Week 21 - round 21 national league 1 previews...

...Saturday 6th February 2016 including Fylde v Coventry Rugby.

Week 21 Fixtures Saturday 6th February 2016.

Ampthill & District                             v             Rosslyn Park                             14.15

Fylde                                                     v            Coventry Rugby

Hartpury College                                v             Henley Hawks                          14.30

Hull Ionians                                         v             Esher                                         14.00

Loughborough Students                   v             Darlington Mowden Park      14.00

Plymouth Albion                                v             Blaydon

Richmond                                            v             Cinderford

Wharfedale                                         v             Blackheath                               14.00   

Week 21 sees the top 4 sides all facing the bottom 4 with seemingly little chance of any surprises. A defining Saturday for those teams trying to avoid relegation.

Leaders Richmond have bottom side Cinderford as their visitors Surely only one winner in this contest with a massive 57 match points between the two sides. It should be another bonus point win in the bag for Richmond as they intend to maintain their 6 point lead over Blackheath.

Second placed Blackheath travel to the Dales to meet Wharfedale in what must be a must win game for opposite reasons. Blackheath are 6 points behind Richmond but with a game in hand and must be firm favourites for the win over a Wharfedale side only 1 point ahead of the danger zone.

Henley Hawks after their crucial win last Saturday over Loughborough Students face a more difficult task as they travel to 3rd placed Hartpury College, who are equal on points with Blackheath. The College will be firm favourites for a bonus point win to keep pressure on the top 2, and should have enough quality to beat a Henley Hawks side who are still in the relegation zone.

Plymouth Albion, now up to 4th place face a Blaydon side still in 14th place, who don’t travel well , although they are still only 1 point from safety, with a game in hand over Wharfedale, who are in 13th place. Having won 8 out their last 9 games Albion will be firm favourites at home for a bonus point win.

Hull Ionians are still too close to the danger area being 9 points ahead of 14th place, but have recently put in some strong performances without the knack of winning, have Esher as their visitors. Esher have recently been inconsistent and have dropped back to 5th place, realistically ending their title hopes, whilst Hull Ionians crucially need this home win to ease their worries.

Sixth placed Ampthill & District face a difficult home game with 8th placed Rosslyn Park. Park have struggled so far this season whilst Ampthill have done very well in their first season in NL1.A difficult one to predict for two well matched sides, although a win for Rosslyn Park could take them up to 6th place.

Ten straight wins for Darlington Mowden Park make them favourites as they travel to a struggling Loughborough Students side now only 7 points above the relegation area. The Students can raise their game at home but DMP will be in no mood to capitulate as they look to getting into the top four.

The final game sees Coventry Rugby travel to the north-west coast to face Fylde. Both sides have struggled to match their exploits of last season , Coventry will be looking to get revenge for the home loss earlier in the season, whilst Fylde always seem to be a force at the Woodlands. A full preview of this game will follow.

Match preview Fylde v Coventry Rugby Saturday 6th February 2016.

This coming Saturday 6th February  Coventry Rugby travel to the north-west coast to face one of their traditional rivals at their Woodlands Ground Fylde with a kick off at 3pm. Founded in 1919 Fylde have maintained close connections to the Lancashire County side ,recently with connections to Fylde’s previous Head Coach Dave Nelson. Paul Arnold took over a Head Coach and player coach this season, assisted by coach Stephen Briers and player coaches Alex Loney-forwards, and Warren Spragg-backs.

After finishing 3rd and 4th in the last two seasons Fylde are currently in 10th place with 46 match points compared to Coventry Rugby 9th place and 48 match points although with a game in hand over their visitors. They have a very similar record this season to Coventry with 7 wins, a draw and 11 losses. Earlier in the season Fylde travelled to Coventry and won by 36-24 in a game that Coventry Rugby and their supporters will want to forget as Fylde capitalised on every mistake they made.

This season Fylde have stuttered at home only winning 3 out of their 9 games at home yet winning 4 out of 9 away, within a away draw an excellent 34 all at Blackheath. At home they have beaten Loughborough Students, Rosslyn Park, and Cinderford, but lost to Richmond, Hull Ionians, Esher, DMP, Hartpury College and Plymouth Albion. Their 4 away victories have come at Coventry, Henley Hawks, Wharfedale and Hull Ionians.

Renowned for playing a fast off-loading style of play and having the players capable of running in tries from all over the pitch, Fylde still have forwards capable of playing a more pragmatic game indeed as Coventry Rugby found to their cost earlier.

Although once again there have been few changes to the playing personnel since last season, which gives a key ingredient of consistency a number of new players have come in with Preston Grasshoppers providing flanker Dominic Moon and hooker Phil Mills. In addition winger Anthony Bingham and centre Ralph Dowds have arrived.

The backbone of the side remain with the try scoring machine of wingers Oli Brennand and Jordan Dorrington, ably assisted by half-backs Chris Johnson as an excellent goal-kicking fly-half and Greg Nichols at No 9, with International Ryan de la Harpe ready to lend his experience.  Warren Spragg at centre or full-back is able to punch holes through defences with the more subtle skills of captain Chris Briers and fellow centre Scott Rawlings.

An experienced pack remains led by player coach lock Paul Arnold and fellow lock new recruit Nicholas Gray and Simon Griffiths, with hookers Alex Loney and Tom Burtonwood to assist Phil Mills. At prop Adam Lewis, Dan Birchall  and Tom Lavelle as well as Simon Griffiths remain. The back-row has a surfeit of riches with Evan Stewart, Gareth Rawlings, Sam Beaumont, Ben Vernon  and Mark Goodman. In addition there is flanker Joe Robinson and the vastly experienced  David Fairbrother who is equally at home  as lock.

It has to be said that both these sides Fylde and Coventry Rugby have not lived up to pre-season predictions as both have found a lack of consistency  has seen them slump to the bottom half of the league. Coventry Rugby will be looking to gain revenge for their defeat by Fylde at the BPA back in October as a win will make sure they keep ahead of the home side, whilst a win for Fylde could see them overtake Coventry into 9th place.

The playing surface at the Woodlands often defies the elements allowing both sides to play an expansive game so a high scoring encounter is expected.

Tom little

Coventry Rugby press office

2nd February 2016.