National league 1 week 21 - round 21 match previews...

Saturday 1st February 2014 including Coventry Rugby v Wharfedale.

Fixtures Week 21 - Saturday 1^st February 2014.

Cinderford                                 v              Blaydon

Coventry Rugby                        v              Wharfedale

Esher                                           v              Worthing Raiders

Hull Ionians                                v              Old Albanian

Loughborough Students          v              Doncaster Knights

Richmond                                   v              Henley Hawks

Rosslyn Park                               v             Blackheath

Tynedale                                     v             Fylde  

Week 21 starts the final third of the season with still everything to play for at both ends of the table.

Leaders Doncaster Knights travel to Loughborough Students confident that they have enough firepower to overcome the Students. Although Doncaster have had to dig deep  in some of their recent games and whose away form has been patchy, Loughborough themselves have lost their early season consistency, so a comfortable victory for the leaders should be in prospect as they need to maintain their 3 point lead over Rosslyn Park.

Rosslyn Park, now the most consistent side in the league and with a 100% home record entertain a Blackheath side who are still back in the relegation places, despite their impressive home win over Esher last week. Blackheath certainly cannot be written off as they have some returning experienced players, but Park will be in no mood to relinquish their chase for promotion. It may be closer than first expected but Rosslyn Park should record the win.

It could be anyone’s game as Fylde travel to Tynedale. The home side’s sudden surge up the table was halted at Worthing, and Fylde without their usual balmy seaside weather might have to amend their usual open style of play. Although Tynedale are fighting for their lives Fylde should still be too powerful for the home side, as they look to keep within sight of the top two.

Fourth placed Esher have Worthing Raiders as their visitors. Could be a close game as Esher has fallen off the pace recently with poor results at Old Albanian and Blackheath. Worthing Raiders on the other hand will be buoyed after beating Tynedale which has eased their own  relegation worries, and will not want to slip any closer to the danger zone again. A game that could go either way, although home advantage might just sway it.

An equally close and tight affair is in prospect at Cinderford as they have Blaydon as their visitors. Despite a close win at Henley the home side are still too close to the relegation area but will take this win as a pointer to climb the table. In view of Blaydon’s surprise draw at home to Hull Ionians they will need the win to continue their move up the table, although a worsening injury problem might not help. A close and combative game might result in a home win.

Two teams who would rather forget last Saturday’s results namely Coventry Rugby and Wharfedale clash at the Butts Park Arena. With both sides only separated by 1 point and 1 place both sides need to get their challenge for a top four position back on track. A more detailed match preview will follow at the end of this general preview.

Another difficult game to predict is Richmond’s home game with Henley Hawks. With both sides struggling at the wrong end of the table the result will be more important than the performance. With 2 games in hand Richmond, whose recent performances even in defeat have been better than Henley, should be too powerful up front over a Hawks side still struggling to re-establish their early season form.

The final game sees Hull Ionians entertain Old Albanian. Both teams will be pleased with their previous Saturday’s exploits, especially Hull Ionians with their justified draw at Blaydon, whilst Old Albanian will look to their staying power after seeing off Coventry. A close game  even with the prospect of the home side getting only their second win of the season.

Coventry Rugby v Wharfedale match preview.

This Saturday 1^st February 2014 sees Coventry Rugby back at the Butts Park Arena as they face Wharfedale in a 3pm kick off. Coventry Rugby will be looking to stop a third consecutive defeat-which would be their worst run of the season, as well as to stop Wharfedale, doing the double over them. Both sides will want to forget last week’s poor results,, Wharfedale losing 45-3 at home to Rosslyn Park, whilst Coventry Rugby losing 25-13 away at Old Albanian.

Founded  in 1923  the”greens” have been continuously in this league for 18 seasons, but only just survived relegation last season finishing in 13^th place. This season under  Jon Feeley as Head Coach, assisted by Tom McGee from Leeds Carnegie Championship side as well as Alex Howarth, they have been somewhat transformed and are currently in 6^th place, just one point and one position above Coventry.

Wharfedale have maintained close links with the Leeds Academy set up with a number of dual registered loan players attached to them.

Their playing record is almost identical to Coventry’s with 13 wins and 7 losses, compared to their hosts 12 wins and 7 losses. Away from home Wharfedale have also had the same number of wins as Coventry beating Tynedale, Hull Ionians, Richmond, Blackheath, Loughborough Students and Esher.

Crucial home wins include 38-26 over Coventry Rugby, whose two late tries somewhat gave a flattering edge to the score-line, an Esher double and perhaps most impressively a 19-17 home win over leaders Doncaster Knights. The seven losses have been away to Fylde, Rosslyn Park and Blaydon, and home losses to Loughborough Students, Fylde, Tynedale and Rosslyn Park.

Undoubtedly Dale have been boosted by the return of iconic flanker Rob Baldwin from Leeds Carnegie, but with him being selected for the England Counties side next week puts a doubt over his availability against Coventry.

In fly-half Thomas Barrett a summer signing from the then Championship side Doncaster, they have the league’s leading goal-kicker and points scorer just ahead of Coventry’s Cliffie Hodgson, an interesting sideshow in prospect as they go head to head.

With Wharfedale retaining most of their players from last season  augmented with  dual registered players from Leeds Carnegie such as hooker Luke Cole, prop Jake Armstrong, flanker Jake Barnard and scrum half Matt Dudman, they have had a much more impressive start than last season and are already on 60 match points compared to Coventry’s 59.

Captain and prop forward Chris Steel  remain as does experienced  hooker Dan Stockdale and prop Joe Altham, with another prop forward Tom Margetson  joining from Otley. Lock forwards Richard Rhodes and Richard Brown add some power together with an impressive back row with flanker Dan Solomi, and No 8 Aaron Myers complementing Rob Baldwin.

There is plenty of experience and speed amongst the backs with scrum-half or fullback Phil  Woodhead with centres Joe Donkin, Tom Davidson and Leeds player Christian Georgiou. Wingers include the recent signing of Dan Scarborough, who caused Coventry Rugby some problems earlier in the season with Scott Jordan who is also causing havoc amongst defences.

Overall this season both Coventry Rugby and Wharfedale have very similar records and a very close and possibly tight affair is in prospect. How much last week’s losses have taken their toll on both sides remain to be seen, but Coventry have the added incentive not only to arrest their  slide but also overtake their opponents in the league with still a game in hand.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

28^th January 2014.