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National One
Saturday 30th October 3:00pm
Exeter Chiefs v Otley
A Devon versus Yorkshire clash at the County Ground with both sides coming into this game having won their last three starts.
Exeter did not have it all their own way on Saturday winning by just seven points at bottom of the table Nottingham. They did continue their record of achieving a bonus point in every game this season and jumped into third place in the table as a result. They have a formidable home record and have only been beaten twice in 2004.
Otley won a potentially difficult home game against Penzance at the weekend and remain in sixth place in the league. They have won two of their three away games to date at Nottingham and Sedgley Park and played well in defeat at Pertemps Bees.
Exeter have won six of the eight games between these two sides and have won all four at the County Ground. They are likely to add a fifth on Saturday.
Prediction: Exeter to win by 10 points
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Saturday 30th October 3:00pm
London Welsh v Sedgley Park
A crucial bottom of the table encounter here as the two sides just hovering above the relegation places meet at Old Deer Park.
London Welsh recorded their first win this season at Orrell on Saturday. They have had a tough fixture list and bad injury list to date and this victory will give them much needed confidence. They have lost their four home games this season and were thrashed by Exeter in the Powergen Cup last time on home soil. However, this game undoubtedly gives them their best opportunity to open their home account.
Sedgley Park ran Bedford Blues to five points at Goldington Road at the weekend, their best away performance yet. They have not won in four away games this season including the Powergen Cup defeat at Manchester and will see this as a big chance of their first away win in National One.
Probably not much in it, but London Welsh may achieve a first home win.
Prediction: London Welsh to win by 4 points
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Saturday 30th October 3:00pm
Nottingham v Henley Hawks
A critical clash at Ireland Avenue on Saturday brings together bottom of the table Nottingham still looking for their first win of the season and tenth placed Henley with only one home win to their name. The teams are separated at the moment by four league points.
Nottingham ran Exeter to seven points on Saturday, finishing the game on a high, and once again suggested it might not be long before they get that elusive first win. They have scored the most points of the bottom five clubs but they have conceded the most in the division by some margin. This game provides their best chance this season to get off the mark.
Henley were crushed at home last weekend by high flying Bristol. Including the cup defeat at Moseley they have lost all four of their away starts this season but ran Otley close in their last away league match. They only won two away games last season and you have to go back to 24th January since they last won on their travels at Manchester. This is as good an opportunity as they are probably going to get this season to pick up away points.
These teams have only met four times in league rugby and Henley hold a three to one advantage, winning both at Ireland Avenue. Nottingham may just shade Saturday’s match.
Prediction: Nottingham to win by 3 points.
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Saturday 30th October 3:00pm
Plymouth Albion v Orrell
Plymouth return to Brickfields where they are unbeaten in 2004, to face an Orrell team still looking for their first victory.
Albion were disappointing at Coventry and had to wait until the last minute before putting their points on the board. Previously, they had won well at Rotherham in the Powergen Cup and last time at home thrashed Coventry 48-8 to make it three out of three at Brickfields this season.
Orrell, hit by the enforced return of four players to Sale Sharks, lost the critical home game against fellow strugglers London Irish at the weekend after a cup win the previous week against Division Three North outfit Blaydon. They have not managed to win in four away games this season but picked up a draw at Bedford.
Orrell have dominated these games in the past and Plymouth recorded their first league victory against them in January this year winning 22-19 at Brickfields. They are likely to win by a higher margin this weekend.
Prediction: Plymouth to win by 16 points
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Saturday 30th October 3:00pm
Rotherham v Pertemps Bees
Match of the day in National One sees fourth placed Rotherham coming off the back of their first league defeat of the season play second placed Pertemps Bees, thrilled by an excellent home victory against Plymouth Albion.
Rotherham went down at Coventry at the weekend after two mediocre home performances that saw them beat Nottingham in the league and lose to Plymouth in the Powergen Cup. They are still unbeaten at home in the league although Pertemps Bees will be a big test on Saturday.
The Bees had a super win when disposing of Plymouth Albion at Sharmans Cross Road and have won three away league games this season. They were, however, comprehensively beaten in their last away match at Bristol and will need to improve if they are to win in South Yorkshire.
Rotherham have won on every occasion these two sides have met, and although likely to be closer this time, they should win once more on Saturday.
Prediction: Rotherham to win by 5 points
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Sunday 31st October 3:00pm
Penzance Pirates v Bedford Blues
Penzance return to the Mennaye Field to entertain the Bedford Blues. If they played all their games here they would be in contention for promotion but their away form means they are likely to be finishing in the bottom half of the table again this season.
They were again disappointing on Saturday when they were comfortably beaten at Otley. The Pirates are proving difficult to beat at home though and only table topping Bristol have come away from Cornwall with a win this season.
Bedford sit one place above Penzance in the league, but in terms of points, are clinging on to the chasing pack, whereas Penzance are definitely on their own separating the top and bottom groups. Bedford made hard work of beating Sedgley Park last weekend but they have still only lost one game this season, away at Exeter.
These two teams met for the first time in league rugby last season and the game at Mennaye Field ended in a 20-20 draw in February. In what again should be a close match, Penzance are tipped to win at the weekend.
Prediction: Penzance to win by 4 points
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Sunday 31st October 3:00pm
Bristol v Coventry
An exciting game in prospect at the Memorial Ground on Sunday as table topping Bristol host Coventry, who passed their sternest home test to date with a good win against Rotherham at the weekend.
Bristol hit top spot after trouncing Henley and have now won all four of their away trips. They have scored most points and conceded fewest points in the league and look as if they are going to be the team to beat this season. Plymouth Albion are the only team to manage a win against them so far and it is going to take a very good performance from anyone to come away from the South West with four points.
Coventry have had a good start to the season and are in the chasing pack. They are making the Butts Arena a fortress and are unbeaten their in four matches and have lost twice away, at Penzance and Plymouth. They have moved on since, but only won one game away from home during the whole of last season and that was in the unforgettable relegation saving victory over Wakefield.
These teams have met on four occasions in league rugby and the games have always gone with the home side. This trend will probably continue on Sunday with Bristol taking the spoils.
Prediction: Bristol to win by 12 points
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