Knights going for impossible dream

“It is a massive game for us and we are aware of just how good they are. Indeed many people feel that the current side is stronger than that which played in the Premiership last season,” said the Doncaster No 8.

“They have won all their first six games and picked up maximum bonus points and people are talking of them not only winnning every game this season but also picking up a bonus point in every game as well.

“They are obviously a good side but it is a huge ask of any side to go through a season unbeaten and we’ll be gunning for them when they come up to Castle Park in the New Year.

“Hopefully we’ll already have claimed their scalp before then in tomorrow’s game. We’ve got absolutely nothing to lose and there is no pressure on us because nobody expects us to beat them. But we’ll be giving it a damn good show and hopefully we will come away with the points.

“We are where we wanted to be in the league at this stage of the season apart from the fact that we are a point behind Northampton.

“We would have preferred to have been playing better than we have, especially at home, and had some tougher games in the run-up to tomorrow’s game.

“No disrespect to the teams that we’ve played but they were games that we were expected to win. It would probably have been nice to have been tested a bit more. Northampton have played both Plymouth and Cornish Pirates so they’ll probably be more primed than ourselves

“But we are not letting ourselves become overawed by Northampton’s past or present record as at this moment in time they are in the same league as ourselves and just one point ahead of us.

“Even though it is an intimidating place to go, with a crowd of 12,000 expected, there is a lot of experience in the squad and we are all looking forward to the game.

“But we know that we are going to have to be on the top of our game - particularly in defence - if we are going to beat them. We’ve spoken to players at other clubs who have played against them this season and they all say that Northampton are very clinical when it comes to punishing mistakes.

“We have got to be equally clinical when it comes to converting any scoring opportunities which come our way because we know that they will be limited.”

One man who knows more than most in League One what it is like to play at Franklin’s Gardens is Knights scrum-half Ben Jones, who has recently returned to action after breaking his hand in the opening game of the season.

Jones quit the Saints last season in search of regular first-team rugby and has come on in leaps and bounds during the last 12 months.

“Ben is definately a better player than he was when he first came and could play Premiership rugby,” said Wilson.

Sheffield Colts tie

DONCASTER RUFC will entertain Sheffeld in the second round of the English Clubs’ Colts KO Cup on or before October 21.

Only Leeds from the Northern region have ever won the trophy.