Check out our weekly previews and predictions in National One.
Bedford v Otley
Last weekend Bedford were narrow losers at Coventry who were getting a rare win this season. Otley were losing at home for the second time this season with second placed Orrell leaving Cross Green with the points. At home Bedford have lost just the once this season in four matches with only Worcester leaving with the points. Otley on the other hand have lost just once on the road this season going down at Sharmans Cross to the Pertemps Bees.
Last season this fixture went with home advantage but the previous season it was Otley who did the double and lead in the series over the last three seasons three wins too two and one match drawn.
Team news:
Prediction: Bedford to make it two in a row with seven point win.
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Bristol v Worcester
Bristol have shown so improved form of late but this game has probably come to early for them although they will be looking to give the league leaders a run for their money.
Worcester continue to march towards the National One title and are now five points clear at the top of the table with nine straight wins and have picked up bonus points in the last eight of them.
Bristol have won two of their last three matches and did well to knock Orrell out of the Powergen Cup and after a bad run have turned their form round and moved up to 10th place in the league table.
These two sides last met in the league in the 98/99 season with home advantage counting in both matches and at home Bristol winning 20-11.
Team news:
Prediction: Worcester by 15 points.
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Coventry v London Welsh
Coventry picked up a much needed win last Saturday with a narrow home win over Bedford by just four points. The Welsh had an excellent win at Old Deer Park where they sent the Pertemps Bees to their second successive league loss after winning their opening six matches and setting the pace at the top of the table.
This is a fixture dominated by London Welsh in recent years and in each of the last two seasons they have done the double over Coventry and have won at Coundon Road on their last three visitors there in the league. You have to go back to September 1999 to find the last time the Coventry side were winners at home.
Team news:
Prediction: Coventry to make it back to back wins by less than seven.
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Exeter v Plymouth
Plymouth were good value for their win at Henley Hawks last weekend whilst Exeter were going down to a defeat at Sixways to the leaders Worcester.
If ever there was a time for Albion to beat Exeter this is it. Plymouth have made an excellent start to the season and are currently in 5th place and away from home this season they have won four out of five and only Worcester have a better away record.
Exeter are still waiting to find their form of last season and will hope this clash with Plymouth will get them back on track and see them start to climb the table.
Last season saw Exeter do the double over the promoted Albion side with a 39-22 home win and narrow 12-5 away success.
Team news:
Prediction: Albion to get narrow win at he County Ground.
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Orrell v Henley Hawks
Orrell have already beaten Hawks convincingly at Edge Hall Road this season in the Powergen Cup and there seems no reason why it should be any different this week.
Orrell won what could have been a tricky match at Otley last weekend to keep on the tails of Worcester.
Henley were suffering a bad home defeat at home to Plymouth to slip to a third consecutive league defeat.
Henley Hawks have a good record in this fixture with three wins form four matches and the last season both sides were in National one they did the double over Orrell. Orrell’s one success in this fixture was in February 2000 when they triumphed 30-20 at Edge Hall Road.
Team news:
Prediction: Orrell to get home win by 25 points.
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Penzance & Newlyn v Wakefield
Both these two were losers last weekend and will be keen to return to winning ways. The Pirates have done well at home this season and are becoming a home and away team. At home they have a good record with two wins from three matches but will need to be on their guard as Wakefield have already picked up two away wins this season. The Pirates also put up a tremendous performance against the Premiership side Saracens in the Powergen Cup. They have though done dreadful away from home and lost all five “road trips”, the worst record in the division.
These two sides are meeting for the first time in league rugby.
Team news:
Prediction: With home advantage the Pirates to take the points with 10 point success.
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Pertemps Bees v Manchester
The Bees will be looking to end a two match losing run after they were surprisingly beaten at London Welsh last weekend where they failed to get on the scoreboard.
Manchester were busy recording their first win of the season with a home success over Penzance & Newlyn to keep in touch with the sides immediately above them in the league table. They also pushed Exeter close recently so they think they may be turning the corner as they aim to climb the table and escape the relegation zone.
Manchester have a 5/3 advantage in this fixture and at Sharmans Cross Manchester have twice come away with the points including last season when they recorded a 29-27 win late in the season.
Team news:
Prediction: Bees to win by 20 points and bounce back from last week’s loss at Old Deer Park.
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