- Doncaster R.F.C.
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For the Royal Flying Corps airfield, see RFC Doncaster.
Doncaster Castle Club information Full name Doncaster Rugby Football Club Website www.drfc.co.uk Colours Navy blue, red and white Founded 1875 Current details Ground(s) Castle Park Competition RFU Championship 2010–11 6th Doncaster Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club representing the town of Doncaster. The first XV are known as the Doncaster Knights, and play in the RFU Championship. Being the most promoted side in English history has led to huge changes at the Castle Park ground and within the team structure.
Castle Park Conference and Function centre is a multi million pound development and is among the top conference venues in Doncaster, while remaining a supportive place for amateur rugby in the Borough. The club motto "rugby for all" sees amateur side Doncaster Phoenix compete at the same ground, as well as the ladies side Doncaster Demons and every age group from U7 to U17s.
The rise to National League One, from amateur status led to the rebranding of Doncaster RFC to Doncaster Knights for the 2006-07 Season, and that season saw their highest placed finish to date under Clive Griffiths as Director of Rugby. Doncaster also won the Yorkshire Cup.
After the departure of Griffiths to Worcester, the current DOR Lynn Howells joined the club on the eve of the 2007-08 season. Justin Bishop, signed from London Irish, had acted as DOR during the pre-season.
Howells inspired the Knights to almost repeat the 3rd place finish in his first season in charge, and has moulded the squad in his own image for the 2008-09 season. January 9 saw the opening of the new De Mulder-Lloyd Stand at Castle park, a £3m state of the art 1650 seater stand. Driven by CEO James Criddle and funded by Tony De Mulder and Steve Lloyd this has seen Castle Park develop into undoubtedly the best rugby facility in South Yorkshire.
The 2009- 10 Season saw the squad decimated by injuries, with no fewer than 15 unavailable players at one stage from a squad of 32. Despite this, and an inhuman 9 games in 27 days (of which they won 8) the Knights managed the Semi Final of the British and Irish Cup and a promotion Play Off finish. The result of the season being the defeat of Bristol at Castle Park, who like Leeds Carnegie before them underestimated the Knights as home.
The 2010-11 Season is an unknown, with a reduction in playing budget meaning a shuffling of the pack which saw several long serving players move on to other clubs. The captures of the likes of Tristan Roberts and Paul Devlin hint at a more creative side than the powerhouse forward game Doncaster are known for traditionally.
The home of the Knights, Castle Park, featured in and won "4 Weddings" and also hosted the Northern BBC TV news Coverage for Remembrance Day during 2009 showing how for the operational side of the club has come supporting the on the pitch success.
Contents
Current Standings
2011-12 RFU Championship Table watch · edit · discuss Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Bonus Points Points 1 Cornish Pirates 10 6 3 1 293 215 78 5 35 2 Bristol 10 7 0 3 243 205 38 6 34 3 London Welsh 10 6 1 3 286 195 91 7 33 4 Bedford Blues 10 6 1 3 311 230 81 7 33 5 Rotherham Titans 10 6 1 3 261 192 69 6 32 6 Doncaster Knights 10 5 1 4 224 236 -12 6 28 7 Leeds Carnegie 10 6 0 4 209 248 -39 2 26 8 Nottingham 10 4 2 4 252 233 19 4 24 9 Plymouth Albion 10 4 0 6 204 247 -43 2 18 10 London Scottish 10 3 0 7 236 269 -33 6 18 11 Moseley 10 2 1 7 212 281 -69 4 14 12 Esher 10 0 0 10 125 305 -180 0 0 - If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Number of matches won
- Difference between points for and against
- Total number of points for
- Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
- Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background are promotion play-off places. Pink background are relegation play-off places. Current squad
[1] Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under IRB eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-IRB nationality.
Player Position Union Steve Boden Hooker 
EnglandSteven Lawrie Hooker 
ScotlandJack Yeandle Hooker EnglandShane Cahill Prop 
IrelandStuart Corsar Prop ScotlandRoyce Burke-Flynn Prop IrelandAlex Brown Prop EnglandTom Davies Prop 
WalesMatt Challinor Lock EnglandGlen Kenworthy Lock 
New ZealandDominic Parsons Lock EnglandZack Farivars Flanker IrelandLatu Makaa'fi Flanker 
TongaChris Planchant Flanker EnglandDavid Bradford Flanker EnglandPlayer Position Union Michael Noone Flanker IrelandAndy Boyde Number 8 EnglandChris Hallam Scrum-half EnglandNathan Jones Scrum-half EnglandLee Audis Scrum-half EnglandMichael Whitehead Fly-half EnglandPaul Devlin Centre IrelandOli Goss Centre EnglandPJ Gidlow Centre New ZealandDouglas Flockhart Wing ScotlandAndy Wright Wing EnglandMichael Keating Wing IrelandBen Toft Wing EnglandDavid McIlwaine Fullback IrelandTransfers In 10-11
- Matt Challinor from Rotherham Titans
- Latu Makaafi from Wharfendale RUFC
- Paul Devlin from Cornish Pirates
- Dominic Parsons from Sheffield Tigers
- Tristan Roberts from Moseley RFC
- Ed Jackson from Bath Rugby
- Nathan Jones from Coventry RFC
- James Craig from Leeds Carnegie (dual-registered)
- Chris Walker from Leeds Carnegie (dual-registered)
- Christian Lewis-Pratt from Leeds Carnegie (dual-registered)
Transfers In 11-12
Transfers Out 10-11
- Simon Grainger to Cardiff RFC
- Ngalu Tau to Pertemps Bees
- Bryn Griffiths to Cardiff Blues
- Tom Davies to Cardiff Blues
- Nicky Griffiths to Newport Gwent Dragons
- Ali Warnock (Released)
- Adam Kettle Rotherham Titans
- Anthony Carter to Moseley RFC
- Bevon Armitage to Moseley RFC
- Glen Townson to Newcastle Falcons
- Hudson Tonga'uiha to London Welsh
- Matt D'arcy (Released)
- Toma Toke (released)
References
- ^ "1st XV Squad". DRFC.co.uk. http://www.drfc.co.uk/1STXV/1stXVSquad/. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
- ^ http://www.drfc.co.uk/About-Us/News/2011/May/Leinster-Winger-signs-3705
External links
RFU Championship 2011-12 Teams Bedford Blues · Bristol · Cornish Pirates · Doncaster Knights · Esher · Leeds Carnegie · London Scottish · London Welsh · Moseley · Nottingham · Plymouth Albion · Rotherham Titans ·Seasons Rugby union in England Governing body Rugby Football Union • Rugby Football Union for WomenNational teams England • England Saxons • 7's • U-20 • U-21 • U-19 • U-18 • Schoolboys • Women's • British and Irish Lions • England Counties XVCompetition Divisions Premiership • National Leagues • London and SE Division • Northern Division • Midland Division • South West DivisionNational Competitions Aviva Premiership • LV Cup • The Championship • British and Irish Cup • National League 1 • National League 2 North • National League 2 South • National League 3 Midlands • National League 3 North • National League 3 South East • National League 3 South West • EDF Energy TrophyLondon and South East Competitions London 1 North • London 1 South • London 2 North East • London 2 North West • London 2 South East • London 2 South West • London 3 North East • London 3 North West • London 3 South East • London 3 South West • Eastern Counties 1 • Eastern Counties 2 • Essex Canterbury Jack 1 • Essex Spitfire 2 • Hampshire 1 • Hampshire 2 • Herts/Middlesex 1 • Herts/Middlesex 2 • Herts/Middlesex 3 • Herts/Middlesex 4 • Shepherd Neame Kent 1 • Shepherd Neame Kent 2 • Surrey 1 • Surrey 2 • Surrey 3 • Surrey 4 • Sussex Spitfire 1Midland Competitions Midlands 1 West • Midlands 1 East • Midlands 2 West (South) • Midlands 2 West (North) • Midlands 2 East (South) • Midlands 2 East (North) • Midlands 3 West (North) • Midlands 3 West (South) • Midlands 3 East (North) • Midlands 3 East (South) • Midlands 4 West (North) • Midlands 4 West (South) • Midlands 4 East (North) • Midlands 4 East (South) • Midlands 5 West (North) • Midlands 5 West (South) • Midlands 5 East (North) • Midlands 5 East (South)Northern Competitions North 1 East • North 1 West • North Lancashire/Cumbria • North Lancashire 1 • North Lancashire 2 • Cumbria • South Lancs/Cheshire 1 • South Lancs/Cheshire 2 • South Lancs/Cheshire 3 • Durham/Northumberland 1 • Durham/Northumberland 2 • Durham/Northumberland 3 • Yorkshire 1 • Yorkshire 2 • Yorkshire 3 • Yorkshire 4 • Yorkshire 5 • Yorkshire 6South West Competitions South West 1 East • Tribute South West 1 West • Southern Counties North • Southern Counties South • Tribute Western Counties North • Tribute Western Counties West • Tribute Cornwall/Devon • Tribute Cornwall 1 • Tribute Cornwall 2 • Tribute Devon 1 North and East • Tribute Devon 1 South and West • Gloucester Premier • Gloucester 1 • Gloucester 2 • Gloucester 3 • Tribute Somerset Premier • Tribute Somerset 1 • Tribute Somerset 2 North • Tribute Somerset 2 South • Tribute Somerset 3 North • Tribute Somerset 3 South • Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier • Berks/Bucks & Oxon Prem A • Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 North • Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 South • Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2 North • Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2 South • Dorset & Wilts 1 North • Dorset & Wilts 1 South • Dorset & Wilts 2 North • Dorset & Wilts 2 South • Dorset & Wilts 3 North • Dorset & Wilts 3 South • Dorset & Wilts 3 WestCounty Competitions County Championship Cup • County Championship Shield • County Championship PlateRelated articles International playersCategories:- Sports clubs established in 1875
- English rugby union teams
- Sport in Doncaster
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