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Saturday 4th December
Bracknell v Moseley
Sixth placed Moseley travel to second bottom Bracknell looking to make it three wins in four matches and continue their good recent run.
Bracknell will be keen to recover from last weeks dreadful result at Harrogate where they were heavily beaten 77-5 just a week after recording their first win of the season.
Moseley have not done well on the road this season getting their first win last week at Blackheath so will be looking for back to back road trip wins this weekend.
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When the sides met last season Moseley were convincing winners at Bracknell 39-11 but earlier in the season it had ended all square at 14 all. The only other time they met was in the 2001/02 when home advantage counted when the sides were in National One.
Prediction: May take the home side a while to recover from last weeks result so an away win by six points.
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Doncaster v Harrogate
Leaders Doncaster entertain their Yorkshire rivals Harrogate who come into the match on the back of a 77-5 thrashing of Bracknell at Claro Road last season.
Harrogate win last weekend ended a four match losing run which had seem they slip down the table to 12th position but on the back of that win they climbed to 10th spot in the table and out of the relegation zone.
Doncaster were convincing winners last Saturday at Esher but not after they were given a tough opening 40 minutes which saw the sides go in level at 20 all. In the second half though they moved a head for a comfortable win and in the process went six points clear at the top of the table.
Doncaster did the double over Harrogate last season with three and six point winning margins over their Yorkshire rivals. The season before when they met for the first time it was honours even with home advantage counting on each occasion.
Prediction: Home win by 14 points, need more evidence than last week to see Harrogate compete in this match.
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Launceston v Stourbridge
A big game for both sides as fifth placed Launceston entertain third placed Stourbridge knowing a win could be enough to take them above Stourbridge in the table.
Stourbridge have slipped after their great start to the season and picked up just the one win in their last five matches although two of the other four have ended in draws.
Launceston have won three of their last four matches in a good recent run. They have lost three times this season but in each of those they have picked up a bonus points as they have yet to lose by more than seven points in a match.
These sides have met before in the 2002/03 season at Stourbridge left Polson Bridge with a victory although had lost at home to Launceston earlier in the season as both matches went against home advantage. .
Prediction: Launceston to pick up the win to move above Stourbridge with eight point win.
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Manchester v Rosslyn Park
Fourth placed Manchester entertain eighth placed Rosslyn Park looking to make it three wins in a row as Park return to action after a week of last week.
Manchester will look to build on last Saturday’s excellent away win at Stourbridge where their in form winger Lucas Onyango was again on target with a double to carry the side to victory.
Manchester will be looking for their sixth for try bonus point of the season a category the lead in the division by one.
Park were down to play Waterloo at home last Saturday but with Waterloo still in the Powergen Cup they were given a week off. After winning their opening road trip they have slipped to three successive defeats on the road and it is hard not to see in being four by Saturday tea time.
These two sides were together in this division back in the 1998/99 season when each side won its home match. At home Manchester were narrow 26-25 winners in a match that was decided in injury time. At home Park were 12-0 later in the season.
Prediction: Manchester, are playing well and are scoring plenty of tries, to win by 12 points.
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Newbury v Nuneaton
Second placed Newbury will be keen to hold on to that spot after taking it last week with a home win over bottom of the table Nuneaton on Saturday.
Since losing at Esher on the last Saturday of September Newbury have put together a six match winning run to top the Form Guide although in the last two home matches they have had to fight all the way to take the points as both Manchester and Launceston finished within seven of them.
Tough game form Nuneaton who have suffered five successive defeats on the road this season and most have been bad defeats over 20 points on each occasion.
These two sides met for the first time ever in league rugby last season and it was Nuneaton who came out on top doing the double over Newbury. Both matches were close with this fixture going 15-12 to Nuneaton whilst at Liberty Way it was 21-16 to them.
Prediction: Newbury to consolidate second place with a 15 point win over Nuneaton.
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Waterloo v Esher
Waterloo return to league action this week playing host to Esher, after going out of the Powergen Cup at home to Bristol, in a match both sides need to win to try and climb the table and move away from the relegation area.
Esher after a poor performance at Bracknell will have been buoyed by their performance at home to Doncaster last weekend. At half time it was 20 all and the visitors took a while before pulling clear and going on to a 20 point victory. They have though lost their last five league matches and need to turn it round otherwise they will be in the relegation dog fight, a win here would see them move above Waterloo in the table.
Waterloo know they need a win here as defeat would see them drop into the relegation zone with Esher going above them. They are bottom of the form guide with no win in their last six matches in the league but last time out did get a draw at home to second placed Stourbridge. After scoring tries for fun they find themselves with just one four try bonus point this season the lowest figure in the division.
These two sides met in the 2001/02 season as Waterloo were relegated to National Three South with Esher doing the double, In this fixture early in the season Esher were convincing 50-15 winners but at home later in the season were given a game before coming through 33-26.
Prediction: Home win by 10 points and a second four try bonus point of the season.
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Wharfedale v Blackheath
Both these two sides will be looking to return to winning ways after defeats last Saturday as seventh placed Wharfedale entertain ninth placed Blackheath.
Wharfedale’s great six match winning run came to and end last week at Moseley in a match they thought they were in with a chance of winning. Wharfedale are looking to make in three in a row at Threshfields after losing their opening two home fixtures of the season.
In their four defeats this season they have failed to finish within seven and claim a bonus point.
Blackheath have picked up two away wins in their four matches in the league this season taking the points at Harrogate and Nuneaton with wins and they picked up a bonus point at Rosslyn Park but were well beaten at Manchester 36-12.
These sides met for the only time in the 1999/2000 season and home advantage counted in the season in which Blackheath were relegated into National Three South staying just one season in National Two after dropping out of National One.
This fixture went the way of Wharfedale with a convincing 41-8 victory in February.
Prediction: Wharfedale to return to winning ways with a 10 point win.
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