Read our preview and predictions of the games coming up at the weekend.
Coventry v Bedford Blues
Coventry go into this fixture looking to end a five match losing run as they languish in 13th place three points below the side above them in the table.
There only win was at home to Bristol when they topped the 40 point mark and they have only topped 20 points in a match on one other occasion this season.
Last week at Orrell they did well in the first half and led at the interval 8-5 but in the second half gave away four tries and failed to add to their first half total with the Orrell forwards causing them problems.
Bedford had the week of last week but have won three of their last four and climbed to fifth place in the table and will see this as a winnable match.
Coventry know they need to turn their form round and likewise will see this as a match they need to be winning if they are not to fall further behind the sides immediately above them in the table.
Bedford have scored 10 tries more than Coventry this season so far but only 7 of the 23 have come away from Goldington Road which just happens to be the number that Coventry have scored at Counden Road this season.
Last season it was honours even in the fixture but it was the away side that won each time.
Team news
Prediction: Tough to call but will go narrow home win in a must win game.
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Henley v Plymouth Albion
Henley go into this on the back of two league defeats and have lost four of their last five which is form they need to turn round to keep clear of the relegation area.
Plymouth Albion are sitting in sixth place with good recent form, before losing at home to Worcester last Saturday they had won three on the bounce
On the road this season Plymouth have had an excellent record and have won three out of four and will be confident to make it a fourth win at Dry Leas on Saturday.
Where these two sides differ most is in defence with Plymouth having a better record having conceded 20 tries compared to 26 and the Hawks have had more penalties kicked against them, 11, more than any other side in the division apart form Otley with 14.
Team news
Prediction: Albion to get away success less than seven.
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London Welsh v Pertemps Bees
You would have to go for an away win in this one with the Pertemps Bees keen to return to winning ways after their first league defeat on the season at Orrell two weeks ago. Prior to this they had won six in a row and were sitting top of the table. They did progress to the quarter final of the Powergen Cup last Saturday with a win over Wakefield.
There is a huge difference in the scoring power of the two sides this season with the Bees already running in 34 tries, just under five a match, whilst the Welsh have managed just 13, less than two a match.
The Bees are the only side in the division to have picked up a bonus point in all their league matches so far this season with six coming from scoring four tries in a match and in the defeat at Orrell they went down by less than seven points.
The Welsh have picked up just the one win at Old Dear Park so far this season from three games and will need to show improved form if they are to make it two out of four.
Team news
Prediction: Bees away win by 10 points.
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Manchester v Penzance & Newlyn
Manchester are five points adrift at the bottom of the table and have yet to win a match this season with seven defeats already. They have the worst attacking record and the worst defensive record BUT last time out they put up a far better performance and went down to Exeter at Grove Park by just five points and secured their first bonus point of the season.
The Pirates will be buoyed up though after their excellent performance in the Powergen Cup last weekend against Saracens going down by just 10 points against the Premiership outfit.
They need to turn that Cup form into league form to try and move up the league table as they are currently in 12th place. In the league they have lost their last three games and away from home in the league they have lost all four matches and are conceding an average of 39 points. With that sort of form Manchester will fancy their chances but the Pirates will be hoping that the confidence they picked up last Sunday can carry through to the league form.
Team news
Prediction: The Pirates have not travelled well so home win by less than five.
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Otley v Orrell
Otley’s excellent away record will be put to the test this week with only Worcester leaving Cross Green with a win so far this season. Orrell on the other hand have an excellent record in the league this season and their only defeat was away at Worcester.
Otley are exceeding expectations so far this season and are sitting comfortably in 4th place six points clear of the fifth place side with six wins from their eight matches.
Orrell are well clear of Otley in the try scoring stakes with 37 in their eight matches whilst Otley have managed just 19. Where Otley do come out top is the number of penalties kicked with 28 going over so far whilst Orrell are way down on 10. So the message with Otley is keep your discipline as in Simon Binns they have one of the most reliable kickers in National League rugby.
Team news: Orrell: Orrell make two changes in their backline. Richard Welding
comes in on the right wing with Leigh Hinton switching over to
the left left for Simon Haughton. Rodd Penney takes over from
Andy Craig who is still re-finding his 'Orrell feet' in the
centre with Steve So'oialo replacing Gavin Cattle at scrum half.
In the pack Opeta Palepoi makes his first start taking over from
Adam Jackson in the second row.
Orrell: Barrow, Welding, Penney, Kelly, Hinton, Slemen,
So'oialo, Emms, McCarthy, Barretto, Palepoi, Easter, Wilks,
Lewitt, Too'ala.
Replacements: Howe, DuPlessis, Livesey, Jackson, Cattle,
Craig, Jones.
Prediction: Orrell to take the points at Cross Green by 10.
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Wakefield v Bristol
Bristol have lost all three of their away matches so far this season with all their points coming at the Memorial Ground. They did though knock Orrell out of the Powergen Cup in the fifth round and had a good home success over Bedford Blues as they put together back to back wins, they did though lose last time out in the league away at London Welsh and then last Sunday were dumped out of the Cup by Premiership side London Wasps.
Wakefield have had a good start to the season but faltered in their last two matches with successive defeats and so with home advantage they will be keen to return to winning ways.
Team news
Prediction: Tough to call but go for home win by less than seven.
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Worcester v Exeter
Worcester hot favourites for this one against an Exeter Chiefs side, that has yet to find its form of last season and in down in eighth place in the table. Worcester on the other hand are top of the table with eight wins out of eight and easily the best points difference in the division.
Exeter have managed back to back wins in their last two matches for the first time this season and were quite close to Worcester when they met in the Powergen Cup earlier in the season.
Exeter will need to be alert early on with Worcester scoring a third of their tries in the opening quarter, 15 out of 45 which is their best quarter and the highest number by any side in a quarter in the division.
Exeter have relied heavily on the boot of Tony Yapp and only Otley have kicked more penalties than the Chiefs, 24 to 28.
Team news
Prediction: Home win by 20 points.
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