Check out our previews and predictions ahead of this weekends matches.
Barking v Southend
Barking will be keen to get straight back to winning ways after their first league loss of the season at North Walsham last week.
Southend were winners last weekend with a home win over Dings Crusaders but since their opening day win at Old Patesians they have suffered two big losses on the road so will do well run Barking close. They are though capable of scoring tries and with 24 so are joint second leading scorers behind Launceston but level with Barking.
Where they are street apart is defensively where Barking have a mean defence with just 82 points conceded compared to 227 by Southend which is the worst record in the division.
This is the first ever National League match between the two sides.
Team news:
Prediction: Barking by less than 15
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Basingstoke v Weston
Weston are looking for a third consecutive league win with good wins away at Redruth and home to Westcombe Park behind them they will be confident of their chances at Basingstoke.
The home side have done well at home with two wins from three matches and they have Ian Calder in fine form not only kicking the goals but scoring tries as well.
These two have not scored many tries between them this season with the home side running in 13 and Weston one more with only Dings scoring fewer with 10 so would expect a close match settled by the kicking of either Calder or Lambourne?
Last season both matches went with home advantage and quite comfortably.
Team news: Weston: Weston have to do without Martin Lambourne this week and that means James Reid comes in at full back whilst in the forwards Quentin Webster comes in for Alec Chase in the front row.
15 James Reid, 14 John Edwards, 13 T.J. Madamombe, 12 Sean Bennett, 11 Andy Muldoon, 10 Jamie Wiseman, 9 Matthew Britton, 1 Quentin Webster, 2 Dave Bird (c), 3 Merv Down, 4 Andy Richards, 5 Andy Glen, 6 Nigel Smith, 7 Ashley Russell, 8 George Sparks
Prediction: Away win by less than seven.
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Dings v Old Colfeians
Big game for both sides this Dings are desperate for that first National League win and will see this as a must win game whilst Old Colfeians will target this as one of the few away games where they can take the points this season so you would expect a really close contest.
The visitors are looking to end a four match losing streak but away wins are rare and they have lost all three so far this season. Dings have a draw to their credit this season in a home game against Westcombe Park and have found scoring difficult, as they are the only side not to have reached 100 points so far this season.
Team news: This game is crucial for both sides as they both desperately need the points to move away from the foot of the table. It’s all change again for Colfes with
Nick Thomson and Dave Elwell returning to the 3/4 and James Griffiths and
Sammy Bolton returning at 2nd row and Hooker respectively. This week’s
unavailable list within the club is down to 34 so things are on the up!
Prediction: Home win by less than 10 in a difficult match to call.
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Launceston v Tabard
Launceston going for a third consecutive win and looking to maintain their 100% start to the season at Polson Bridge where they have won both matches convincingly.
Tabard have made a great start to the season and are sitting comfortably in fifth place with four wins from their six matches and have already won two out of three on the road, the loss was at a revitalised Westcombe Park.
Launceston are the leagues leading try scorers with 25 tries in five matches whilst Tabard have managed an impressive 21 with hooker Mark Sharp leading the way with seven and for his efforts he has just picked up the NCA Player of the Month award for Three South.
In the four previous league meetings between the two sides Launceston have dominated with four wins out of four and at Polson Bridge they have hit 40 points both times.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by 20 points.
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Old Patesians v North Walsham
With Old Patesians looking to find some form this is not the match you want as they entertain joint top of the table North Walsham who are looking to make it six out of seven and stay in the hunt for promotion.
Old Pats have had a poor start to the season and picked up just one win so far a win at Weston super Mare whilst at home they have lost all three matches and twice conceded over 50 points.
North Walsham have won every match apart form the match at Blackheath.
Old Pats have though managed to beat North Walsham at home both times they have met in the last two seasons and by two scores each time.
Team news:
Prediction: Away win by 15 points.
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Redruth v Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath will be looking to build on heir first ever National League win of last weekend when they overcame Basingstoke at home with a first National League away win.
Redruth on the other hand will be keen to get back to winning ways after a three match losing run after they won their opening three matches of the season.
Should be an entertaining games with both sides scoring plenty of tries with Redruth edging it 20 to 17 although Redruth have scored 13 of their 20 away from home and just seven at the Recreation Ground.
This is the first ever league meeting between the two sides.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by less than 10.
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Westcombe Park v Blackheath
Match of the day in Three South with these two local rivals meeting at Goddington Dene and a home win will see them just a point behind Blackheath in the league table.
After and opening day defeat Park have come back well with a draw and three successive wins before going down to a loss at Weston super Mare last Saturday but still find themselves in 6th place.
Blackheath have made an excellent start to the season and have lost just the once to Barking at home but they responded to that defeat well and beat North Walsham next time out at the Rectory Field.
In the try scoring stakes Westcombe Park have actually scored more with 21 to 20 but where Blackheath have done well is the goal kicking with former Park legend Derek Coates leading the way with over a 100 points to his name already after his summer defection.
Will Blackheath be able to put the shackles on Park’s new try scoring sensation Gert De Kock who has made an impressive start to his National League career with five tries in three matches.
Team news:
Prediction: Blackheath by 10.
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