase supporter capacity to 10,001 or have a temporary home in place that meets the criteria (normally ground sharing with a major football team.) There will be no relegation from the Premiership, so a promoted club that meets the minimum entry criteria would make it 12 teams in total. The Knights’ Castle Park home already meet the minimum entry criteria because they have planning permission to extend to 10,001 supporters.
I believe that the criteria will be eased at the end of the 2024/25 season, specifically the supporter capacity has been halved from 10,001 to 5,001, so Trailfinders Sports Ground and many other grounds would be eligible. The winner of the Championship next season must meet these relaxed criteria and play the bottom team in the Premiership for a play-off for promotion/relegation or not. (Please say if incorrect.)
Championship games taking place this weekend:
Friday 26th January
Bedford Blues (5) v London Scottish (10)
Saturday 27th January
Cambridge (11) v Caldy (9)
Coventry (1) v Cornish Pirates (3)
Ealing Trailfinders (2) v Doncaster Knights (4)
Hartpury University (7) v Ampthill (6)
Nottingham were due to play Jersey Reds
Coventry, the Knights, Hartpury, Nottingham and Cambridge have played 9 games.
Pirates, Bedford, Ampthill, Caldy and Scottish have played 8 games.
Trailfinders have only played 7 games.
A Knight W could see them rise to the top IF Cov, Trailfinders and Pirates all lose.
A Knight L would see them drop a place to 5th if Bedford beat Scottish on Friday.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 11, Saturday 27th January, Trailfinders Sports Club, Ealing KO 3pm
The Knights hit the road again after 2 consecutive home games and it is the most difficult ground to win at against Ealing Trailfinders. Ealing were the current leaders in the Championship until Coventry overtook them last Saturday when Ealing had another postponed game. Cov are 1st but Ealing have 2 games in hand and only 1 point separates them.
Trailfinders were runners-up last season (2022/23) by 2 points to Jersey Reds.
They won the Championship in 2021/22 but Trailfinders Sports Club didn’t meet Premiership minimum entry criteria. They were second to Saracens in 2020/21, second to Newcastle Falcons in 2019/20, second to London Irish in 2018/19 and second to Bristol Bears in 2017/18. Basically, Trailfinders have been top or second for six seasons and spent millions to achieve that.
Last time out Trailfinders were due to travel to Dillingham Park to play Ampthill, who beat the Knights the week before but the game was postponed following a morning pitch inspection.
The Knights welcomed Bedford Blues to Castle Park and won 26-20 to regain that winning feeling and keep Bedford’s Castle Park impenetrable fortress reputation intact. The Blues scored 4 unconverted tries to gain the try bonus point and finished within 7 points to win the losing bonus point, therefore gaining 2 points in their defeat. A rare occurrence but commendable and deserved.
Unfortunately for the start of the 2024-25 season, the champions of the Championship must still have a supporter capacity of 10,001 and a full statutory general safety certificate for eligibility for promotion to the Premiership. A club eligible for promotion must meet these criteria or have planning permission in place to increase supporter capacity to 10,001 or have a temporary home in place that meets the criteria (normally ground sharing with a major football team.) There will be no relegation from the Premiership, so a promoted club that meets the minimum entry criteria would make it 12 teams in total. The Knights’ Castle Park home already meet the minimum entry criteria because they have planning permission to extend to 10,001 supporters.
I believe that the criteria will be eased at the end of the 2024/25 season, specifically the supporter capacity has been halved from 10,001 to 5,001, so Trailfinders Sports Ground and many other grounds would be eligible. The winner of the Championship next season must meet these relaxed criteria and play the bottom team in the Premiership for a play-off for promotion/relegation or not. (Please say if incorrect.)
Championship games taking place this weekend:
Friday 26th January
Bedford Blues (5) v London Scottish (10)
Saturday 27th January
Cambridge (11) v Caldy (9)
Coventry (1) v Cornish Pirates (3)
Ealing Trailfinders (2) v Doncaster Knights (4)
Hartpury University (7) v Ampthill (6)
Nottingham were due to play Jersey Reds
Coventry, the Knights, Hartpury, Nottingham and Cambridge have played 9 games.
Pirates, Bedford, Ampthill, Caldy and Scottish have played 8 games.
Trailfinders have only played 7 games.
A Knight W could see them rise to the top IF Cov, Trailfinders and Pirates all lose.
A Knight L would see them drop a place to 5th if Bedford beat Scottish on Friday.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
