Doncaster Knights

For the Royal Flying Corps airfield, see RFC Doncaster.

Doncaster Knights Rugby Football Club (formerly, Doncaster RFC) are a professional rugby union club representing the city of Doncaster, England. The club play in the 2nd division of English rugby, 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.

Doncaster Knights

Full name	Doncaster Knights Rugby Football Club
Union	Yorkshire RFU
Nickname(s)	Knights
Founded	1875 (1875)
Location	Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England
Ground(s)	Castle Park (Capacity: 5,000 (1,650 seated)
Director of Rugby	Ian McGeechan
Coach(es)	Joe Ford
League(s)	RFU Championship
2023–24	6th
Team kit
Official website
www.drfc.co.uk

Castle Park Conference and Function centre is a multimillion-pound development and is among the top conference venues in Doncaster, while remaining a supportive place for amateur rugby union in the city. 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 under-7 to under-17s.

History

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. In the same season, Doncaster also won the Yorkshire Cup.

After the departure of Griffiths to Worcester, the former Director of Rugby, 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. 9 January saw the opening of the new De Mulder-Lloyd Stand at Castle park, a £3 million 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 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.

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 playing nine games in 27 days (of which they won eight) 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 and 2011–12 seasons were very average seasons with the Knights managing mid table status and avoiding the relegation playoffs 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 hinted at a more creative side than the powerhouse forward game Doncaster are known for traditionally.

The 2012–13 season saw the Knights have a disappointing season with only three wins and a draw out of twenty two league matches and two wins from six in the British and Irish Cup competition which resulted in relegation (for the first time in Doncaster history) back to National League 1. One of the few highlights being a win over local rivals Leeds Carnegie 23–17 in February 2013.

For the 2013–14 season DOR Clive Griffiths signed a variety of new and returning players including Mat Clark, Paul Jarvis, Bevon Armitage, Roberto Santamaria and Bruno Bravo who would all feature as regulars in the coming season. The season looked to begin badly for the Knights as they were once again plagued by injuries particularly in the forwards but still with an intention to be the first team to secure promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking. The Knights started strongly recording seven straight wins before losing away to Henley Hawks 11–10 in a close fought game. The Knights campaign continued strongly at home although with away losses to Blaydon and Wharfedale they could not fully pull away from the following pack. With further signings during the year, such as former British Lion Darren Morris, London Irish back row Danny Kenny, Argentinian-Italian prop Santiago Sodini and the return of former Knight Richard List from RC Narbonne to bolster the injury prone team, the Knights continued to be the team to beat having been top of the table for the majority of the season.

In late March 2014 with only four games left to play of the season there were only two teams (Rosslyn Park & the Knights) left with the potential to win the league and with them due to meet on 29 March many believed that this could be the most important match of the season. The game resulted in a win for Rosslyn Park and meant the Knights would need to win all three of their remaining matches to guarantee promotion. With a win over Wharfedale (57–17) at home to secure a 100% home win record for the season followed by away wins against Coventry (17–18) & Blackheath (20–38) the Knights secured promotion back to the Championship despite having lost one more game than Rosslyn Park (having achieved more bonus points to be three points clear).

During the 2013–14 season Tyson Lewis was the top try scorer for National League 1 with 22 tries and his teammate Mat Clark was equal second on 20 tries. Tyson also achieved Guinness World Record fame for "The fastest time to score a try in a rugby union match". The try was scored direct from the opening kick off in 7.24 seconds (Doncaster Knights vs Old Albanians at Wollam Playing Fields, St Albans, UK, on 23 November 2013).

Honours

Doncaster Knights

• Yorkshire Cup winners (4): 1999, 2000, 2007, 2008
• North East 2 Champions: 1992–93
• North East 1 Champions: 1993–94
• North Division 2 champions: 1996–97
• North Division 1 champions: 1998–99
• National League 3 North champions: 2001–02
• National League 1 (formerly National Division 2) champions (2): 2004–05, 2013–14

Doncaster Phoenix (amateur side)

• Yorkshire 6 champions: 1999–00
• Yorkshire 1 champions: 2014–15
• North 1 East champions: 2015–16

Current standings

2024–25 RFU Championship table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Coventry	5	5	0	0	171	74	+97	4	0	24	Promotion place
2	Ealing Trailfinders	5	4	0	1	247	102	+145	5	1	22
3	Bedford Blues	5	4	0	1	149	138	+11	4	0	20
4	Hartpury University	5	3	0	2	164	152	+12	4	1	17
5	Nottingham	5	3	0	2	155	102	+53	3	1	16
6	Chinnor	5	2	0	3	150	134	+16	3	1	12
7	London Scottish	5	2	0	3	104	142	−38	2	1	11
8	Ampthill	5	2	0	3	109	223	−114	3	0	11
9	Doncaster Knights	5	2	0	3	113	142	−29	2	0	10
10	Cambridge	5	2	0	3	108	179	−71	2	0	10
11	Cornish Pirates	5	1	0	4	109	130	−21	2	3	9
12	Caldy	5	0	0	5	91	152	−61	0	2	2	Relegation place

Updated to match(es) played on 19 October 2024. Source: Source: RFU Championship
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

1. Number of matches won
2. Difference between points for and against
3. Total number of points for
4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Current squad

For player movements before or during the 2023–24 season, see List of 2023–24 RFU Championship transfers § Doncaster Knights.

The Doncaster Knights squad for the 2024-25 season.

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Ben Chapman Hooker England Fred Davies Hooker England George Roberts Hooker Wales Conor Davidson Prop Australia Joe Jones Prop Wales Jasper McGuire Prop England Calvin Mitchell Prop England Logovi'i Mulipola Prop Samoa Lewis Thiede Prop England Andrew Turner Prop England James Harrison Lock England Ben Murphy Lock Wales Taniela Ramasibana Lock Fiji Cory Teague Lock England Josh Williams Lock England Arthur Green Back row England Adam Hopkinson Back row England Archie Smeaton Back row England Thom Smith Back row England Morgan Strong Back row Wales Rhys Tait Back row Scotland

Player Position Union Alex Dolly Scrum-half Australia Oliver Fox Scrum-half England Will Metcalfe Scrum-half England Russell Bennett Fly-half England Morgan Bunting Fly-half England Connor Edwards Centre Wales Zach Kerr Centre Ireland Will Parry Centre England Sai Tobeyaweni Centre Fiji Malakai Wacokecoke Centre England Westleigh Alleyne Holden Wing England Semesa Rokoduguni Wing Fiji Koloti Veainu Wing Tonga Harry Davey Fullback England Jordan Olowofela Fullback England

Past performance

Year	Tier	Division	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts	Notes
2023-24	2	English Championship	20	11	1	8	509	529	-20	9	2	57	Finished 6th
2022-23	2	English Championship	22	10	0	12	565	583	-18	9	3	52	Finished 6th
2021-22	2	English Championship	20*	17	0	3	524	322	202	9	0	77	Finished 2nd
2020-21	2	English Championship	10*	8	0	2	236	225	11	4	0	36	Finished 3rd
2019-20	2	English Championship	15*	6	0	9	268	351	-83	3	1	28	Finished 10th on 36.84pts*
2018-19	2	English Championship	22	8	0	14	546	617	-71	6	4	42	Finished 10th
2017-18	2	English Championship	22	9	1	12	582	615	-33	13	6	57	Finished 7th
2016–17	2	English Championship	20*	12	0	8	514	424	90	9	1	58	Finished 4th
2015–16	2	English Championship	22	15	2	5	588	470	118	10	5	79	Finished 2nd
2014–15	2	English Championship	22	8	1	13	429	481	−52	3	6	43	Finished 9th
2013–14	3	National League 1	30	25	0	5	943	487	456	18	4	122	Promoted to Championship as champions
2012–13	2	English Championship	22	3	1	18	364	592	−228	2	7	23	Relegated to National League 1
2011–12	2	English Championship	22	9	2	11	467	524	−57	7	3	50
2010–11	2	English Championship	22	9	0	13	572	576	−4	7	8	51
2009–10	2	English Championship	22	10	0	12	394	386	8	2	6	48
2008–09	2	National 1	30	21	2	7	895	571	324	14	3	105
2007-08	2	National 1	30	21	0	9	796	551	245	12	2	98
2006-07	2	National 1	30	22	1	7	855	474	381	16	4	110	1st Season as Doncaster Knights
2005-06	2	National 1	26	10	1	15	555	699	−144	5	5	52
2004-05	3	National 2	26	23	1	2	818	379	439	11	1	106	Promoted to National 1 as champions
2003–04	3	National 2	26	17	0	9	692	487	205	–	–	34
2002–03	3	National 2	26	14	0	12	630	551	79	–	–	28
2001–02	4	National 3 North	26	25	0	1	1074	357	717	–	–	50	Promoted to National 2 as champions
2000–01	4	National 3 North	23	16	1	6	584	364	220	–	–	33
1999–2000	4	National 2 North	26	12	2	12	656	539	117	–	–	26
1998–99	5	North 1	22	18	1	3	550	214	336	–	–	37	Promoted to National 2 North as champions
1997–98	5	North 1	22	17	2	3	489	285	204	–	–	36
1996–97	6	North 2	22	22	0	0	690	259	431	–	–	44	Promoted to North 1 as champions
1995–96	6	North 2	12	4	2	6	183	168	15	–	–	10
1994–95	6	North 2	12	7	0	5	136	155	−19	–	–	14
1993–94	7	North East 1	12	11	0	1	232	70	162	–	–	22	Promoted to North 2
1992–93	8	North East 2	12	11	0	1	294	39	255	–	–	22	Promoted to North East 1
1991–92
1990–91
1989–90
1988–89
1987–88	10	Yorkshire 2

• 2016-17 - Season shortened to 20 games due to London Welsh going into liquidation and being removed from the league by the RFU.

• 2019-20 - Season cut short due to Covid pandemic and final positions were determined by a best playing record formulae. Doncaster were 9th on 28pts when season was suspended but finished 10th on 36.84pts after formula was applied and a 5pt deduction imposed for use of an unregistered agent.

• 2020-21 - Season was truncated due to ongoing pandemic and teams only played each other once either home or away. London Scottish declined to participate due to pandemic costs so only 11 teams took part.

• 2021-22 - Due to Saracens being promoted but no team being relegated from the Premiership the league consisted of 11 teams.
• 2023-24 - Due to the financial collapse of Jersey Reds early in the season, the league was reduced to 11 and therefore, no promotion or demotion would occur. Chinnor RFC were promoted from National 1 and will play in the 2024-25 season.

External links

• Official website