Boden quits Knights over lack of funding

FATIGUED by the ongoing uncertainty over funding and the direction of the Championship, Steve Boden has explained that the need to explore other opportunities away from the second tier of English rugby was behind his decision to quit as Doncaster DoR.

- JON NEWCOMBE

Boden, a former Championship hooker with Doncaster and Jersey Reds, is well respected and the short club statement that announced his departure on Monday was met with shock throughout the game, especially given his track record in three-anda-half seasons at Castle Park.

After finishing third in the Covid-affected 2020/21 season, Boden led the Knights to their best-ever finish of second the following year, having done the double over champions Ealing Trailfinders.

The 2022/23 campaign was a difficult one as a number of experienced players moved on and Boden’s youthful-looking squad was hit hard by injuries but they still managed to end up in mid-table.

The Knights have been much improved this year and the 41-year-old leaves Doncaster in a healthy position of fourth in the Championship table with seven wins from 11 games.

“I wish Donny and Tony (de Mulder) and Steve (Lloyd) all the very best for the future, it’s a very wellrun club that I have a lot of emotional ties to, but I felt the time was right to step away,” he told TRP.

“I am looking at doing something different because I don’t think coaching in the Championship is sustainable with the way things stand. The funding is just not there to make it a viable, full-time league.