NATIONAL ONE
Pertemps Bees v Exeter Chiefs
Third bottom Pertemps Bees entertain sixth placed Exeter Chiefs looking for a home win with Doncaster having a tough away fixture at Plymouth Albion.
The Bees after back to back wind slipped to a narrow defeat at Coventry last Saturday but did manage to pick up two bonus points along the way.
They have won five league matches at home this season and drawn one whilst being beaten on three occasions at the hands of Harlequins, Cornish Pirates and Earth Titans, three of the top four sides.
The Chiefs are on a roll now with three wins in a row and the last two have been against Cornish Pirates and Earth Titans who have both being playing well in recent weeks.
On the road they have picked up just three wins this season in nine matches but after their win over the Pirates will believe they can win at most grounds.
The Chiefs won the encounter earlier in the season at the County Ground 38-22 in a high scoring match.
PREDICTION: Chiefs to win at Sharmans Cross Road by six points.
NEC Harlequins v Coventry
Leaders NEC Harlequins entertain seventh placed Coventry at the Stoop looking to maintain their Championship charge with a 19th successive win in the league.
Quins are heading towards the 100 try mark with 92 to date and 52 of those have come at home in eight matches averaging nearly seven tries a match.
Coventry have found some form of late and put together a three match winning run to climb into the top half of the table.
On the road this season they have picked up three wins in eight matches, two of them by three points or less.
When the sides met at the Butt Arena earlier in the season it was Quins who were winners coming out on top 36-18.
PREDICTION: Quins to maintain 100% record with 18 point win.
Nottingham v Cornish Pirates
Third placed Cornish Pirates travel to ninth placed Nottingham buoyed by their home win over second placed Bedford Blues last Sunday.
Nottingham have slipped of late and are looking to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat after they had won three on the bounce to climb into the top half of the table.
At home they have a good record with six wins from nine matches and two of the three defeats have come against the top two Harlequins and Bedford Blues.
They are one of only two sides in the division to have scored more tries away from home than at home, 24 to 20.
The Pirates returned to winning ways last Sunday after back to back defeats and are now six points behind second placed Bedford Blues after beating them 26-21.
On the road this season the Cornish side has picked up six wins in nine matches losing at Bedford Blues, Harlequins and Earth Titans.
The Cornish Pirates were 29-20 winners when the sides met earlier in the season down in Cornwall.
PREDICTION: Pirates to win by 10 points.
Otley v London Welsh
10th placed Otley entertain 11th placed London Welsh knowing a win could put them 10 or 11 points clear of the visitors in the table.
Otley go into the game on a roll after ending a long losing run they have won back to back matches as they go for a hat trick of wins.
At Cross Green this season they have played nine times in the league and picked up four wins and a draw as well as losing four times, all the defeats have been by five points or less so they picked up losing bonus points in all of them.
The Welsh have picked up three wins in their last five matches having only won two of their opening 13 games in the league.
On the road they have a poor record losing all eight matches picking up three losing bonus points along the way.
Otley are looking for a double over the Welsh having won at Old Deer Park earlier in the season 28-24.
PREDICTION: Tough call but will go for a narrow four point home win.
Plymouth Albion v Doncaster
Fifth placed Plymouth Albion entertain second bottom Doncaster looking to return to winning ways after losing at Newbury last Saturday.
Albion will be keen to get a winning run going after losing at Newbury last Saturday and reclaim fourth spot from Earth Titans.
At Brickfields this season, Albion have won six out of nine with Harlequins, Cornish Pirates and Newbury leaving with victories.
Doncaster went down to their fifth successive defeat last Sunday and are now back in the bottom two having at one time risen to 11th in the table.
On the road they have a dreadful record with just a draw and eight defeats from their nine matches.
Plymouth Albion won a low scoring match when the sides met at Doncaster earlier in the season, 13-7.
PREDICTION: Albion to win at Brickfields by 10 points.
Earth Titans v Bedford Blues
Second placed Bedford Blues travel to fourth placed Earth Titans looking to avoid a second successive league on the road.
The Titans after four wins in five have lost two of their last three and will hope that with home advantage they can beat second placed Bedford.
At Clifton Lane this season they have an excellent record wining eight out of nine with only leaders Harlequins leaving with a victory, 22-7.
The Blues were beaten at the Cornish Pirates and will not want to suffer back to back defeats and let the Pirates back in the race for second place in National One.
On the road they have won six out of nine suffering two defeat at Cornish Pirates and Plymouth Albion and were held to a 16 all draw by Otley on the opening Saturday of the season.
Bedford Blues were 24-16 winners at Goldington Road earlier in the season when they defeated the Titans.
PREDICTION: Another tough call but the Blues to bounce back from last Sundays defeat against the Pirates with four point win.
Sedgley Park v Newbury
Bottom of the table Sedgley Park are in need of a home win as they entertain eighth placed Newbury at Park Lane to keep in touch with the sides immediately above them in the table.
Park have lost their last four matches in the league and need that run to come to an end this Saturday as they look to try and keep in touch with the sides above them in the table.
At Park Lane this season they have picked up two wins and a draw in their eight matches and need to improve that form to have a chance of avoiding finishing bottom of the table.
When the sides met at Monks Lane earlier in the season Newbury ran out comfortable winners 38-14.
PREDICTION: Newbury to build on last weeks win against Plymouth with seven point win at Park Lane. |
