Doncaster Knights did the double over Yorkshire Carnegie last season and they will be hoping for a similar level of performance when they travel to the new table toppers on Friday night.
Going into Round 6 of the Greene King IPA Championship it is the Leeds-based outfit who currently hold the bragging rights in Yorkshire having won four out of their five games to sit one point above Bristol.
The Knights, meanwhile, are a further four points back in fourth although they approach the derby clash knowing they have lost just once in five meetings with their opponents.
Last season they triumphed 32-23 away from home and then backed that up with a 29-16 victory on their home patch.
Doncaster also go into the match having returned to winning ways in the league last weekend, thanks in no small part to Latu Makaafi who took his tally to eight tries in five games with a double against Ealing Trailfinders in their 23-17 win at Castle Park.
Yorkshire Carnegie similarly bounced back from suffering their first defeat of the season against London Scottish with a 26-13 win over Cornish Pirates last weekend.
Tries from Rob O'Donnell, Andy Forsyth, Chris Pilgrim and James Fitzpatrick handed them the bonus point and saw them move back to the top of the table.
The Yorkshire clash is one of two fixtures on Friday night with Nottingham Rugby also playing host to London Welsh at the Lady Bay Sports Ground.
The home side are ninth in the table having been unable to back up their bonus-point win over Moseley in Round 4 with victory at Bedford Blues last weekend.
Fifth-placed London Welsh will also be aiming to get back to winning ways after their last-gasp 11-10 defeat to neighbours London Scottish.
Welsh had appeared on course for victory after Darren Waters crossed with just four minutes remaining but full back Peter Lydon nailed his 79th-minute drop goal to give the hosts the narrowest of victories.
London Scottish now face a trip down to the South West to face Cornish Pirates on Sunday afternoon – although they will travel knowing they boast an impressive record against the league's second-bottom side with just one defeat – a 16-8 away loss in November 2013 – from their last five meetings.
Moseley meanwhile will be hoping to overtake the Pirates and move off the bottom of the table when they take to the field a day earlier.
They are yet to win since the opening day of the season and face fourth-place Rotherham Titans– although they can take heart from the fact that their trip to Clifton Lane last season saw them come away with a 26-22 win.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Jersey play host to Bedford Blues looking to record back-to-back victories for the first time this season.
They moved off the bottom of the table last week thanks to a 29-18 win over Moseley – a result prop Sam Lockwood described as the turning point of their season – while Bedford are just one point off the play-offs after Pat Tapley, Sam Blanchet and Jordan Burns all crossed against Nottingham.
And the weekend's final match sees Ealing Trailfinders aim to bring an end to second-placed Bristol Rugby's four-match winning streak on Saturday.
Bristol were certainly in impressive form last time out as they beat Rotherham Titans by four tries to two – Olly Robinson crossing twice to take his tally for the club to 22 in22 games while former Welsh international Gavin Henson finished with a 100 per cent kicking record.
Round 6 fixtures
Friday October 9th
Nottingham Rugby v London Welsh, kick-off 7.45pm
Yorkshire Carnegie v Doncaster Knights, kick-off 8pm
Saturday October 10th
Jersey v Bedford Blues, kick-off 2.45pm
Ealing Trailfinders v Bristol Rugby, kick-off 3pm
Rotherham Titans v Moseley, kick-off 3pm
Sunday October 11th
Cornish Pirates v London Scottish, kick-off 3pm
For statistics from Round 5, please click here.
