Tigers set for Roses clashes
11:31am Thursday 13th April 2006 in Sport By Peter Collins
RELEGATION may no longer be an issue, but Sedgley Park are intent on winning their last three games in order to avoid what would have been the bottom two relegation places in National League Division One.
Two of those matches will be Roses clashes against Yorkshire sides, first up being Doncaster, who descend on Park Lane on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm) on the back of a friendly 38-7 win over the Netherlands last weekend, and having won their last four league games "Doncaster seem to be improving each week," said Tigers' coach Tim Fourie.
"However, they have the luxury of a big squad to choose from.
"We went to watch them play the Netherlands and not many first choice players started, which shows their strength in depth.
"Although I must admit, I think when we played them at their place at Christmas they got a bit of help.
"They were gifted seven points through a penalty try and we had Richard Senior and Jimmy Ponton yellow-carded and ended up playing with just 14 men for 20 minutes.
"In the end they beat us by 13 points. But take away those seven points and the 20-minute man advantage and it could have been a different result.
"They are strong in all departments. They can play the catch-and-drive game but they also try to keep the ball alive in the tackle like Harlequins do.
"They are a good club with quality players and they have always been interesting games between us, real Roses derby games, especially as we have Richard Senior in our ranks who, of course, used to captain them.
"They were due to play Wharfedale on Wednesday night in the Yorkshire Cup, so I don't know if that is likely to affect them."
One player who may well prove a threat to the Tigers is Oliver Cook, a second row/back row that Donny have turned into a winger!
l Turn to Page 60 While injuries look like depriving Fourie of important players.
Skipper Jimmy Ponton is out with a shoulder injury, while winger Chris Hall is back training after undergoing a knee operation but is still doubtful.
Phil Jones was due to be given the all-clear from his doctor to play after sustaining a concussion against Quins, but loan signing Sean Cox is unavailable.
"We are especially thin on the ground in the backs," he confirmed.
"I mean against Quins we had three scrum-halves on the field.
"Chris Wilkinson started on the wing because the wingers we have got have stopped turning up for training and haven't been in touch.
"Jamie Albinson started at nine but then moved to ten when Jonesy was injured, and replacing him at scrum-half was Dave McCormack."
But Fourie being Fourie, he remained ever hopeful and bullish.
"If we can get back to the kind of rugby we played in the opening ten minutes against Quins, before Skurrsy got sin-binned and we dropped our heads, and for the 80 minutes against Penzance and Exeter, we can beat Doncaster and then go on to beat Plymouth and Rotherham.
"All three teams are beatable and we want to finish above the bottom two places as a matter of pride."
As for being selected once more for the Red Rose County's County Championship campaign, he said: "I'm too old for this now, so it will be my last season playing for Lancashire."
SEDGLEY PARK (from): De Jager, Feeley, Voortman, Woof, Hall, Jones, J. Albinson, Gazzola, Oxley, Evans, Fourie, Lund, Senior, Anania, Skurr, Roberts, Keys, du Plessis, Thomas, McCormack, Wilkinson, Rowe, Livesey
