Chance for Knights to enhance their bid for semi-finals

Both sides have one win from their first two games in the Championship’s promotion play-offs and know a victory today will set them up handily for the second half of the post-season campaign.

Two qualifying places are up for grabs at the end of the six-match group stage with Doncaster outsiders to make the semi-finals.

Yet their win over Rotherham and Bedford’s surprise defeat to Cornish Pirates means home advantage today must not be squandered.

Doncaster chairman Steve Lloyd has announced he will be stepping down at the end of the season, but will not be ending his financial commitment to the club.

Rotherham visit the Pirates in the other Pool B game, a match to be televised on Sky Sports tomorrow afternoon.

Spencer Fearn, who only joined the Titans board six months ago, has left the club to concentrate on his other businesses.

Leeds Carnegie’s relegation rivals Newcastle have announced the signing of centre Ryan Shortland from New Zealand provincial side Otago.

Shortland, who is English-qualified, switched codes in 2008 after stints with rugby league clubs Melbourne Storm and New Zealand Warriors.

The 29-year-old was part of Otago’s 2009 Air New Zealand Cup team.

Newcastle head coach Alan Tait, whose side visit Saracens tomorrow in their continuing battle against the drop, said: “He has been scoring tries for the (New South Wales) Waratahs A team, and he has recently been training with their first team.”

Steve Meehan has predicted “a big collision” when Premiership heavyweights Bath and Leicester clash at the Recreation Ground tomorrow.

The fierce rivals – clubs with 15 league titles between them – might end up playing each other in the title play-offs for a third successive season.

Leicester head to the Recreation Ground as Premiership leaders, two points above second-placed Saracens, while Bath could reclaim fourth spot from Northampton if they win.

“We have two clubs who go hammer and tongs at each other, so it’s going to be a big collision,” said Bath head coach Meehan.

“Bath and Leicester are the only two sides who have made the (Premiership) semi-finals in each of the last three years. The matches in those times have had a lot riding on them, obviously.

“Two of those three semi-finals have been against Leicester at Welford Road, and some of the rugby we have seen in these (and other) games has been absolutely magical.”