DONCASTER KNIGHTS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

NL1 – SUNDAY, 10^TH FEBRUARY 2008 2.30pm

CASTLE PARK

MATCH PREVIEW

Do you ever get a feeling of Déjà vu? This time last week I was preparing for an away game at Doncaster, this week I am preparing for an away game at, erm, Doncaster. There are of course some subtle differences; last week was the cup-tie, this week we are back to league action. Last week the match was on Saturday, this week it will be on Sunday.

I agreed to do this, my second ever preview without thinking that it would be the second Donny preview in a week so I will attempt not to plagiarise anything that Casual Saint might have said last time and not to bore you with totally random information.

Imagine for me if you will, the Eye of the Tiger music playing in the background and the deep voice of an American announcer declaring that the time has finally come for the rematch between the Saints and the Knights. Let battle commence! However, lets hope that Donny are not like the boxing legend Muhammad Ali who never lost a rematch and are more like, well, someone who never won one!

This will be the third meeting of these two teams this season with the second of those being only last week at Castle Park. So far the records put Saints two nil up. The first time that these teams met this season was back on October 13^th 2007 with both teams the only ones still left unbeaten in the league. Doncaster were only a point behind the Saints having dropped a try bonus along the way Saints at that point had a perfect record of 30 out of a possible 30. This time it looks a little different.

Doncaster are now 4^th in the league, a massive 21 points behind the Saints and having played a game more. Since the last time the two teams ran out in the league, when Donny had 5 out of 6 try bonus points they have only gone on to get 3 try bonuses from their next 15 league games. Out of the 5 matches which they have lost, they have only picked up losing bonuses at 2. Contrast this with Northampton’s league standing where Saints remain unbeaten having only dropped 5 bonus points, then on paper the boys from Jimmy’s end should sail through. However, games are not played on paper, but on the grass where recent and past results count for nothing and it is 15 against 15 for 80 minuts.

The Knights will be hoping for some revenge for last week where they were knocked out of the cup in a somewhat dour game against the Saints in what looked to be their only chance of silverware this season. Also this season they have not lost more than 2 games on the bounce. Their last league outing saw them beaten 22 to 20 at the hands of the Pertemps Bees so they will be working hard to re-find their winning ways and having only lost twice at Castle park in the league this season they cannot be taken lightly. Also, add into the mix ex Saints Ben Jones and Mark Soden (I would expect Jones to start at scrum half) who may well have a point to prove and we have the prospect of a tasty game.

Doncaster are scoring at an average of almost 3 tries per game and have 2 players, winger Donovan Van Vuuren and full back Wes Davies who have bagged hat tricks this campaign. Top try scorer Van Vuuren (8 tries) however, seems to be finding it difficult to get a start recently and much the same for Davies (6 tries) who is joint second top try scorer. Both last started in the under strength side which went to the Bees in the last round but you have to go back a little way to find them in the starting line up before that. Maybe a wise Doncaster bod will be able to tell us why. I haven’t a clue!!

The trip up to Castle Park is again destined to be a cold one but if it is anything like it was last week the reception will be warm. I still advise wrapping up like Nanook of the North though if you can’t cope with the Northern temperatures. I am told that the cow pie is well worth a go if you can get it (I didn’t try it personally, I am only going on what I have been told) and the last piece of advice I would give is that the best place to stand is not behind the goalposts unless you like your view of the rugby blocked by some shivering cheerleaders in very short skirts. (OK I realise that now I have said that some people will be making a bee line for this area!) The cheerleaders were adding some amusement last week though after Bruce slotted over the first points they chanted “That’s all right, that’s ok, we’re going to kick your ass today!” They did this the next couple of times but it was noticeably missing after that, they also started a chant about their team on the A T T A C K when they would have been more accurate to spell out D E F E N C E. A minor amusement to me on the day, as well as speaking to a 6 foot Gorilla and a man dressed in a cheerleaders costume! It’s all part of the fun of an away trip.

So to the squads. Euan is still away on international duty so isn’t available though Dylan should be back this week after his sojourn with the Saxons. Ash will be back from suspension so I would fully expect them to be back into the starting lineup.

These then,  are the teams I would expect to see running out onto the park on Sunday:

Donny                                      Saints

15. Carter                                Reihana
14. Bailey                                 Ashton
13. Hunt                                   Clarke
12. Davey                                Downey
11. Bishop                                Diggin
10. Woodrow                           Spencer
 9. Jones                                  Robinson

1.      List                                   Smith

2.      Boden                               Hartley

3.      Ta’u                                  Tonga’uiha

4.      Gross                                Rae

5.      Kenworthy                        Lord

6.      Griffiths                             Tupai

7.      Cook                                 Lewitt

8.      Planchant                         Hopley

I would expect much more attacking rugby from the Saints this week now that bonus points are back into play and my prediction would be Saints by at least 10.

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