Post by Jamie Crawford on Dec 9, 2014 12:48:06 GMT
...Preview.
The Knights’ last game before Christmas is at home in the British & Irish Cup against Cross Keys. The Knights have had a magnificent journey in the Cup with five wins from five games, four of which included a winning bonus point. This leaves the Knights with an unassailable lead at the top of Pool Four and so we are definitely in the Quarter-Finals. We require just one point to guarantee a home quarter final. This point would only be needed if Leinster beat Plymouth Albion with a winning bonus point. As a reminder the top four teams receive a home Quarter-Final from five Pools.
Cross Keys lie at the other end of the table with one win from the five matches. They have still managed to score three bonus points, two of them were losing, being within seven points, so the results have been close.
Cross Keys’ Fly Half Dorian Jones and Full Back/Fly Half/Centre Jason Tovey have shared the kicking duties in the Cup. Between them they have scored eight penalty kicks and six conversions which would put them joint third in the penalties scored if the kicks were taken by just one of them. The Knights must try not to give away kickable penalties.
Tovey was in the Welsh squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Centre Leon Andrews is the B & I Cup’s equal-ninth top try scorer with three tries over five games.
On paper it may seem a foregone conclusion who will win but the Knights mustn’t be complacent and Cross Keys have nothing to lose, so an exciting game is in prospect. As a reminder Cross Keys have finished the game within seven points in two out of four defeats, so not a push-over. Hopefully the Knights’ forwards will be able to push the ball over Cross Keys’ line for a try. It maybe a win on paper but reality is often different, it's all to play for.
The other game in Pool Four sees Bedford Blues welcome the Cornish Pirates.
C'mon Donny, let's make it six out six wins. Donny, Donny, Donny...
