Doncaster Knights cut loose on Bedford Blues to show damage they're capable of inflicting
A fortnight ago, Doncaster produced their best performanceof the season when Cornish Pirates were beaten 44-12 at Castle Park, but this destruction of Bedford, third in the league and one of its best attacking sides, was even better.
Bedford were ripped apart and smashed by eight tries to two as Castle Park saw in consecutive home games just what Doncaster are capable of when collectively their attack and defence works superlatively.
The Knights remain in 10th place, but the recent, big improvement in form has increased the determination to reach the play-offs by finishing in the top six; with nine games remaining of the regular league season, Doncaster are now on 42 points, 12 points behind Chinnor, currently sixth, and their opponents this Saturday in Oxfordshire.
In a dominant all-round display, Doncaster’s forwards created two tries each for hooker Ben Chapman and flanker Rhys Tait, and as the Knights attacked relentlessly, there were individual tries for winger Ryan Olowofela, centre Connor Edwards, full-back Telusa Veainu, running the length of the field, and at the climax, winger Zach Kerr grabbed the eighth. Doncaster’s pack controlled events, creating a 12-5 lead at the interval, but it was in the second half that the Knights exploded, scoring six tries.
Arguably, the most spectacular effort was by Veainu, and given his background in New Zealand and at Leicester Tigers, he must be the best full-back in the Champ and a player who plays so consistently well for Doncaster.
As Bedford attacked Doncaster’s line, Veainu intercepted a pass and then dashed 100 metres to touch down having outpaced Bedford’s defenders.
Among an impressive performance by the pack, hooker Chapman, 24, stood out with two tries.
“The target is to finish in the top six, so we have to focus on that in the next few weeks,” he said. “This performance is what we need to reproduce.
“The forwards were brilliant against Bedford, and we’ve been working hard on our mauling and it’s showing.”