In their Betfred Championship match at the Eco-Power Stadium, Doncaster RLFC defeated bogey side Sheffield Eagles 19-6, bouncing back from a shocking 66-0 thumping at York Knights.
“We requested a response, and we received one,” said head coach Richard Horne with a smile. “The players followed our instructions, and we were strong overall. When we were ahead 10-0, they had the opportunity to start shifting the ball and throwing some offloads, but they adhered to the game plan.
For some players, the York game likely served as a wake-up call regarding their game preparation. With lads skipping practice because of employment obligations, we had a difficult week leading up to that game.
“There’s nothing we can do about it. It’s frustrating but that’s part-time rugby. We spoke in midweek about needing all the players at the sessions for us to improve and to be able to compete at this level. We showed again today that when we get it right we are a hard team to beat and breakdown.
“Both teams had completion rates of 95 per cent at half-time and that’s very rare. It was a tough, physical game, which we knew it would be, but there was a lot of good football.
“I think defensively we dealt with their shifts (in play) very well. They are always a hard side to defend against because they can attack from their own 20 given an opportunity.
“We controlled our sets and also took our chances, which we’ve probably been a bit guilty not doing so well in some previous games.”
Edene Gebbe, a two-try winger, performed best when wearing a Doncaster shirt. Horne remarked, “He’s one of those players who is a threat if he shows up and plays.” “We simply need to make an effort to get a tune out of him each week.”
Tyla Hepi of New Zealand made his comeback in the game following his second ACL injury.
Horne remarked, “It was great to see him back out there. He played more minutes than we anticipated and was beaming after the game.” He’s excellent with the team and has good character both on and off the pitch.
In addition to adding a new dimension to our play, he sets expectations, plays at a hundred miles per hour, and wants everyone else to follow suit. If they don’t, he gives it to them.
Strong-running forward Brad Knowles hurt himself during the warm-up, joining forwards Pauli Pauli, Sam Smeaton, and Isaac Misky on the sidelines. This was a major blow for the Dons.
