Richmond Preview

First we don’t have a game for 23 days and then two arrive in the space of five days, what is that saying about buses!

After the local derby victory against Rotherham Titans the old look Knights cocktail with a Tongan twist prepare for battle against newly-promoted West Londoners Richmond. If this game was in the first quarter of the season we could pencil in a win as mond were the early season whipping boys. They have now found their feet and offer a serious challenge.
Richmond went eight games without a win but then…
…Richmond won two of their last four Championship league games, only just being beaten by second-placed Carnegie by eight points (31-39) and top-placed London Irish by six points (20-26). They beat current seventh-placed London Scottish and current fourth-placed Cornish Pirates
As a reminder; Carnegie beat the Knights by 18 points (24-6) and the Irish beat us by 19 points (19-0).

Quoting stats would be useless as the stats would belie Richmond’s current form.

Although Richmond lost last time out against the unbeaten London Irish, they became one of the two teams to gain a league point against them. The Richmond match report starts, “Richmond gave League leaders London Irish an almighty fright, swarming over them in the last ten minutes in search of a winning try. Since the Irish have not lost this season and only once before have failed to get a four try bonus point, it was a performance of the highest class, a point reinforced by the fact that the visitors had no less than nine international in their match day twenty-two. Richmond may have ended with just one point but it was earned by the best performance of a fast improving season and undoubtedly provides further encouragement for the second half of the season.” The preview ends, “Steve Hill Richmond FC Director of Rugby commented; ‘Today Richmond proved beyond doubt that they are Championship calibre team. I could not be prouder of this group of players who have learned and improved so much since the beginning of the season. The players were all disappointed at the end of the match that we had not won- disappointed to lose to a team that costs £5 million and contains nine international players. The challenge is now to build on this performance through our next three crucial matches’.”
As stated only two teams have prevented the Irish from scoring four or more tries. Obviously the Irish didn’t underestimate Richmond after their recent results by fielding nine Internationals. 

Another quote from Richmond’s website re: the Irish game was, “Fly half Marshall, who has played rugby sevens for the All Blacks, was a lively creator at fly half and his break set up the next score.” Richmond earned two scrum penalties in the game which is no mean feat against the Irish.

After one win the Knights now find themselves in the top four (fourth) with equal league points as third-placed Ealing Trailfinders. Trailfinders are above courtesy of a game they drew that we lost. It’s a fantastic place to be in as the old look Knights cocktail with a Tongan twist hopefully recommence their winning ways. It’s not a time for complacency though as a loss against mond could drop us down to eighth, however unlikely that all other teams also win.

Richmond are now just one point below London Welsh after Welsh's 20-point deduction.
“A winding-up petition issued against London Welsh, for an unpaid tax bill of more than £90,000, has been adjourned until next month.(January)
Officials at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) had asked for the Exiles to be wound up at a Bankruptcy and Companies Court hearing in London on Monday.” ( www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38295849 )

So suddenly there is light at the end of the tunnel and you wouldn’t bet against Richmond staying up with this sudden in-form game. Additionally it is not clear what is happening with London Welsh and there are still ten games to play for both teams (hopefully).

Elsewhere to end 2016 and start 2017, whose result could affect our league position:

Saturday 31st December 2016

Cornish Pirates (5th) welcome Nottingham (6th) to The Mennaye; (both teams are just 2 points below us.  Even if a loser scored two bonus points, they would still be below us so we could potentially only drop to seventh)

Sunday 1st January 2017

Jersey Reds (7th, 4 points below) play Ealing Trailfinders (3rd, equal league points) at St Peter’s
London Scottish (8th, 5 points plus 96 points-scored below) host our local rivals Rotherham Titans to Richmond Athletic Ground

A result that won’t immediately affect us:
Leeds Carnegie (2nd) welcome London Welsh (11th) to Headingley. It is a game that Richmond will hope that the Welsh lose, so mond wouldn’t be bottom if they beat us.

I’m definitely not predicting an away win as the Knights prepare to reinforce their fortress; I’m just attempting to warn of a serious, unpredicted threat.



COYK


DONNY, DONY, DONNY…