Doncaster Knights boosted as key trio prepare to return

Doncaster Knights complete their pre-season build-up when entertaining Darlington Mowden Park on Saturday (2.30pm).
Clive Griffiths, Doncaster Knights Director of Rugby. Picture: Marie Caley NDFP Knights Training MC 17Clive Griffiths, Doncaster Knights Director of Rugby. Picture: Marie Caley NDFP Knights Training MC 17
Clive Griffiths, Doncaster Knights Director of Rugby. Picture: Marie Caley NDFP Knights Training MC 17

Knights are expected to be boosted by the return of wing/full-back Dougie Flockhart, centre/wing Andy Bulumakau and prop Colin Quigley.

Director of rugby Clive Griffiths will make a late decision on veteran Leicester forward Freddie Tuilagi.

“I withdrew him from the Canada game as I felt another week of training with us would be advantageous in order to see the best of him,” he said.

“I didn’t want people to think he was past it.

“If he does get time on the paddock then we’d have to make a decision as to what to do with him.”

Having played 26 players last weekend, Griffiths told The Star he planned to use far fewer this weekend.

“Not only will I be selecting fewer players but there will be less inter-changes,” he said.

“It won’t be the exact team which plays against London Irish – but it will certainly be more representative of it than in our previous two games.

“There are still one or two positions I’m still not sure about and players still have the chance to force their way into the 22-man squad to face Irish.

“Having said that, I’m not going to forget the contributions and hard work put in by the players both last year and in previous seasons because I know what they can do and sometimes (as a coach) you go for the tried and tested.

“But obviously I will take into account how the newcomers play and they’ll all get the chance to show what they can do as the season progresses.”