National league 1 round 27 match previews 6th April 2013...

including  Coventry Rugby v Old Albanian.

Fixtures 6^th April

Cambridge         v         Blaydon

Cinderford         v         Sedgley Park

Coventry            v         Old Albanian

Ealing Tfs            v        Loughborough St

Macclesfield       v        Esher

Richmond           v        Fylde

Rosslyn Park       v       Wharfedale

Tynedale              v      Blackheath  

A Saturday that should see Ealing Tfs confirmed as Champions, Sedgley Park to join Cambridge in being relegated and the continued fight to avoid the one  remaining relegation place. 

Ealing Tfs entertain Loughborough Students needing only the win to confirm them as Champions and pave their way for promotion to the Championship. Only having lost once since mid-November Ealing are in no mood to slip up now, but they do face a dogged Students side who are playing better when they first met, and as other sides have found out never give up a seemingly lost cause.

There should hover be only one outcome and with Phil Chesters back to his blistering try scoring form a deserved win and promotion for Ealing is expected.

However, the most interesting game on Saturday is that affecting both top and bottom of the league as Esher are visitors to Macclesfield. Esher by beating Rosslyn Park last week are now the only side with a mathematical chance of overtaking Ealing. An unlikely event in reality, especially as they have to face a Macclesfield side fighting for their National league 1 survival. After 7 straight wins Macclesfield must fancy their chances but face a strong Esher side now starting to find their own form. A difficult one to predict but Macclesfield need to win are they are only 4 points ahead of Wharfedale but having played one more game.

Wharfedale now in the relegation zone  can’t fancy their chances in their visit to Rosslyn Park, however Park have lost three out of their last 4 games and they will want to impress their incoming Head Coach Alex Codling. With Wharfedale not always travelling well Rosslyn Park must feel that they have enough firepower to win putting more and more pressure on their visitors.

Two other games involve teams that still might be sucked into the relegation mire, especially if Macclesfield and Wharfedale win, is that of Tynedale and Coventry.

On the face of it Tynedale have the easier task with their much improved home form as Blackheath are the visitors. Denied a win at Fylde by a last minute penalty Tynedale will be in no mood to allow any leeway to a wilting Blackheath side, who have now only won once in their last 4 games, as they face the long trip north. A win for Dale should make them safe.

A closer game is expected as Coventry Rugby have a home fixture with Old Albanian. Coventry without a game for the last two weeks have now lost 4 of their last 5 games and urgently need to get back to winning ways. Old Albanian looking for a hat-trick of wins will be looking to overtake Fylde in the battle over 5^th place. A more detailed Coventry Rugby v Old Albanian preview follows.

The final three games all involve sides just playing mainly for pride.

Cinderford buoyed by their away win at Blaydon face a Sedgley Park side reeling from a 10 try hammering by leaders Ealing. Any further defeat by Park in any of their last 5 games will see them relegated, but a win for the Foresters could see them creep into the top half of the league. Only one outcome is expected in this clash.

Fylde only 8 points behind 4^th placed Rosslyn park with a game in hand will be looking to continue their winning streak now up to 5 games, as they visit Richmond, who arrested a run of three losses with a hard fought draw at Loughborough Students. Yet Richmond threw away a position of strength to draw and they cannot afford to be so generous with a Fylde side showing some of their form from last season.

The final game sees relegated Cambridge playing for pride as they face Blaydon at home. Blaydon’s defeat last week at home saw them removed from the title race. Even so Blaydon have a powerful enough pack and better all round game to defeat Cambridge as their hosts prepare for life in a lower  division.

Coventry rugby v Old Albanian match preview.

Saturday 6^th April sees Coventry Rugby return home to the Butts Park Arena as they face Old Albanian kick off 3 pm. Without a game now for two weeks Coventry Rugby meet Old Albanian for the first time in their history at home. Founded in 1924, OA moved to their present ground  “The Woollams Playing Fields” in 2002.

Since joining the league structure Old Albanian has seen a steady rise through the leagues being promoted from National League 2 South this being their first season in National league 1. Under Director of Rugby and playing Head Coach James Shanahan and assisted  by coach Bruce Millar, OA have made an impressive start to their inaugural season in this league. They are currently in 6^th place on 76 points with 14 wins, 10 losses and 1 draw, compared to Coventry Rugby’s 11 wins, 12 losses and 1 draw bringing them into 11^th place on 59 points.

A free scoring side OA have already scored 100 tries compared to Coventry’s 63 although Coventry Rugby have still the best defensive record in the league.

Earlier in the season Coventry Rugby travelled to the Woollams and were beaten 20-3 in atrocious conditions despite then having plenty of possession in the first half. Since that defeat form has been with OA with them winning 7 games and losing 5 compared to Coventry’s winning 5 and losing 6. Key wins have occurred over Esher, Fylde and Blackheath, interspersed with losses to Rosslyn Park, Richmond and Blaydon.

With flyhalf James Shanahan calling their tune ably assisted by former Bedford Blues player no 9 Stefan Liebenberg, OA have a good mixture and guile, experience and a good sprinkling of younger players. Playing primarily an offloading backs game and able to counter attack from all quarters defences have to be on their guard.

Key backs include winger Ollie Marchon and centres Johannes Lombaard and the impressive Terry Adams who scored a hat-trick last week against Cambridge. In Richard Gregg they have a match winning goalkicker usually playing at fullback.

The forwards cannot be ignored with No 8 Matt Chambers and lock Ross Hamilton both in try scoring mode. Former Coventry player Brett McNamee has been playing either as hooker or flanker.

A game that Old Albanian want to win on their first ever visit to Coventry as they go for their third win in a row and needing to maintain pressure on 5^th placed Fylde, whilst Coventry whose form has been patchy of late needs the win to remove them from being too close to the danger zone.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

1^st April 2013.