Doncaster Knights set for Canada clash

Doncaster Knights will break new ground at Castle Park tomorrow (2.30pm) when taking on a national side for the first time in their history.
Clive GriffithsClive Griffiths
Clive Griffiths

They take on the touring Canada side in the second of their three warm-up games.

Knights will lack skipper Michael Hills, injured in the 34-12 pre-season game at Newcastle last weekend.

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Hill will miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury.

However, the Castle Park club are boosted by the availability of several other players including Alex Shaw.

“I don’t think the score reflected the game but at the end of the day it was more about giving everyone who was available a run-out,” said director of rugby Clive Griffiths.

“The boys, and lads such as Colin Quigley and WillGriff John had been a bit under the weather in midweek, had a dig and were not disgraced.

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“The game highlighted some things that we need to work on but that is what you expect from these sorts of games and it will be the same against Canada tomorrow.”

The game will give both the club’s new signings and players who missed much of the second half of last season due to injury the chance to impress Griffiths, in what he predicts will be a physical game.

“The likes of Sam Edgerley and Simon Humberstone both showed a bit of rustiness in certain situations they were put in and, on another day, they might have made different decisions,” he said.

“The new signings such as Sean Scanlon and Lloyd Hayes did okay but they didn’t have outstanding games and were just playing themselves in.

“Everyone will have benefitted from the chance to blow away a few cobwebs.”