Post by Jamie Crawford on Sept 20, 2016 6:56:32 GMT
Two wins on the bounce after our opening loss will have left the Knights in a buoyant and confident mood looking forward to the challenges ahead. ‘You’re only as good as your next game’ - so bring on Bedford Blues.
In 2015, following the additional RFU funding of £50,000 for the development of facilities, Bedford Blues spent over £70,000 in total to ensure both player and supporter experience met with the standards required, and this year they intend to build on that approach with a projected investment of £80,000.
(Bedford Blues website)
“FIVE SARACENS JOIN AND FRIENDLY CONFIRMED
Bedford Blues will be working closely once again with Premiership and European Champions Saracens next (this) season as five promising youngsters - including three members of the England Under 20 squad - move to Goldington Road for the 2016/17 Greene King IPA Championship campaign.
The likes of Owen Farrell, George Kruis, Jackson Wray, James Short, and Will Fraser all gained valuable experience with the Blues before going on to make a huge impact with Saracens and the same is hoped for the current crop who will be heading up the M1 from Allianz Park.”
(Bedford Blues website)
For the fourth Championship league game the Knights welcome the Bedford Blues.
The Blues started the season with a 17-26 home loss to the Cornish Pirates; they then travelled across the water to face Jersey Reds. They lost 14-9 to the Reds who are known to be very strong at St Peter’s. Last Saturday the Blues were feeling very blue when they welcomed London Irish to Goldington Road and lost 23-30. They have had a very difficult start to the season; after they faced the Pirates in the first game when anything can happen, they then played two teams that haven’t been beaten this season. That said the Blues only lost by seven points to the Irish and scored 23 points against them; better than the Knights did at the Madejski Stadium.
The Irish conceded 23 points against the Blues after only conceding a total of 12 points over their first two games.
It’s still too early to matter but three teams remain unbeaten and two yet to win in the championship; London Irish and Carnegie are unbeaten (Pirates drew one but have not lost yet) with Bedford Blues and Richmond yet to win. Does this make the Knights task easier or more difficult? We easily beat Richmond 16-57, so will the Blues be a similar result – very, very doubtful. Bedford scored 23 points against the Irish and when their ‘backs are to the wall’ or they have yet to record a win, they will push back harder and try to overturn this losing streak before it becomes a habit.
Bedford’s own match report v London Irish suggests that they were unfortunate to lose. “…While the Blues ultimately went down 23-30, there were plenty of positives to take from this performance that could easily have swung the Blues way in the latter stages.
Speaking after the encounter, Pat Tapley, who scored two tries, said: “While it is really pleasing for me to come back into the team and score two tries, ultimately we are disappointed with the score line as it goes down as a defeat when it felt like we deserved more.”
The Blues know how to win; they have experienced life in the Premiership in the 1998/99 and the 1999/00 seasons and finished fourth in the Championship last season; they are not finding their feet in the Championship like Richmond are. The Blues scored 84 tries last season which is 14 more than the Knights scored.
On a side note that demonstrates the importance of bonus points; London Welsh have scored four bonus points over three games to put them just one point below us in fifth even though they have lost two of their three games played. In fact they are above Ealing Trailfinders albeit Ealing have drawn a game that the Welsh lost.
Scoring two bonus points in one game is rare but not impossible; you must score four tries or more and still lose but finish with a score within seven points of the winner. It’s something that Nottingham seem to have perfected when they lose to us. Sorry if I’m ‘teaching you how to boil an egg’ but not everyone will be aware of this.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
In 2015, following the additional RFU funding of £50,000 for the development of facilities, Bedford Blues spent over £70,000 in total to ensure both player and supporter experience met with the standards required, and this year they intend to build on that approach with a projected investment of £80,000.
(Bedford Blues website)
“FIVE SARACENS JOIN AND FRIENDLY CONFIRMED
Bedford Blues will be working closely once again with Premiership and European Champions Saracens next (this) season as five promising youngsters - including three members of the England Under 20 squad - move to Goldington Road for the 2016/17 Greene King IPA Championship campaign.
The likes of Owen Farrell, George Kruis, Jackson Wray, James Short, and Will Fraser all gained valuable experience with the Blues before going on to make a huge impact with Saracens and the same is hoped for the current crop who will be heading up the M1 from Allianz Park.”
(Bedford Blues website)
For the fourth Championship league game the Knights welcome the Bedford Blues.
The Blues started the season with a 17-26 home loss to the Cornish Pirates; they then travelled across the water to face Jersey Reds. They lost 14-9 to the Reds who are known to be very strong at St Peter’s. Last Saturday the Blues were feeling very blue when they welcomed London Irish to Goldington Road and lost 23-30. They have had a very difficult start to the season; after they faced the Pirates in the first game when anything can happen, they then played two teams that haven’t been beaten this season. That said the Blues only lost by seven points to the Irish and scored 23 points against them; better than the Knights did at the Madejski Stadium.
The Irish conceded 23 points against the Blues after only conceding a total of 12 points over their first two games.
It’s still too early to matter but three teams remain unbeaten and two yet to win in the championship; London Irish and Carnegie are unbeaten (Pirates drew one but have not lost yet) with Bedford Blues and Richmond yet to win. Does this make the Knights task easier or more difficult? We easily beat Richmond 16-57, so will the Blues be a similar result – very, very doubtful. Bedford scored 23 points against the Irish and when their ‘backs are to the wall’ or they have yet to record a win, they will push back harder and try to overturn this losing streak before it becomes a habit.
Bedford’s own match report v London Irish suggests that they were unfortunate to lose. “…While the Blues ultimately went down 23-30, there were plenty of positives to take from this performance that could easily have swung the Blues way in the latter stages.
Speaking after the encounter, Pat Tapley, who scored two tries, said: “While it is really pleasing for me to come back into the team and score two tries, ultimately we are disappointed with the score line as it goes down as a defeat when it felt like we deserved more.”
The Blues know how to win; they have experienced life in the Premiership in the 1998/99 and the 1999/00 seasons and finished fourth in the Championship last season; they are not finding their feet in the Championship like Richmond are. The Blues scored 84 tries last season which is 14 more than the Knights scored.
On a side note that demonstrates the importance of bonus points; London Welsh have scored four bonus points over three games to put them just one point below us in fifth even though they have lost two of their three games played. In fact they are above Ealing Trailfinders albeit Ealing have drawn a game that the Welsh lost.
Scoring two bonus points in one game is rare but not impossible; you must score four tries or more and still lose but finish with a score within seven points of the winner. It’s something that Nottingham seem to have perfected when they lose to us. Sorry if I’m ‘teaching you how to boil an egg’ but not everyone will be aware of this.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
