Jersey RFC Vs Doncaster Knights, The big one!

This game really has taken on astronomical significance in the life of Jersey Rugby Club. Its first visit to level two of the English league structure was always going to be decided with this the final home game, but has taken on even more significance with the fact that the team in most trouble are the visitors to St Peter. It's not quite win or bust, but the to the victor goes the spoils so the saying goes and the team who loses today will surely be facing National One rugby next season.

The Jersey team (yet to be announced at time of publishing) will be dependant on perhaps the two most influential players returning (hopefully) from injury. Former captain Nathan Hannay and fan favourite Guy Thompson have both been sidelined recently due to injury. A return will boost the whole club and will give a huge crowd an added lift even before a ball is kicked.

What of the opponents Doncaster? Eight years at this level, after a meterioric rise from level ten in the league structure has seen them compete consistently without setting the world on fire, but to be in this position when some had hoped they may even challenge for a play-off spot, has been hard to take for this proud Yorkshire side.

Despite some evidence to suggest that the club is possibly older, Doncaster Rugby Football Club was founded in 1875. It led a fairly nomadic life for its first half century playing at numerous sites around the area, even having a spell at the turn of the century when they joined the Northern Union.

Playing-wise for many years Doncaster Rugby Football Club were a solid if unspectacular Yorkshire side enjoying good and bad seasons alike. Its first taste of real success didn’t come until 1979 when it won the Yorkshire Shield, a knock out cup competition for junior clubs. At roughly the same time ‘Donny’ introduced mini-rugby and this has developed to such an extent that they now have over 400 junior members, making it the largest in Yorkshire and the most successful, in terms of county cups they have won.

Doncaster Rugby Football Club started the league rugby era in Yorkshire Two (national level ten) in its inaugural season in 1987/88, gaining promotion to Yorkshire One two seasons later. At this time Donny's Colts sides embarked on a remarkable run of four consecutive County Cup finals, two of which they won. This prompted the club to adopt a 'home grown' policy which still exists to this day. This policy was very successful and the club gained three consecutive promotions.

At the start of the 1996/7 season, their coach for the previous five seasons, Paul Morris, stood down to become Director of Rugby and they entered the professional era by employing former West Hartlepool and North of England lock Kevin Westgarth as their Rugby Development Officer/Player-Coach. The club hardly looked back as they won all 22 of their league fixtures that season to finish well clear at the top of North Two. They reached the final of the Intermediate Cup before losing to a disputed try in the final at Twickenham. For the first time in their history they also reached the final of the Yorkshire Cup losing to Sandal, four days after their Twickenham match.

In 1997/98 they finished second in North One on equal points to the winners New Brighton who had a superior match points difference. They again reached the Yorkshire Cup final, this time narrowly losing to Leeds at Morley. The Second XV won the finals of both the South Yorkshire Trophy and Northern Second XV Merit Table. The Junior Section won their Yorkshire Cup at Under 16’s and Under 13’s and drew at Under 12’s. Eight of their players represented the county including Richard Senior who captained the side.

The following season after a mid-season falter, Donny won their last seven matches and comprehensively beat the then league leaders Northern by thirty points in their last game in front of a crowd of over 2,000 to win North Division One, gaining promotion into the National Leagues, as well as winning the Yorkshire Cup by beating Sandal. Following this, in February of that year Donny were formally told that they were to receive a £1.8m lottery grant towards the cost of providing three additional pitches and a brand new clubhouse complete with 12 dressing rooms, a weight training gymnasium, a multi-activity suite, dedicated medical/physiotherapy facilities and social areas.

National Two became the level at which progression based on home grown talent was to prove a step too far and after finishing seventh a rethink brought Kingsley Jones, the former Welsh captain, to Doncaster as a playing Director of Rugby, who stiffened the squad significantly. Heartened by a fourth place finish, it was to be the launching pad for the coming seasons. Sadly though, Jones was to leave Doncaster to become forwards coach at Sale. The search for his replacement brought 33-cap former Springbok Pieter Muller to the club, and under his leadership the championship and promotion was won. This was the Club's eighth promotion in the 15 years of leagues in England and had never been achieved previously. The strength in depth within the Club was also reinforced as the Second XV retained the N2C league title they had secured the year before, and the Colts won the Yorkshire Cup for a second successive season.

The step up into National One took some time to adjust to. Home support was excellent, though, and the growing awareness of the club and its values around the area was noticeable. After 17 games, with just five wins and languishing in the bottom two, Peter Muller left the club. A panel of senior players under the guidance of Paul Morris took responsibility for all team affairs and there was a significant improvement in the later stages of the season, culminating in six wins in the last eight matches. The club finished with more wins (ten) and more league points (52) than any of the previously promoted clubs into the second tier. The final game saw club captain Rob Liley reach the 1000 point mark for the club from his four seasons, and the 2000 point mark in an illustrious career before retiring. Clive Griffiths, the Wales defence coach, joined Doncaster as the new Director of Rugby in June 2006, and immediately signed up Jason Forster to join him as forwards coach in a set-up that took its first steps towards professional rugby with over half the squad on full-time contracts.

The newly branded Doncaster Knights exceeded all expectations the following season. After leading the Division going into the New Year the Knights eventually finished in third place with 22 wins and one draw in 30 league matches. Silverware did appear when the Yorkshire Cup was won again, but that season high was tempered by the news that Clive Griffiths was to leave the club to taste Premiership rugby. Jason Forster retired as a player and returned to Wales. Their legacy, however, remains to this day.

A solid if unspectacular side, Donny have finished fifth, seventh, sixth and eighth over the last four seasons, well clear of relegation. They lay claim to be the most promoted club in England, (rising from level ten, Jersey from level eight). Quite how they have found themselves in this position after eight seasons in the second tier is a mystery to supporters as they firmly believe, like Jersey, that they are a better side than the table suggests. Even in the British and Irish Cup, four defeats have come with an aggregate losing margin of only eight points. Since possibly Jersey’s most frustrating defeat away to Donny, the Knights have lost seven from eight, but again can feel aggrieved at only picking up three losing bonus points, where four matches could realistically have been won.

The phrase ‘must win’ is a much overworked phrase, but in a game that neither can afford to lose, it really is a game that to preserve their status in the second tier of English rugby, Jersey have to come out on top. Relying on an away trip to the Cornish Pirates is not something the club would welcome so today’s match really is the crunch. If Jersey’s players and supporters are coming to see a big win over a side beaten, dejected and in poor form, then they need to seriously think again. This is a side who still believe that they can beat the drop, still with a game in hand, and much like our own side feel that the last two home matches should have yielded far more than they received. Only a big victory for Jersey would relegate Doncaster so mathematically it may not be over whatever the result, but realistically Jersey would be safe with a win, as Donny would need big wins away at Bedford and home to Plymouth in the coming week. Due to the weather the final three games in the space of seven days would surely be too much to ask.

Former Welsh supremo, Clive Griffiths returned mid-season, just before the Jersey game, and whilst results have not followed, the defence was shored up and performances improved. The difference in the two sides is marginal at best. Jersey would appear to be the side on the up and in better form but today is a day that the supporters also need to bring their A-game and in big numbers. We turned up in force for the Bristol game, and all saw how close Jersey were in upsetting one of the biggest sides in the country, not just this division. The players and coaching staff have reiterated how important the ‘Fortress St Peter’ factor is, none more so in what is arguably the biggest game ever to be staged in Jersey. On the pitch what we will have in abundance will be heart, but also both sides do possess a great deal of skill that has been hampered by the heavy pitches in what seemed like an endless cold wet winter. Jersey has what it takes to edge this clash but it will not be for the fainthearted.

 

 

Who to look out for.

 

Matt Challinor (captain).

Second Row.

At six feet five and over 18 stone, Doncaster captain Matt Challinor has been an ever present this season for the Knights having started all 19 league games to date. Signed back from Rotherham two seasons ago where he was a player’s player of the year in 2010, the former England under 18 and 20 player has also represented Yorkshire. Once on the books at Leeds, Challinor has been in fine form all season with a number of impressive performances and has recently committed his future to the club after signing a new contract for the next two seasons. The previous coaching regime had no hesitation in asking him to step up from vice-captain to skipper the side for this campaign, having played for Donny in the lower leagues.

 

Dante Mama.

Centre.

Utility back Mama, spent time dual registered between Leicester Tigers and Nottingham. Whilst completing his studies at Loughborough University he also turned out for a very successful ‘Students’ side. Mama was a try scoring part of the Championship Select XV who faced the New Zealand Maori All Blacks at Castle Park last November which included our own Nathan Hannay, having also scored a try for Donny in the home win over Jersey that same month. Priding himself on the mental and physical fitness sides of the game, he is comfortable at both full-back and on the wing. The Nigerian born flyer is also a former Zimbabwean under 18’s and 20’s star, having represented the Great Britain student sevens team, in the World Student games last summer.

 

Tyson Lewis.

Wing.

Donny’s top scorer this season with six tries in the league, matching our own talismanic figures of Guy Thompson and Nicky Griffiths, as well as a couple in the B and I cup. Law graduate Lewis 26, notched an impressive 34 tries for Blackheath during his two seasons with the National One outfit, winning coach’s player of the year awards during his time there, finishing third in the try charts in his second year before stepping up a level to join Plymouth for last season. A talented sevens player, the speedster was one of only two non-Premiership players nominated for the J-P Morgan series player of the year. Lewis joined the Knights at the start of this season scoring the opening try against Jersey at Castle Park when the two met in November.

 

Michael Keating.

Full back.
A product of the Leinster academy, 24 year old Irishman Keating signed last year for the Knights and was pitched straight into the fray when he made his debut in the starting XV against Bristol in the first game of the season. Keating's chances at Leinster were limited due to their first-choice wingers being established Irish internationals Shane Horgan and Luke Fitzgerald, but the former under-20 Irish international  made a big impression on the Championship, scoring ten tries in his debut campaign last year. A shoulder Injury earlier this season has hampered his progress, but he won the man of the match award in his first match back this January to underline his importance to the side.

 

James Tincknell.

Centre/Wing.

Once on the books with Leeds when they were in the Premiership, Tincknell is a former Wharfdale player, one of three in the Donny squad who turned out for them at St Peter last season. Rated as one of the most promising young players in the country, making 13 Premiership appearances before he was involved in a car crash in early 2011. He was in a coma for over a month, before winning the 2011 Blyth Spirit Award, from the Rugby Players’ association. After a long hard recovery that saw him loaned back to hometown club Wharfdale, the six feet four powerhouse scored four tries in ten appearances last term. Only been in the game for five years after giving up professional cricket with Durham, he clearly still has a very bright future.

 

Jamie Lennard.

Fly-half.

Much travelled Fly-half Lennard is back at Doncaster for his second stint at the club after three years away having secured a two year contract with London Irish following his last spell. Lennard is a point scoring machine for the Knights, he has amassed 130 points in 18 league appearances for Knights this season and is one of the divisions best place kickers having notched a record total of 298 points in his last season at Castle Park, earning him the move to Irish. Comfortable at full back, he was also on the books at London Welsh, Worcester, Moseley, Rotherham and last season Bedford, he also represented England under 21’s and at student level.

 

Adam Kettle.

Back Row.

Fans favourite Kettle has been a stand out performer this season for Knights with a series of strong performances. The recruitment consultant has lots of Championship experience having turned out for Bedford, Plymouth and Rotherham in his career. Now in his second spell with the club, Kettle has formed a strong back row partnership with Will Hafu and Chris Planchant that has flourished in recent weeks, known for his powerful ball carrying and big tackles, he is sure to cause Jersey problems.