Doncaster Knights: Players give early Christmas present to supporters

There was a surprise present for the 300 or so who had booked the pre-match Christmas Lunch at Castle Park on Saturday.
Clive GriffithsClive Griffiths
Clive Griffiths

Along with the scheduled entertainment the diners got the chance to socialise with the Doncaster Knights players and officials as a result of their scheduled B&I Cup game against London Welsh having been called off.

“The full squad trained in the morning and, along with the backroom staff, we attended the lunch in the afternoon,” said director of rugby Clive Griffiths. “It was good for team spirit and there was an excellent response to the squad being there.”

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There was much talk among supporters during lunch about the club’s Boxing Day derby against Rotherham Titans at Clifton Lane.

Griffiths says he is treating the short trip down the M18 as just another game, but he is also aware of the Boxing Day tradition in both football and the two rugby codes.

“I remember playing in big games in Wales in my rugby union days and also in the St Helens-Wigan rugby league derbies,” he said.

“There was always something special about playing on Boxing Day and that a win was like giving your supporters an extra Christmas present and that’s what we’ll be looking to do against Rotherham.”

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Although Griffiths would take a win under any circumstances, he says he would prefer to do so in style and is hoping that the predicted wet and windy weather for the festive period fails to materialise.

“You want to try and put on a good game for both sets of supporters and you’ve got a better chance of that being the case if the pitch is in good condition,” he said.