London Welsh forwards coach Phil Greening reckons you only need to look at history to see a weekend off before a big game can be a disadvantage.

The 34-year-old former England hooker pitched up at Old Deer Park last May and has helped the Dragons to the brink of what would be a remarkable elevation to the Guinness Premiership.

The Exiles play Doncaster for a place in the Championship play-off semi-finals on Saturday, knowing a win would leave them two more triumphs from a place in the top flight.

Head coach Danny Wilson’s men enjoyed a break from action at the weekend - while their rivals contested the British & Irish Cup semi-finals.

And Greening, a Premiership winner with Wasps, is only too aware of the problems that presents the coaching staff in the lead up to the big game.

“Under the old play-off system in the Premiership, Gloucester finished top, got a week off before the final and then lost,” he said.

“There is the argument that they will be battle hardened by playing at the weekend so we have made sure we’ve had a hard couple of days to keep our minds on it.

“Hopefully we have jumped ahead a bit in our preparation and the boys are ready. Our entire season rests on this.”

London Welsh defied a five point deduction - for the club going into administration - and the affects of a takeover this season, to finish third in the table and set up a shot at promotion.

“The play-offs need a bit of tweaking to give teams who finish high up the table a bit more of an advantage, but apart from that it has been really exciting,” added Greening.

“Irrespective of what happens it has been an amazing season for us. It has been quite a rollercoaster, but I’ve been really impressed with how the boys have stuck to their task and ignored all the turmoil.

“With all the club’s been through this season to be three games away from the Premiership - which is where we want to be - is a massive achievement.”

Should the Exiles win at Doncaster, Greening will not have long to celebrate as he is due to pull on his boots for Sunday’s Masters 10s tournament at the Stoop.

“It was an idea I drunkenly came up with and it has just snowballed from there,” he said.

“Football has been doing this sort of thing for years. There has been a lot of banter between the players about renewing some old rivalries, so it should be good fun.”