National Three South
Check out all the weekend previews and predictions for National Three South
Barking v Tabard
Barking will be keen to get back to winning ways and put last weekends defeat at Redruth behind them, a result which saw them lose top spot in the division and drop to third place with both North Walsham and Blackheath going above them.
Barking have won all five matches at Gorsebrook this season and three times have passed the 40 point mark.
Tabard are going for a third consecutive league success and have already won three times on the road this season in their five matches away from Cobham Hill.
Team news:
Prediction: Barking back to winning ways by 14 points.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Basingstoke v Old Patesians
Basingstoke are looking to end a five match losing run after dropping to the bottom of the table last weekend with a heavy defeat at North Walsham. They have won twice this season and both were at home as they look for a third win against 12th placed Old Patesians.
The visitors have already won on the road with a good win at Weston super Mare a few weeks ago. They returned to winning ways last weekend with a win over Westcombe Park after a strong second half performance.
Team news:
Old Patesians returned to winning ways last weekend with a superb second half performance to turn round a seven point deficit and beat Westcombe Park 25-17 with
wing Russell Nunn kicking three conversions and three penalties.
This weekend the Cheltenham based club, two places off the foot of the table, should ease their relegation worries further when they visit basement side Basingstoke but it is only points difference that separates them and Old Colfeians.
Old Pats coaches Chris Raymond and Bruce Fenley were pleased with the performance last week particularly in the set piece, but stress that they will be expecting no less in Saturday's game.
Old Pats make just one change as Greg Herdman unavailable as he is playing in the Dubai Sevens so Ben Spry deputises on the left wing. Raymond says that they need another big effort this weekend at Basingstoke who are now below us in the league.
Old Patesians: S Pollok; R Nunn, D Field, B Parker, N Spry; J Steckbeck, D Moore; J King, S Farley, P Mitchell, J Stickland (capt), B Wilsdon, S Miller, D Parry, J Pettigrew. Reps: C Downes, B Huckfield, J Cashmore, R Nock.
Prediction: Old Patesians to build on last weeks win with seven point win.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Dings Crusaders v Haywards Heath
11th placed Dings entertain 10th placed Haywards Heath in a match, which is a tough one to call.
Dings lost last weekend end going for a third consecutive win. At home they have only played three matches this season with a win a draw and a loss.
Haywards Heath on the road have registered just the one win out of their four road trips, they were winners at Basingstoke.
Team news: DINGS Crusaders have a growing injury list ahead of this weekend's home match against fellow strugglers Haywards Heath. Dings are three places off the foot of the table while their visitors are just above them with an extra point.
Already on the injury list are regular back rowers Simon Knight, who is out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury, and Stean Williams who is still troubled with a knee injury. They are now joined by prop Jason Cotton and skipper Paul Fincken who misses his first game in two seasons.
Fincken misses his first game in two seasons having been forced to rest a shoulder injury that has troubled him for several weeks while Cotton, a late withdrawal from last week's match at Blackheath, cannot shake off a calf injury from the Weston win two weeks ago.
Veteran Steve Lloyd takes over at hooker from Fincken whilst James Winter just gets the nod at prop over youngster Conor Flanagan who made an impressive debut at Blackheath last week. Flanagan drops to the bench with full back Nick Seward takes over as captain.
Dings Crusaders: N Seward (capt); C Jenkins, M Davies, I Johnson, S Edwards; C Poole, W Gasson; T Sealey, S Lloyd, J Winter, M Jefferies, M Welling, J Luck, I Lane, V Murrell. Reps: C Flanagan, P Beet, D Bufton, J Westlake.
Prediction: Narrow home win by seven or less.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Launceston v North Walsham
This is the day’s most interesting match with the form side in the division, North Walsham travelling to Launceston as the top of the table side play the fourth placed side.
Last time out at Polson Bridge, Launceston were beaten by Blackheath and another home defeat against one of the top sides will not do their promotion hopes much good. On he road North Walsham have already won three out of four with their only defeat a five point loss at Blackheath, but have recorded excellent wins at both Tabard and Westcombe Park.
North Walsham are the highest scorers in the division whilst Launceston are the fifth highest scorers in the division. Where Launceston do have the edge is defensively where they have conceded just 128 points so far this season.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by less than seven points.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Old Colfeians v Weston super Mare
This is the sort of home match that Old Colfeians need to win to try and move up the league table away from the relegation zone, they are currently in 13th place whilst Weston are up in 7th place.
The visitors sit in fifth place in the form guide with four wins in their last six matches and on the road this season they have left with both points twice in five matches with wins at Basingstoke and Redruth.
Old Colfeians have only played four games at home so far this season but have managed just one win with a 38-23 win over Old Patesians.
Team news: Weston-super-Mare: M Lambert; J Edwards, T J Madamombe, S Bennett, P Sprauge; J Reid, M Britton; Q Webster, D Bird (capt), M Down, A Richards, A Glen, A Russell, K Hobbs, G Sparkes. Reps: A Chase, J Walters,
A Hughes, D Cook.
Prediction: Away win for Weston by less than 10 points.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Southend v Blackheath
Dangerous match for Blackheath this one as Southend are a free scoring side who are the fourth highest scorers in the division but their problem is at the other end of the field. Defensively they have had a bad time with 377 points conceded with only Basingstoke having a worse record in the division.
Blackheath should win and make it four in a row and if they can go to Launceston and win they should be taking the two points from this match.
Southend have lost their last two matches but despite their poor defensive record are ninth in the league table.
Team news:
Prediction: Away win in high scoring match.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Westcombe Park v Redruth
Redruth are up to fifth after their excellent win last Saturday against them top of the table Barking whilst Westcombe Park went down to a third consecutive defeat at Old Patesians after a good start to the match.
With four defeats in the last five the home side need to return to winning ways and with Redruth registering just one win on the road so far this season when they thrashed Southend with an impressive second half performance.
Park at home have won three out of five with just Launceston and North Walsham leaving with the points.
Team news:
Prediction: Tough to call but home win by less than 10 points.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
|
