National Two
Esher v Bracknell
In many ways this is the game of the day more so than Launceston v Newbury with both clubs in desperate need of points in the race for National Two survival.
Last weekend saw Bracknell move two points above Esher in the league table after their big home win over Harrogate running in seven tries. They have now won two of their last three matches in the league including two in a row at home.
On the road this season Bracknell are yet to win with seven defeats and a draw in their eight matches to date, the draw was against bottom of the table Nuneaton.
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Esher have slipped lately and are on a bad run with just one win in their last five matches and with the defeat at Doncaster last Saturday they dropped into the relegation zone.
Esher have a reasonable record at home with four wins and four defeats to date and the wins included games against Manchester, Moseley and Newbury.
Bracknell beat Esher when the side met last November 29-20
Prediction: Home win by less than five points.
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Harrogate v Wharfedale
Second bottom Harrogate entertain fellow Yorkshire side Wharfedale looking for a win to try and get out of the relegation zone and although form would point to a Wharfedale win derbies can throw up strange results.
Harrogate dropped to 13th last weekend after suffering as heavy defeat at fellow strugglers Bracknell and are three points away from safety. They have now lost five in a row since beating Bracknell at the end of November 77-5.
Wharfedale picked up a good win against the form side in the division last Saturday at Threshfields when they beat Moseley 16-10. That win ended a two match losing run and was their sixth home win of the season from eight matches. Away from home they have picked up three wins in seven matches this season including wins at Launceston and Stourbridge.
Wharfedale were 26-17 when the sides met at Threshfields earlier in the season.
Prediction: Away win by eight points.
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Launceston v Newbury
The match of the day at the top end of the table with second placed Newbury visiting third placed Launceston at Polson Bridge.
Launceston will be looking to get last weeks home loss against bottom of the table Nuneaton out of their system and this is the perfect match to do that in as they take on second placed Newbury knowing a win would be good enough to take them back into second place in the National Two table. It is Launceston’s home form this season which has caused them problems with three sides leaving with the win from seven games at Polson Bridge.
Newbury got their loss to Nuneaton out of their system with a convincing home win over Blackheath last weekend running in six tries and Dave Harvey having another good day with the boot converting all five tries and adding a couple of penalty goals.
When the sides met at the end of November it was Newbury who took the honours in a close match which saw them come through 20-13 winners.
Prediction: Away win by less than seven points.
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Moseley v Blackheath
Fifth placed Moseley will be looking to return to winning ways this week as they entertain ninth placed Blackheath
Moseley’s great recent run came to an end last week at Wharfedale as they went down to their first defeat after a six match winning run.
At home this season Moseley have the second best record in the division with seven wins out of eight and only Newbury have left with a victory this season.
Blackheath were losers last week away from home going down to second placed Newbury and that was their fifth defeat on the road from seven matches in the league this season.
When the side met earlier this season it was Moseley who left the Rectory Field with the win in a close match 23-19.
Prediction: Home win by nine points.
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Nuneaton v Manchester
Bottom of the table Nuneaton play host to 4th placed Manchester knowing a win could take them off the bottom of the table which seemed unbelievable a couple of weeks ago.
Nuneaton have now notched back to back wins against the second placed sides in the division and after looking a lost cause are within striking distance of the two sides directly above them in the table. Both victories were secured in injury time with Nuneaton touching down and both matches were scoreless at half time.
At Liberty Way they have picked up just two wins this season but they were against Newbury and Waterloo.
Manchester were disappointed at losing their 100% home record last weekend against Stourbridge and will be looking to get back to winning was straight away knowing they missed an opportunity of catching second placed Newbury.
On the road this season they have picked up three wins in eight matches with victories at Rosslyn Park, Stourbridge and Wharfedale.
Manchester were 39-15 winners when the sides met at Grove Lane last November.
Prediction: Away win by eight points.
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Rosslyn Park v Doncaster
10th placed Rosslyn Park take on leaders Doncaster looking for a fourth home win of the season aware that the gap at the bottom between them an the clubs in the relegation zone closing.
Park need to find some form and start winning again otherwise they will be in danger of relegation again this season. Their recent form has been poor with just one win in their last six matches, a 33-9 win at Nuneaton.
Doncaster were winners last Saturday at home to Esher and with Launceston losing they extended their lead at the top of the table to eight points. On the road this season they have won six out of eight and in the other two matches they drew at Stourbridge and lost at Moseley.
When the sides met earlier in the season the Yorkshire side were 24-6 winners.
Prediction: Away win by 14 points.
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Stourbridge v Waterloo
Sixth placed Stourbridge entertain eighth placed Waterloo looking to build on last week’s excellent away win.
Stourbridge went to Manchester and came away with a 27-18 victory to end a two match losing run and pick up their first away win since winning 12-5 at Bracknell at the end of October last year. At home they have picked up just one win in their last five matches losing three and drawing once and will need to improve that this week if they are to beat an improving Waterloo side.
Waterloo have found some form of late and have four wins and a draw in their last six matches and a win at Stourton on Saturday would be their third in a row. The defeat in the last six matches was at bottom of the table Nuneaton.
On the road this season they have a good record with four wins form seven matches
When the sides met earlier in the season it was honours even in a 16 all draw with Waterloo grabbing a share of the points with a score in injury time.
Prediction: Home win by less than three points.
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