The update - December; Back to the Championship

December is almost here, and with it we return to the serious business of the Championship. The middle third of the season looks a little different this year: what does it have in store?By the time Saturday's squad to play Doncaster is announced on Friday we shall be in December, and into the middle section of the Championship season. Inevitably, once into the new year I will become fragmented, due to recovery weeks, other competitions, and the second tranche of Championship Cup matches, but for once we have a pretty solid December, with four matches to look forward to.

First up, and probably the biggest match of the month is the visit of Doncaster Knights to the BPA on Saturday 3rd December. They will doubtless bring their aggressive forward-driven approach, which won them a 22-7 win at Castle Park a month ago in the cup, but this is at the BPA, in front of a much larger home crowd, and hopefully with a more complete Coventry squad, through to #23. Doncaster started the season poorly, especially when compared with their second place last season, but have now got well into their stride, and will be looking to climb from sixth place.

The pitch will be standard, the forecast is cool and dry with a light wind, and the teams well balanced although very different. This could well be one of the matches of the season.

The following week, on 10th, we have the away trip for this season to the relatively local Hartpiry University. This has not béen a happy hunting ground for Coventry, and although they are languishing down in 10th place I wouldn't like to predict anything about this match before the team list shows now many, and which, of Gloucester's academy players will run out onto the pitch.

 17th December will see Richmond RFC visiting the BPA for our pre Christmas match. Richmond have been improving their performances since the start of the season, and are now up to 8th, but I hope we will be celebrating after the game.

Their's no match on Christmas Eve, nor for that matter New Year's Eve, but we do get one more match in December - a relatively local away derby at Nottingham on Boxing Day. Nottingham surprised many with thei excellent start to the season, and although they e now slipped to 5th place are never an easy team to beat. It could be a long dark afternoon under the lights at Lady Bay.

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the two changes to the coaching team that have occurred during November.

Tony Fenner's departure to the antibodies is a significant loss to the club, but wholly understandable from his, and his family's point of view. After his popular time playing career at the club ended it was great to see him staying as a coach.

With Tony going it is great to see a replacement smoothly stepping in, and excellent to see Ed Robinson joining the coaching team. Ed has amazing coaching experience for one so young, and I am sure will be made very welcome by everyone at the BPA.