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Doncaster in advanced talks with ex-England wing Semesa Rokoduguni

By Jon Newcombe
Semesa Rokoduguni playing for England in 2016 (Photo by Visionhaus/Corbis via Getty Images)

Doncaster Knights look set to enter the transfer market again with veterans Semesa Rokoduguni and Logovi’i Mulipola lined up as potential high-profile signings by the Championship club. Rokoduguni was one of the deadliest wingers in the Gallagher Premiership for Bath before injuries blighted the end of his decade-long stay at The Rec.

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A posterior cruciate ligament injury virtually wiped out the whole of his 2018/19 season and while he never regained his top-end speed, Rokoduguni’s elusive running style and ability to bump off defenders ensured he remained a threat.

Whilst in the Premiership, Rokoduguni earned international recognition with England, winning four caps. He cemented his status as a fan favourite, scoring over 70 tries for Bath in all competitions while he also continued to serve as a lance corporal in the British army.

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Now 36, Rokoduguni has spent the last two seasons with relegation-doomed Montauban in France’s Pro D2, scoring 10 tries in 44 games, but he is on the verge of a dramatic return to England with the Yorkshire outfit.

Mulipola, meanwhile, has a wealth of experience having spent 10 seasons in the Premiership – at Leicester and Newcastle for the most part, together with loan deals at Gloucester and latterly Saracens.

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The 33-cap Samoan prop, who is a year older than Rokoduguni, has been with the reigning English champions since December. Mulipola can play on both sides of the scrum and has over 160 Premiership games under his belt.

Spearheaded by Ian McGeechan, Doncaster are on a recruitment drive for the 2024/25 season as they make a push for promotion to the Premiership. The Knights have already announced the signing of nine new players in a bid to improve on this season’s sixth-place finish in the Championship.

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In the forwards, former Jersey Reds and Leicester back row Thom Smith returns to Castle Park for a second spell, lock Cory Teague has been signed from Exeter Chiefs, while Bristol hooker Fred Davies and Scarlets tight-head Joe Jones will bolster the front row.

Also arriving in the summer are Newcastle utility back George Wacokecoke and Northern Irish winger Zack Kerr, Bath full-back Brendan Owen and Nottingham pair, fly-half Morgan Bunting and centre/wing Jordon Olowofela.

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Shaylen 9 hours ago
Should rugby take the road less travelled?

If rugby chooses to embrace flair then it may err too much towards it and may become too much like league with the set piece becoming inconsequential in which case it becomes repetitive. If rugby chooses power then it becomes a slow drab affair with endless amounts of big men coming off the bench. Rugby needs to embrace both sides of the coin. It needs to have laws receptive to the power game but also laws that appreciate flair and running rugby. Where contrasting styles meet it generates interest because one side could beat the other with completely different plans as long as they execute their gameplan better and show great skill within their own plan. The maul and scrum should not be depowered at the same time laws that protect the team in possession should also be put in place with a clear emphasis to clean up and simplify the ruck and favour the attacking side while allowing a fair chance for the poacher to have an impact. Thus we set the stage between teams that want to build phases vs teams that want dominance in the set piece who slow the game down and play more without the ball off counterattack. The game needs to allow each type of team an opportunity to dominate the other. It needs to be a game for all shapes and sizes, for the agile and the less subtle. It needs to be a game of skill that also embraces the simplicity of the little things that allows teams of all qualities to stand a chance.

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