Check out our weekly previews and predictions for the National Leagues.
Esher v Lydney
13th placed Esher are looking to end a seven match losing run when they entertain bottom of the table Lydney at the Rugby Ground.
Lydney could get off the bottom of the table if they were to win this one and that would be a huge moral boosting win for them.
Esher need to try and keep in touch with the two sides directly above them and a win here would be a big help with Newbury and Rosslyn Park playing each other and one of them potentially going five points clear of Esher.
With the introduction of Luke Smith and the return to the side of Jonathan Gregory Esher would hope to put last week’s bad defeat at Nuneaton behind them and take the two points on offer.
Lydney were disappointed last week going down to Newbury at Regentsholme in a match they really needed to win if they are going to escape relegation.
These two sides last met in the 2000/01 season when the honours were even with home advantage counting and Esher winning at home 30-17.
Team news:
Esher look to include last season top try scorer Nash Shumba this Saturday against bottom side Lydney.
The squad should also include Scrum Half's JP O'Reilly and Oxford Blue Graham Barr who is fresh from the draw at Twickenham on Tuesday.
This would mean a swap in position for several Esher backs as Esher look to gain a first win since 11th October, a run of 8 successive matches. The adjustments are to try and get the best balanced team available and could mean a drop for one or two players who in fairness have performed well, but it would be necessary if we are to include Shumba, O'Reilly and Barr
A final decision will not be made until after training and a fitness check this evening (Thursday 11.12.03).
LYDNEY: Adam Westall moves to full back in place of Dominic Jones for the Severnsiders trip to Surrey with Julian Davis coming in at fly-half. In the pack Paul Price moves to hooker, Nick Bartlett at tighthead and Jimmy Roberts joins Paul Kiely in the second row.
Lydney (away v Esher, 3pm): D Jones: C Vine, T Edwards, L Johnson, R Sargent; A Westall, R Collins; A Chapman, P Price (capt), N Bartlett, P Kiely, J Roberts, R Turoa, D Jenkins, B Scrivens. Reps: N Nelmes, S Lynn, I Young, D Arnott.
Prediction: Esher to break losing run by 14 points.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Moseley v Harrogate
9th placed Mosley have a tough home victory this week with the visit of second placed Harrogate.
Harrogate top the Form Guide with six wins and go into the match as the leading points scorers in the division by some 75 points and an impressive points difference of 182. Moseley are not one of the heaviest scorers in the division and have managed just 192 which is the second lowest total in the division.
Where Moseley have done well this season is in defence where they have where they have the third best record with only Wharfedale and Sedgley Park conceding fewer points.
In six home matches this season Mosley have lost just the once with three wins and two draws in the other five matches.
On the road Harrogate have lost only once, at Sedgley Park, but won the other five averaging over 30 points a match.
This is the first ever league match between the two sides.
Team news:
Prediction: Away won by less than seven points.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Newbury v Rosslyn Park
Huge match at Monks Lane with 12th placed Newbury entertaining 11th placed Rosslyn Park with only points difference splitting them at the moment and that by just a point.
Both sides will be keen to try and close the four point gap that has opened up above them in the league table.
Newbury finally got a win after a dreadful losing run after winning their opening two matches of the league campaign when they were winners at Lydney last week.
Park suffered a loss at Bracknell last weekend as they failed to build on their big home win the previous week at home to Lydney.
Park on the road this season have lost all six matches and along with Lydney are the only side not to take a point on the road.
Newbury though have not done well at home and have lost four out of five after winning the first match of the season at home.
Team news:
Prediction: Tough to call but go with home win by less than seven.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Nottingham v Nuneaton
5th placed Nottingham entertain 7th placed Nuneaton at Beeston with Nottingham looking to unbeaten home record this season. At home they have won five out of six and drawn 34 all with Esher early in the season.
Nuneaton though have done well on the road and already have three victories on the road under their belt.
Nottingham lost last weekend to see their three match winning run come to an end going down 45-22 at in form Harrogate.
Nuneaton were at home and had a big win over Esher to record a third consecutive win and are 4th in the Form Guide covering the last six matches.
The teams win be meeting for the first time in league ruby.
Team news:
Prediction: Nottingham to keep excellent home record going.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Sedgley Park v Rugby Lions
Top of the table Sedgley Park returned to winning ways last weekend to get over their first defeat of the season the week before.
They were given a run for their money away at Stourbridge before coming through to take the win by four points.
Rugby Lions had an excellent home win over Wharfedale, who have the best defensive record in the division, scoring 30 points against them and more importantly opened up a four point gap on the sides below them in the table.
Park will be keen to get back to winning ways at Park Lane after losing their last match their to Bracknell two weeks ago.
Rugby have already picked up a couple of away wins this season but may well find this one out of their reach.
Team news:
Prediction: Park to return to winning ways at Park Lane with 10 point win.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Stourbridge v Bracknell
A point separates these two sides with Bracknell in 6th place on 13 points and Stourbridge in 8th on 12 points.
Last week Stourbridge went down to a home defeat at the hands of league leaders Sedgley Park and will be keen to return to winning ways at home where they have a good record with four wins from their six matches.
On the road Bracknell had an excellent win last time out when they ended Sedgley Park’s 100% start to the season. It was their second road victory of the season and they also have a draw from their five away trips.
Last season Bracknell did the double over Stourbridge including a 33-14 win at Stourbridge in March.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by less than seven.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
Wharfedale v Doncaster
Wharfedale will be keen to get back to winning ways after going down to a defeat at Rugby Lions last week where they conceded 30 points for the first time this season.
Four defeats in their last four matches has seen the Yorkshire side slip down to fourth spot on 14 points along with Doncaster and Nottingham.
Doncaster were winners last Saturday over Moseley at home but not as convincingly as they would have like and need to get a win here to try and keep in touch with the top two if they are going to have a serious chance of taking a top two spot at the end of the season.
Last season saw Wharfedale do the double over Doncaster as they met for the first time in the National Leagues. At Threshfields it was a close match with the home side coming out 14-9 winners.
Team news:
David Pears, recovering from a collision with an equally solid opponent at Rugby, misses the Doncaster game, but on the plus side centre Chris Malherbe returns. Jonathan Davies moves back to the wing, with Adam Oldfield a natural replacement for Pears at stand-off. Chris Greenwood makes a bench appearance as front-row cover.
Wharfedale: Andy Hodgson; Jonathan Davies, Chris Malherbe, Andy Baggett, Gareth Johnston; Adam Oldfield, Sam Cottrell; Philip Peel, James Ogden, Craig Ingram, David Lister, Antony Capstick, Tony Jackson, Hedley Verity, Ben Wade.
Substitutes: Neil Dickinson, Chris Greenwood, Paul Evans, Pedram Salahshouri.
Prediction: Tough call but narrow away success.
Disagree!! Have you say by clicking on the link below
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/for.allcategorythreads/categoryid/17.cfm
|
