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National Two
Esher v Blackheath
12th placed Esher are at home this week looking to build on last weeks excellent win at Wharfedale with a fixture against 9th placed Blackheath who were beaten at home by Harrogate.
Esher could actually join Blackheath on 32 points if they were to pick up all five points.
Esher’s valuable win at Wharfedale last Saturday ended a four match losing streak and helped the climb a place in the table to keep them within a win of the three sides above them in the league table. At home they have picked up four wins in nine matches and need to get that win ratio over 50%.
Blackheath have now lost their last three including a home loss at the hands of Harrogate last weekend in a match they have earmarked as a win and those four points would have given them some breathing space at the bottom end of the table as it is they are right in it now with Esher within striking distance of them.
When the two sides met at the Rectory Field earlier in the season it was the home side who ran out comfortable winners 33-13.
Prediction: Esher to secure home win by eight points.
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Harrogate v Moseley
11th placed Harrogate take on fourth placed Moseley at Claro Road looking to build on last weeks excellent away win at Blackheath whilst Moseley are looking to return to winning ways after a loss at Newbury.
Harrogate will be looking to make it three in a row after wins at home to Wharfedale and away at Blackheath last week where they also picked up a four try bonus point and moved out of the bottom three.
At Claro Road this season they have picked up three wins and a draw the third worst home record in the division.
Moseley have been very much a home side this season picking up just 14 of their 50 points on the road. They have managed three wins on their travel at Blackheath, Bracknell and Waterloo.
They have lost tow of their last three matches after a great run saw them climb up as high as third in the table.
When these two sides played earlier in the season Moseley gave the Yorkshire side a thrashing 49-12, their highest score of the season.
Prediction: Moseley to win by seven points.
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Launceston v Waterloo
Fifth placed Launceston take on sixth placed Waterloo at Polson Bridge looking to return to winning ways against an in form Waterloo side.
Launceston have suffered three successive losses since climbing to the dizzy heights of second place in the table a few weeks back and have slipped back to fifth place. The run of defeat saw they thumped at Manchester last weekend 45-17.
Their home form has not been all that impressive this season and they have picked up 27 points on the road and 23 at home.
Waterloo have found their form again after a bad run with five wins in the last six to sit second in the Form Guide as they look for a fifth straight win.
On the road this season they have a good record with five wins form their eight matches which is more wins than at Blundellsands in the league.
Launceston were 19-16 winners at Blundellsands earlier in the season.
Prediction: Launceston to win by less than five points.
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Manchester v Newbury
Match of the day in National Two sees second placed Newbury travel to third placed Manchester knowing a win could see them go as many as 11 points clear in second place.
A win for Manchester would open it up again with Newbury still having to go to Doncaster, Waterloo and Stourbridge.
It could well be a matter of Manchester’s strike power against the defence of Newbury. Manchester have already secured nine four try bonus points in the division which is the most by any side whilst Newbury have the best defensive record conceding just 204 points in 17 matches.
Manchester seem capable of beating anyone on their day and last week thumped Launceston 45-17 to get back to winning ways after dropping points at Nuneaton where they drew and losing at home 27-18 to Stourbridge.
At home they have suffered just the one loss winning their first six matches of the season before the Stourbridge reversal.
Newbury have opened up a six point gap in second place on the back of three straight wins including a win at Launceston in a tight low scoring match a couple of weeks back.
On the road this season Newbury have done well with only Doncaster and Launceston having better records.
When these two sides met at Monks Lane earlier in the season it was a close run affair with Newbury just edging it 16-14.
Prediction: On their day Manchester at home could probably beat anyone one but Newbury have become resilient as well recently and will go with an away win for Newbury by four points.
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Nuneaton v Doncaster
Leaders Doncaster travel to bottom of the table Nuneaton knowing they will need to be at their best to takes the points against a much improved side.
Nuneaton have shown dramatic improvement since the turn of the year and have picked up two wins and a draw in four matches and with away trips to Blackheath, Bracknell, Harrogate and Rosslyn Park to come know they have a chance of making a miraculous escape.
At home this season they have picked up two wins and two draws in eight matches and need to improve their win % at Liberty Way in the coming months to have a chance of building on their excellent January performances.
Doncaster have a comfortable 10 point lead at the top of the table and would expect to keep their impressive away record going which has seen them pick up seven wins and a draw in nine matches and only Moseley taking the points off them.
When these two met earlier in the season it was Doncaster who took the win 24-3
Prediction: Doncaster to win by eight points.
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Rosslyn Park v Wharfedale
Second bottom Rosslyn Park are at home to Wharfedale in a must win match as they look to try and get out of the relegation zone.
Park must win this one to end a four match losing run which has seen them slip down to 13th in the league table and bottom of the Form Guide.
Park have managed three wins at home from eight matches against fellow struggles Blackheath, Bracknell and Harrogate but need to start picking up wins at home from other sides apart from the bottom six.
Park’s problem is scoring enough points as they have a reasonable defensive record with five sides in the division conceding more points than them.
Wharfedale are difficult to predict but they will need to improve their recent form which has seen them lose four of their last five matches including the last two to Harrogate and Esher which were huge wins for both sides.
On the road this season they have picked up three wins in eight matches with good wins at Launceston and Stourbridge.
When they met at Threshfields earlier in the season the home side just sneaked it 22-20.
Prediction: Park to win by less than six points.
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Stourbridge v Bracknell
Seventh placed Stourbridge take on in form Bracknell at Stourton looking to regain sixth place with Waterloo having a tough away fixture at Launceston
Stourbridge need to end a two match losing run and a record that has seen them lose four of their last five matches as seen the slip down to seventh place in the table.
At home this season they have a poor record with just three of their eight wins coming at Stourton, another match ended a draw and they have lost four times.
A win for Bracknell could see them move above Blackheath in what is turning out to six team battle to avoid the drop with an 11 point gap now opened up between Blackheath in 9th place and Wharfedale in 8th place.
Bracknell are up to 4th in the Form Guide with four wins in six matches and wins in their last three.
On the roads this season they have managed a win and a draw from nine matches picking up 10 points long the way
When the sides met earlier in the season it was Stourbridge who won a low scoring match 12-5.
Prediction: Tough call but will go with a home win less than five points.
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