Catch up with all the news ahead of the weekends games.
Blackheath v Redruth
After last weekends results you would have to put Blackheath down as strong favourite for this one. Second placed Blackheath have been beaten at the Rectory Field this season by table toppers Barking, but they did redeem themselves with a win over North Walsham in their last home match.
Redruth have slipped up in the last two weeks going down to Tabard and then last Saturday loosing at home to Weston super Mare.
Last season saw Blackheath do the double over Redruth but in the two previous seasons it was Redruth who dominated the fixture winning all four matches.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by 15 points.
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Haywards Heath v Old Patesians
Big game for both sides who are desperate for points and it could go either way. .
Haywards Heath have lost all five matches to date in their first ever venture into National League rugby and have the worst points difference in the division.
The home side have lost all five games but in a couple have been unlucky especially against Tabard who they led 20-0 at half time. Their other two home losses were against the top two sides in the league table Barking and Blackheath, so you could so they have had a tough start to the season.
After losing their opening three matches of the season Old Patesians put up a great result taking the points from the trip to Weston super Mare, last weekend though they were well beaten at home by Blackheath so it could be back to the drawing board and this is a game they need to win for a barometer on how the season will unfold from here.
First ever league meeting between the two sides.
Team news:
Prediction: HH by less than 10 points.
To have your say on our predictions go the message boards @
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North Walsham v Barking
Barking’s 100% start to the season will be put to the test in this match as they travel to North Walsham who have an excellent home record.
Barking have continued their form from the second half of last season and are deserved leaders in the division. North Walsham have already more three matches at home this season and having lost at Blackheath a couple of weeks ago they will not want to suffer a second defeat at this early stage of the season.
Barking hale already won one big away match this season when they went to Blackheath and deservedly left with the points.
North Walsham have not yet hit top gear but have picked up four out of five wins and are second top try scorers in the division with 20 four behind Barking who lead the division.
In defence Barking have the meanest record with just six tries conceded in five matches.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by 7 points.
To have your say on our predictions go the message boards @
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Old Colfeians v Launceston
Launceston got their league campaign back on board last weekend after taking the week before off with a 4th match in the Powergen Cup. They had a thumping win over Southend passing the 50 point mark running in nine tries, which included a hat trick for flanker Nick Burnett.
On their previous visit to this neck of the woods Launceston were opening day winners at Westcombe Park.
Old Colfeians have had a positive start to the season but have been rewarded with just the one win and find themselves in 11th place in the table.
Team news: (Courtesy Old Colfeians) OC's welcome the mighty Cornish All Blacks this Saturday with a new injury
crisis. Having seen how much fun the backs had on the touchline at
Basingstoke last weekend (certainly more than the players were having on the
pitch) the forwards want to get in on the act too. A bit slow on everything
these forwards. Anyway Andy WIlliams, James Griffiths and Haggis are all
big injury doubts for Saturdays game and OC'S will be looking to the "you're
not getting any younger" trio of Danny Sargent, Colin Garland and Wol Evans
to replace them. In the backline Pat Vickers and Matt Townsend return from
NY and a really sore foot respectively and a further backline reshuffle sees
the return of Nick Miller and Kevin "Le Tils" Tilson on the wings.
Luckily for Colfes nobody expects them to win so the only pressure remaining
is to produce a decent performance for the first time in a few weeks.
Prediction: Away win by 14 points.
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Southend v Dings Crusaders
Lets see how Southend respond to last weeks big loss at Launceston as they take on Dings Crusaders at home. 9th placed Southend have a 1/1 record at home with a big win against Basingstoke and equally big defeat against Redruth. 13th placed Dings have a problem scoring points they have the lowest points total for in the division with just 61 scored from their four matches. Defensively they have done well but they need to improve offensively.
They have managed just seven tries to date which is two worse than Weston super Mare whilst defensively they have conceded 12 tries with 10 coming away from home.
First ever league meeting between the two sides.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by 10 points.
To have your say on our predictions go the message boards @
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Tabard v Basingstoke
Last weekend Tabard were well beaten away at Westcombe Park whilst Basingstoke were busy getting a valuable two points with a comfortable win over Old Colfeians at home.
Tabard have had two home matches to date this season, one was a loss against North Walsham whilst the other was an excellent win over Redruth who they beat comfortably.
Basingstoke on the road this season have lost all three matches convincingly and twice conceding over 50 points.
In the last four league matches between the two clubs it is the visitors that has taken the points each time.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by 15 points.
To have your say on our predictions go the message boards @
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Weston v Westcombe Park
In form Westcombe Park have a trip to Weston super Mare to see how far they have come in recent weeks. Weston are normally a tough side at home not leaking many points but not scoring to many either.
Weston have a good record against Park with three victories in four meeting including a double last season in back to back fixtures in March.
Can the Weston defence hold the new South African scoring sensation Gert De Koch who has notched four tries in two matches since making his debit a couple of weeks ago.
In the try scoring stakes Park lead 17-9 this season after five matches but it is Weston who have the better defensive stats with only 8 tries conceded compared to 11 by the visitors.
Team news:
Prediction: Away win by five points.
To have your say on our predictions go the message boards @
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
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