Post by Jamie Crawford on Nov 21, 2017 17:01:55 GMT
Round 10, Saturday 25 November 2017 Trailfinders Sports Ground, Vallis Way
We’re the underdogs sitting fifth in the Championship with four wins, four losses and a draw compared to the Trailfinder’s second place with seven wins and two losses. Nottingham didn’t do us any favours last Sunday when they beat Ealing 28-27 at their home; Lady Bay Sports Ground. Ealing were probably getting a sense of invincibility (Bristol aside) but now a team below them has beaten them. This means that the Trailfinders will be on their guard, smarting from the narrow defeat and eager to display why they and Bristol are almost alone at the top of the Championship and why they are both unbeaten at home; to date! It’s our job to show them that they can be beaten at home, why they are only nine points above us and if we win on Saturday, Ealing will only be one win above us.
Ealing have scored 327 points (36.3/match) and conceded196 points (21.8/match). The Knights have scored 241 points (26.8/match) and conceded 206 points (22.9/match).
Ealing’s Peter Lydon (Fullback, Fly-Half) is the top points scorer in the Championship. Lydon has a strike rate of over 89% at home, so any kickable opportunities will be seized upon.
Alun Walker (Hooker) is the division’s equal-third top try-scorer, Drew Durutalo (ex-US Eagle and 7's Flanker) has only scored a coupler fewer and Will Harries (Wing/fullback) has scored four. In total the Trailfinders have scored an average of one try/game more than we have.
Ealing Front Row, Back Row and Wings have scored most of their tries with their Back Row being the highest scorers in the Championship in those positions by a significant margin.
So Walker has scored seven tries in nine games, Lydon has scored 126 points in nine games (14/game) and their Back Row have scored an average of just more than one try every game but let’s look at the opportunities.
The Trailfinders have conceded more tries than Jersey or Hartpury College and we’ve only conceded one more than they have. Ealing have conceded more tries scored by Backs than we have. Wingers have scored significantly more tries against the Trailfinders than any other position, only the Cornish Pirates and Rotherham Titans have conceded more by Wingers. To keep that positivity going; we are coming back from our worst run of defeats in three seasons. A more positive comeback would have been a win against Bedford Blues but the boys are taking it slowly by starting with a draw and trying to make Ealing feel less threatened (hopefully).
Other games whose result could impact us are:
Friday 24th November
Bedford Blues (4th, 2 points above) v Hartpury College (9th) @ Goldington Road
Saturday 25th November
Bristol Rugby (1st) v Nottingham 5th, 2 points above) @ Ashton Gate Stadium
Jersey Reds (10th) v Carnegie (7th, 5 points below) @ Stade Santander International
Richmond (6th, 4 points below) v Cornish Pirates (8th) @ Richmond Athletic Ground
Rotherham Titans (12th) v London Scottish (11th) @ Clifton Lane in a game that must be the Titans best hope for a win to get their momentum going forwards.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
We’re the underdogs sitting fifth in the Championship with four wins, four losses and a draw compared to the Trailfinder’s second place with seven wins and two losses. Nottingham didn’t do us any favours last Sunday when they beat Ealing 28-27 at their home; Lady Bay Sports Ground. Ealing were probably getting a sense of invincibility (Bristol aside) but now a team below them has beaten them. This means that the Trailfinders will be on their guard, smarting from the narrow defeat and eager to display why they and Bristol are almost alone at the top of the Championship and why they are both unbeaten at home; to date! It’s our job to show them that they can be beaten at home, why they are only nine points above us and if we win on Saturday, Ealing will only be one win above us.
Ealing have scored 327 points (36.3/match) and conceded196 points (21.8/match). The Knights have scored 241 points (26.8/match) and conceded 206 points (22.9/match).
Ealing’s Peter Lydon (Fullback, Fly-Half) is the top points scorer in the Championship. Lydon has a strike rate of over 89% at home, so any kickable opportunities will be seized upon.
Alun Walker (Hooker) is the division’s equal-third top try-scorer, Drew Durutalo (ex-US Eagle and 7's Flanker) has only scored a coupler fewer and Will Harries (Wing/fullback) has scored four. In total the Trailfinders have scored an average of one try/game more than we have.
Ealing Front Row, Back Row and Wings have scored most of their tries with their Back Row being the highest scorers in the Championship in those positions by a significant margin.
So Walker has scored seven tries in nine games, Lydon has scored 126 points in nine games (14/game) and their Back Row have scored an average of just more than one try every game but let’s look at the opportunities.
The Trailfinders have conceded more tries than Jersey or Hartpury College and we’ve only conceded one more than they have. Ealing have conceded more tries scored by Backs than we have. Wingers have scored significantly more tries against the Trailfinders than any other position, only the Cornish Pirates and Rotherham Titans have conceded more by Wingers. To keep that positivity going; we are coming back from our worst run of defeats in three seasons. A more positive comeback would have been a win against Bedford Blues but the boys are taking it slowly by starting with a draw and trying to make Ealing feel less threatened (hopefully).
Other games whose result could impact us are:
Friday 24th November
Bedford Blues (4th, 2 points above) v Hartpury College (9th) @ Goldington Road
Saturday 25th November
Bristol Rugby (1st) v Nottingham 5th, 2 points above) @ Ashton Gate Stadium
Jersey Reds (10th) v Carnegie (7th, 5 points below) @ Stade Santander International
Richmond (6th, 4 points below) v Cornish Pirates (8th) @ Richmond Athletic Ground
Rotherham Titans (12th) v London Scottish (11th) @ Clifton Lane in a game that must be the Titans best hope for a win to get their momentum going forwards.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
