Chack out all the news and previews of the matches coming up this weekend.
Bristol Shoguns v Bedford Blues
Bristol after a bad run in the league recently returned to winning ways last weekend with an excellent away win in the Powergen Cup away at Otley after a run of four successive league defeats.
Bedford also advanced to the next round of the Powergen Cup with a home win against National Two side Nuneaton.
Bristol will be hoping that last weeks win at Otley can move them forward as their new team starts to gel with so many new faces this season. Not only are there new faces the majority of them are young and are playing against experienced players each week and it will take them awhile to settle down at this level.
Bedford have played twice away from home in the league this season and have done well with a win at Plymouth and a narrow loss at Wakefield so will be looking for a second win away from Goldington Road this season at the Memorial Ground.
These two sides last met in the League when they were in the top flight in 1999/2000, it was the season Bedford were relegated and were beaten by Bristol, home and away.
Team news: Bristol: S Marsden: J Bailey, R Higgitt, S Cox, M Griffiths, D Gray, P Hodgson, D Hilton, N Clarke, J Hobson, O Kohn, O Hodge, M Styles, C Morgan, R Martin-Redman.
Two changes in the pack with captain David Hilton returns at prop and Ollie Hodge in the second row with Richard Hunt dropping down to the bench. Sean Marsden is restored to the side after pulling out of the trip to Otley with illness which means Michael Hook drops down to the bench.
Prediction: Bristol to return to winning ways in the league.
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Coventry v Henley Hawks
These two have managed just a win apiece and are in need of a moral boosting win to climb the table.
Henley took a first half hammering at Orrell last week in the Powergen Cup and were 50-3 down at the break but managed to stem the tide in the second half but were still well beaten. Coventry had the week of from competitive action as they were out of the Cup already.
Coventry have already lost twice at Counden Road this season and will be looking to turn their home form round and will see this as the match perfect opportunity to do so.
Henley will be looking to take advantage of Coventry’s poor home form and win away at the third time of asking this season, although they were unlucky to win at Penzance in Week two of the season. .
In six previous league meeting Coventry have dominated this five with five wins from six matches including doing the double over them last season.
Henley’s only win in the fixture was in September 200 when they were 33-27 winners at Dry Leas.
Team news:
Prediction: Coventry to overcome Henley by 10 points.
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Exeter v London Welsh
After a number of indifferent performances this season Exeter pushed Worcester all the way last Saturday in the Powergen Cup with a late surge.
They have managed just the one league win this season and will hope that with home advantage they can build on last week and jump start their season.
The Welsh had the weekend off after going out of the Powergen Cup in the previous round but will be looking to improve on their last league appearance when they were well beaten at home by Plymouth Albion.
Exeter are looking to end a three match losing run after they were badly beaten away at Bedford last time out.
The Welsh have already won twice on the road this season and their two losses were against Worcester and Orrell, where they gave the home side a good game before going down 21-14.
This is a fixture in which the Welsh have a great record with six wins in the last 10 meetings, last season saw both sides winning at home games after Exeter had done the double over the Welsh the previous season.
Team news: G Bunny, E Lewsey, S Ward, J Tucker, D Kelly, T Yapp, H Thomas, G Davis, S Blythe, D Porte, D Sims, Robert Baxter, G Willis, S Etheredge, Richard Baxter
Hayden Thomas keeps his place at scrum half ahead of Richard John wh is on the bench as Exeter name an unchanged side from the one that played at Worcester last week.
Prediction: Exeter to take the points by 10.
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Penzance & Newlyn v Orrell
The Pirates are unbeaten at home this season in league and Cup matches after dumping Plymouth Albion out of the Cup last Sunday, but Orrell will be their biggest test of the season so far. Orrell have won all but on of their matches this season and last Saturday in the first half they hit top gear and after 34 minutes of the match were 50-3 ahead having run in eight tries from eight different players.
This will be the first ever meeting between these two sides in league rugby.
Team news:
Orrell stick with the same backline that started last week but in the forwards Simon Emms and Neil McCarthy both return and Alex Bennett keeps his place in the second row in front of Adam Jackson.
Orrell: Hinton, Welding, Penney, Kelly, Haughton, Slemen, Cattle, Emms, McCarthy, Barretto, Bentley, Bennett, Easter, Wilks, Too'ala.
Replacements: Howe, Livesey, Jackson, Lewitt, Crabtree, Jones, Barrow.
Prediction: Orrell to end Pirates unbeaten home start to the season.
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Pertemps Bees v Otley
Interesting match this one between the top side, the Pertemps Bees, and fourth placed Otley.
Last weekend they had differing results in the Powergen Cup fourth round, the Bees travelled to Yorkshire and overcame a stubborn Wharfedale side whilst Otley were beaten at Cross Green by Bristol Shoguns whom they had beaten earlier in the season at the Memorial Ground.
The Bees will be looking for their sixth successive five point haul this season to remain top of the table ahead of Worcester who are just a point behind.
This is a big test for Otley who after losing on the opening day of the season have pout together a run of four successive league wins and will need to quickly get over the Powergen Cup exit if they are to threaten the homes sides 100% start to the season.
Otley have won six of the last 10 matches between these two sides but over the last three seasons they have each won one and lost one. Otley have twice won at Sharmans Cross with their last win coming in February 2001 when they came out 13-10 winners.
Team news: Otley are likely to bring back Simon Binns at fly half with Ian Shuttleworth moving to full back , Simon hawkins into the centre and Richard Butler dropping to the bench. The forwards are likely to to be the same as last week.
Prediction: Bees to make it six out of six.
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Plymouth Albion v Manchester
Although they went out of the Powergen Cup last Sunday to Penzance & Newlyn Plymouth will be looking to find the form which saw them run out comfortable winners away at London Welsh in their last league match.
Manchester who have not travelled well this season have lost all five matches in the league this season and will be looking for damage limitation, although at some stage this season they will throw up the odd surprise on the road.
These two sides met for the first time last season and Plymouth did the double over Manchester including a 47-20 home win.
Team news:
Prediction: Plymouth to bounce back from Powergen Cup exit.
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Worcester v Wakefield
Both sides advanced to the next round of the Powergen Cup last weekend with home victories, Worcester overcame Exeter whilst Wakefield beat National Two side Esher.
Worcester will expect to pick up all five points on offer with home advantage as they have done in all their Sixways matches this season so far. Wakefield are having their best start to the season in a number of years and will be looking to give Worcester a game and hold them to less than 40 points.
This fixture has been dominated by Worcester who have won all 10 league meetings and topped 30 points in the last four encounters with 19 being the narrowest Worcester win.
Team news:
Prediction: Despite Wakefield’s form this season home win by 20 points.
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http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
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