Post by Jamie Crawford on Aug 12, 2024 9:22:15 GMT
2024/25 Season
The Championship welcomes Chinnor this season. Chinnor have been promoted from National One. Cambridge finished bottom of the Championship last season after two wins and 18 losses, they managed to score 12 bonus points, so they weren’t thrashed in their losses. They avoided relegation to increase the number of teams to 12 since the demise of Jersey Reds.
Who else but Ealing Trailfinders won the Championship (again) but Trailfinders Sports Club didn’t meet Premiership minimum entry criteria again. That said I don’t think they bothered to apply to the RFU for promotion last season, however I believe their Trailfinders Sports Club could meet the relaxed Premiership minimum entry criteria at the end of this season. Premiership minimum entry criteria have been relaxed, so the winner of the Championship would most likely meet these.
Chinnor Rugby Club are based in Thame, Oxfordshire. Their coaches are Craig Hampson and Tom Cruse and their nickname is/are The Villagers. Chinnor won National One division by 13 points over second-placed Rams. They won 22 and lost 4 of the 26 games that they played. They amassed 21 try bonus points and three losing bonus points over the season, which means that they didn’t score a bonus point in just two of their games on average. Their impressive scoring numbers break down thus: they scored 252 more points (9.7 points/game) than the second highest points-scorer and conceded 182 points fewer (7/game) than the second lowest (the Rams in each case)
Thank you to all 21 players who left the Knights after last season:
Forwards: Evan Mintern, Andrew Foster, Cam Terry, Charlie Beckett, Karl Garside, Seb Nagle-Taylor, Harrison Courtney, Jack Digby, Tom Doughty, Ehize Ehizode, Fyn Brown, Corrie Barrett & Harry Wilson.
Backs: George Simpson, Joe Margetts, Sam Olver, Billy McBryde, Joe Bedlow, Jack Metcalf, AJ Cant & Aloisi Vereimi.
Players remaining as Knights:
Lewis Theide, Connor Edwards, Conor Davidson, Maliq Holden, Ollie Fox, Ben Murphy, Alex Dolly, Archie Smeaton, George Roberts, Russell Bennett, Harry Davey, Rhys Tait and Adam Hopkinson.
Our website says that the coaching staff at Castle Park believe there is still a lot of talent within this group of players, and they all have plenty more to offer. This group will also help the new crop of players integrate and settle into the club, as Doncaster look to better their performance from last season.
Four academy players have been promoted into the First Team for the upcoming season. Congratulations to Calvin Mitchell, James Harrison, Will Metcalfe and Sai Tobeyweni.
Welcome New Signings
Joe Jones, tighthead prop from Scarlets Rugby.
Jordon Olowofela, centre/winger from Nottingham.
Fred Davies, hooker from Bristol Bears.
Morgan Bunting, fly half from Nottingham (son of ex-Donny player Simon ‘Bunny’ Bunting).
Thom Smith, back row from Jersey Reds, has played for the Knights on loan.
Brendan Owen, full back from Bath.
Cory Teague, lock from Exeter.
George Wacokecoke, centre from Newcastle Falcons.
Zach Kerr, centre/winger from Newcastle Falcons.
Jasper McGuire, lLoosehead prop from Premiership Champions, Saracens.
Logovi’I Mulipola, either tight- or loose-head Samoan Prop from injury cover at Saracens.
Won 33 caps for Samoa.
Morgan Strong, back row from Ospreys and Ampthill.
Ben Chapman, hooker from Ampthill RFC.
Taniela Ramasibana, flanker/second row from French side, USA Perpignan.
Josh Williams, second row from Cornish Pirates.
Andrew Turner, loosehead prop season-long loan from Bristol Bears Academy.
Semesa “Roko” Rokoduguni, centre/wing from US Montauban in France's Pro D2. Roko
won four caps for England between 2014 and 2017.
Last August the Telegraph focused on '4 to watch' in the Championship regarding promotion to the Premiership at the end of the campaign.
They said that promotion to Premiership is back with these four clubs gunning for it
Again changes to minimum requirements rules have given second-tier sides renewed optimism that they can win a place at the top table. Minimum entry criteria have been relaxed plus the promoted club if they beat the bottom Premiership team, has four years to reach the criteria. The four teams are:
Cornish Pirates
Last season: 2nd
Joint head coaches: Alan Paver and Gavin Cattle
Key player: Alex Everett (back row)
Coventry
Last season: 3rd
Head coach: Alex Rae
Key player: Aaron Hinkley (back row)
Doncaster Knights
Last season: 6th
Consultant director of rugby: Sir Ian McGeechan
Head coach: Joe Ford
Key player: Semesa Rokoduguni (wing)
Ealing Trailfinders
Last season: 1st
Director of rugby: Ben Ward
Key player: Biyi Alo (tighthead prop)
We start the season with the coaching set-up that took over after Steve Boden left. The squad can start the season as they intend from day one. I think all supporters eagerly anticipate a great season.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
The Championship welcomes Chinnor this season. Chinnor have been promoted from National One. Cambridge finished bottom of the Championship last season after two wins and 18 losses, they managed to score 12 bonus points, so they weren’t thrashed in their losses. They avoided relegation to increase the number of teams to 12 since the demise of Jersey Reds.
Who else but Ealing Trailfinders won the Championship (again) but Trailfinders Sports Club didn’t meet Premiership minimum entry criteria again. That said I don’t think they bothered to apply to the RFU for promotion last season, however I believe their Trailfinders Sports Club could meet the relaxed Premiership minimum entry criteria at the end of this season. Premiership minimum entry criteria have been relaxed, so the winner of the Championship would most likely meet these.
Chinnor Rugby Club are based in Thame, Oxfordshire. Their coaches are Craig Hampson and Tom Cruse and their nickname is/are The Villagers. Chinnor won National One division by 13 points over second-placed Rams. They won 22 and lost 4 of the 26 games that they played. They amassed 21 try bonus points and three losing bonus points over the season, which means that they didn’t score a bonus point in just two of their games on average. Their impressive scoring numbers break down thus: they scored 252 more points (9.7 points/game) than the second highest points-scorer and conceded 182 points fewer (7/game) than the second lowest (the Rams in each case)
Thank you to all 21 players who left the Knights after last season:
Forwards: Evan Mintern, Andrew Foster, Cam Terry, Charlie Beckett, Karl Garside, Seb Nagle-Taylor, Harrison Courtney, Jack Digby, Tom Doughty, Ehize Ehizode, Fyn Brown, Corrie Barrett & Harry Wilson.
Backs: George Simpson, Joe Margetts, Sam Olver, Billy McBryde, Joe Bedlow, Jack Metcalf, AJ Cant & Aloisi Vereimi.
Players remaining as Knights:
Lewis Theide, Connor Edwards, Conor Davidson, Maliq Holden, Ollie Fox, Ben Murphy, Alex Dolly, Archie Smeaton, George Roberts, Russell Bennett, Harry Davey, Rhys Tait and Adam Hopkinson.
Our website says that the coaching staff at Castle Park believe there is still a lot of talent within this group of players, and they all have plenty more to offer. This group will also help the new crop of players integrate and settle into the club, as Doncaster look to better their performance from last season.
Four academy players have been promoted into the First Team for the upcoming season. Congratulations to Calvin Mitchell, James Harrison, Will Metcalfe and Sai Tobeyweni.
Welcome New Signings
Joe Jones, tighthead prop from Scarlets Rugby.
Jordon Olowofela, centre/winger from Nottingham.
Fred Davies, hooker from Bristol Bears.
Morgan Bunting, fly half from Nottingham (son of ex-Donny player Simon ‘Bunny’ Bunting).
Thom Smith, back row from Jersey Reds, has played for the Knights on loan.
Brendan Owen, full back from Bath.
Cory Teague, lock from Exeter.
George Wacokecoke, centre from Newcastle Falcons.
Zach Kerr, centre/winger from Newcastle Falcons.
Jasper McGuire, lLoosehead prop from Premiership Champions, Saracens.
Logovi’I Mulipola, either tight- or loose-head Samoan Prop from injury cover at Saracens.
Won 33 caps for Samoa.
Morgan Strong, back row from Ospreys and Ampthill.
Ben Chapman, hooker from Ampthill RFC.
Taniela Ramasibana, flanker/second row from French side, USA Perpignan.
Josh Williams, second row from Cornish Pirates.
Andrew Turner, loosehead prop season-long loan from Bristol Bears Academy.
Semesa “Roko” Rokoduguni, centre/wing from US Montauban in France's Pro D2. Roko
won four caps for England between 2014 and 2017.
Last August the Telegraph focused on '4 to watch' in the Championship regarding promotion to the Premiership at the end of the campaign.
They said that promotion to Premiership is back with these four clubs gunning for it
Again changes to minimum requirements rules have given second-tier sides renewed optimism that they can win a place at the top table. Minimum entry criteria have been relaxed plus the promoted club if they beat the bottom Premiership team, has four years to reach the criteria. The four teams are:
Cornish Pirates
Last season: 2nd
Joint head coaches: Alan Paver and Gavin Cattle
Key player: Alex Everett (back row)
Coventry
Last season: 3rd
Head coach: Alex Rae
Key player: Aaron Hinkley (back row)
Doncaster Knights
Last season: 6th
Consultant director of rugby: Sir Ian McGeechan
Head coach: Joe Ford
Key player: Semesa Rokoduguni (wing)
Ealing Trailfinders
Last season: 1st
Director of rugby: Ben Ward
Key player: Biyi Alo (tighthead prop)
We start the season with the coaching set-up that took over after Steve Boden left. The squad can start the season as they intend from day one. I think all supporters eagerly anticipate a great season.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
