Check out our weekly previews and predictions ahead of this weekends games as the top two clash at Edge Hall Road.
National One
Bedford Blues v Wakefield
Bedford will be big favourites for this match as they entertain Wakefield who are bottom of the Form Guide with no wins in their last six matches whilst Bedford sit half way up with three wins and three defeats in their last six games.
Last week Bedford were comfortable winners at Manchester scoring 47 points in the first 48 minutes and then for some bizarre reason losing six players to the sin bin and failing to add to their score in the final 32 minutes!!
Wakefield were beaten at home by Orrell but did manage to pick up a bonus point running in four tries.
Wakefield did win the home fixture when the sides met earlier in the season so will be hoping a double can stop the rot and get them back to winning ways again as they did make a positive start to the season.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by 15 points.
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Coventry v Exeter
Two sides having very disappointing seasons meet at Coundon Road with both teams after a confidence boosting win as they try and have a good second half of the season.
Exeter were beaten at home last weekend in a low scoring game against the Pertemps Bees whilst Coventry were given a good thrashing by Plymouth Albion who ran in eight tries against Coventry and stopped them crossing their line restricting them to three penalty goals.
Exeter have had a poor season on the road with just two wins form seven Road Trips with wins at Henley and Manchester to date.
At home Coventry have managed to win more than they have lost with four victories from seven matches.
When they met at the County Ground earlier in the season Exeter were winners in a high scoring match 42-21.
Team news:
Prediction: Tough call this one but will go with Exeter away by less than seven.
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Henley Hawks v Penzance & Newlyn
Some would saw this was the match of the day in National One depending which sides you support as the Hawks entertain the Pirates at Dry Leas.
This is a huge match which if the Hawks were to win would see them at least eight points clear of the Pirates but if the Pirates could win could well see them draw level with the Hawks and have a game in hand, home fixture against London Welsh.
Henley have two wins at Dry Leas this season with five sides leaving with the win but the Pirates have a dreadful away record suffering seven straight losses as they still look for that first away win of the season.
When the sides met in Penzance earlier in the season it was the Pirates who won 20-15 with a score late in the game and a double would be a dream result for them and plunge Henley into real trouble.
Team news:
Prediction: Henley to win and Penzance still looking for that elusive away win.
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London Welsh v Manchester
Got to go home banker in this one but in the past Manchester have played well at Old Deer Park but their form this season would lean heavily on a home win for the Welsh. On the road this season Manchester have yet to win losing all seven matches and still waiting for their first bonus point as well away from Grove Lane.
The Welsh though have a poor record at home the season with just three wins in seven matches and have had as many wins away from home in less matches.
They were though 36-20 winners in Manchester earlier in the season.
Last week Manchester were well beaten at home by Bedford whilst the Welsh were home winners against struggling Henley 18-13 with the boot of Seb Fitzgerald scoring all the points.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by 15 points.
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Orrell v Worcester
This is as big as it gets in National One with the top two meeting at Edge Hall Road as second placed Orrell play host to Worcester. A Worcester win would leave them in a commanding position needing to probably lose two matches for Orrell to have a realistic chance of passing them in the table. A home win could be enough to take them top of the table and leave both sides knowing it could come down to bonus points to settle the Championship race.
Both sides come into the match in good form but you could say that although Orrell are the more free scoring at present it is Worcester who have the better defence and that could well prove vital in this game. They have conceded 108 points fewer than Orrell so far this season and in their last six matches just 37, an average of just over six a game whilst Orrell have conceded 116 in that time and last week at Wakefield they let the home side in for four tries.
Earlier in the season when they met Worcester ended up convincing winners 40-14 after a tight opening half.
Team news:
Prediction: Tough call but Worcester defence to win the day by less than 10 points.
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Otley v Plymouth Albion
This could be a cracking match with Albion winning five of their last six matches and Otley three of their last four and last week Albion moved above Otley in the league table into fourth spot. This was after an emphatic home win over Coventry who they out scored eight tries to nil whilst Otley were going down to a defeat at Sixways against the leaders Worcester.
Otley have only played six at home this season compared to eight on the road and in those six have recorded four victories.
Plymouth will be confident as they have one of the best away records in the division and have won six out of seven on the road with only Orrell stopping them leaving with the points this season.
Otley will be hoping home advantage can give them the double over Plymouth whom they have already beaten 16-10 this season at Brickfields.
Team news:
Prediction: Interesting match to call but will go with Otley home win by less than seven.
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Pertemps Bees v Bristol
The Bees have an excellent home record this season with six wins out of seven and only Worcester have left Sharmans Cross with the points this season whilst Bristol have picked up just two away wins in seven road trips this season so everything points towards a home success.
Both sides were winners last Saturday away from home as the Bees went to Exeter and won a low scoring match 12-6 whilst the Shoguns snatched a late win at Penzance & Newlyn to make it three wins in their last four matches.
The Pertemps are stuck in third place in the league table and are 10 points behind second placed Orrell and 10 points ahead of fourth placed Plymouth Albion.
Bristol are in eighth place and improving week on week as they look to build for the future
When the sides met at the Memorial Ground early in the season the Bees were comfortable 45-11 winners as a new look Bristol side struggled to find their feet.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by less than 10 points.
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