Doncaster wary of trapdoor as crucial run begins

Doncaster have lost their last two and sit precariously in eighth position with the top eight at the end of the campaign playing for promotion and the bottom four left to fight against relegation.

Conventional wisdom suggests Plymouth, London Scottish, Moseley and Esher are the clubs destined for the bottom four, but with Moseley having defeated Bristol recently, Davey knows nothing can be taken for granted.

After today’s visit of promotion-candidates Cornish Pirates, Doncaster face three of the bottom four away from home before the end of the year.

Davey, whose side have a cushion of nine points at the halfway stage, said: “These next six games are big for us.

“We could easily have another six, seven, eight league points on the board. You always want more, but in this business you’ve got to be greedy.

“On a financial basis we are a long way down the league in terms of salaries, and we’ve said all along the players have been really good this year.

“I cannot fault their effort. London Welsh didn’t beat us recently, we beat ourselves, and you could argue the same point against Rotherham last week.

“Having said that, we’ve been lucky with injuries, we’ve looked after the players as we’ve gone through training and we’re doing all right.”

Davey welcomes back David Bradford at openside flanker with the Hall Cross School duo of Tom Davies and Chris Planchant also returning to the starting line-up.

Full-back David McIlwaine and fly-half Tom Luke have shaken off knocks sustained in the defeat at Rotherham, and will start.

Wharfedale look to put a little breathing space between themselves and the bottom three when they visit Cambridge in National One.

Captain Rob Baldwin and Richard Brown swap back to their more accustomed roles at No 8 and lock respectively.

Steve Graham starts at hooker, switching with Ben Sowrey who is on the bench, where he is joined by Richard Rhodes and Dan Solomi, who are both back from injury.

Four Yorkshire clubs occupy the bottom five positions in National Two North.

Sheffield Tigers are one of the sides in trouble, ahead of their visit to fellow strugglers Kendal.

Hull Ionians, Harrogate and Otley are other White Rose sides in need of points.

Third-placed Huddersfield can strengthen their promotion push at home to Nuneaton.