London Welsh v Nottingham Preview

Although we’ve dropped from second to third to fourth in consecutive weeks, London Welsh are still involved in the big Championship match-up this weekend as we welcome fifth-placed Nottingham to Old Deer Park on Saturday afternoon.  Leaders Bedford are the only club with three wins from three, although second-placed Pirates are also unbeaten, with two wins following a draw at Moseley in round one.

The old saying suggests that familiarity breeds contempt, but we’ve seen enough of Nottinghamin recent seasons to know that they’re a credible threat in the race for the Premiership (or should that be ‘the race to win the Championship play-offs’…?).  Our first ever meeting was in the cup at Beeston in 1985, but this weekend’s game will be the 29^th in 26 years.  Twenty of those have come in the last seven years since they were promoted alongside Sedgley Park, with eight in the past 24 months alone, as we’ve met in the play-off pool stages both years; we currently lead the series 15-13 (11-9 in the league, 2-2 in both the cup and in friendlies).  But Nottingham were the last team to leave ODP with the full five points in the bag, courtesy of a 29-12 play-off win in April 2010.  That result, following a 32-6 drubbing at Sandy Park the previous week, seemed to signal an end to our promotion aspirations, but a 17-10 win at Meadow Lane (including an 80^th minute converted try for the home side) and the stunning 16-15 win over Exeter at Esher a week later paved the way for a semi-final showdown at the Memorial Stadium.  In each of the last two seasons Nottingham have finished third in their promotion pool after ending the ‘main’ league season in fifth, so their objective for 2011-12 is clearly to break into the top four and the knockout stages.

The season started with a disappointing 28-26 home defeat to Bedford, both teams scoring three tries and three penalties, but Jamie Lennard landing two conversions to Kieran Hallett’s one.  In week two they recovered from a 10-0 half-time deficit at Moseley to win 20-10, and last Friday night beat Esher 29-20 under the lights at Meadow Lane.  Of the seven tries they’ve scored this season, two have come in the first half and the other five in the final quarter, while we’ve each scored two tries from full-back and two from the wings, suggesting that both sides like to play an expansive brand of rugby.  Welsh No8 Ed Jackson is currently the Championship’s joint-top try scorer with three, while the two full-backs, Edd Thrower and Dave Jackson and Nottingham’s former London Welsh prop, Michael Holford, are among the thirteen players to have scored twice in the opening three rounds.

Despite the opening day defeat to a team expected to be serious challengers to our two clubs at the end of the season, Nottingham have reason to be happy with their start to the campaign given that they’re without three key players due to World Cup commitments - a claim that can’t be matched by a fair few Premiership sides.  Half-backs James Arlidge (Japan) and Tim Ususz (USA) and No8 Sione Kalamafoni (Tonga) are unlikely to be involved in New Zealand beyond next weekend, but their presence, along with five Candians - James Pritchard (Bedford), Tyler Hotson, Aaron Carpenter (both Plymouth), and Phil & Jamie McKenzie (Esher) - a Namibian - Moseley’s Ryan de la Harpe - and three further Americans - Andrew Suniula (Pirates), Mike McDonald (Leeds) and Shawn Pittman (London Welsh) - has ensured that the Championship has gained some welcome exposure to a worldwide audience, albeit via stealth rather than through overt endorsement by the powers-that-be.

In recent years Nottingham have benefited from a core of experience and stability.  Dave Jackson has made over 250 appearances for the club - yet is still most widely acknowledged for his stunning mullet rather than his exceptional attacking qualities - while lock Craig Hammond captained the club for the 200^th time in our 48-26 win in front of the Sky cameras in March.  This year they’ve been joined by former England centre Ayoola Erinle, who made his first appearance at ODP ten seasons ago in March 2002, scoring a try for Henley in their 33-20 defeat - his team-mates that day included Colm Hannon, Jon Pettermerides, and Lee Hall, who made a combined total of 91 league appearance for the Welsh.  While much has been made of Nottingham’s loan and DR arrangements withLeicester, the relationship took a new twist last week when Michael Holford played the last 35 minutes for the Tigers in their 27-26 win over Newcastle at KingstonPark.  The Holf played for the Welsh 46 times (37 in the league) starting with a single loan appearance from the bench against Bees in the 2007-08 season, while he had spells with both Welsh and Nottingham in 2008-09.  He began his career withLeicester in 2003-04, making his debut as a replacement in a 39-18 defeat at Leeds and his first start against Northampton a week later.  After four years - including a substitute appearance on loan for Bedford at London Welsh - he moved on to Wasps, where he made only 13 appearances and four starts in two seasons before moving to ODP on a permanent basis.

After only three rounds of matches, the Championship table has a familiar feel to it, with Bedford leading the way from the Pirates, Bristol and Welsh, with Nottingham tucked just one point behind us in fifth.  Both of us have lost once - against Bedford - and neither can afford to lose more ground on the leaders at this early stage of the season.  But last weekend saw early leaders Bristol stunned by previously winless Leeds, and they must travel to Bedford next Saturday before the Blues visit the Pirates eight days later.  This, of course, is a feature of the 12-team league - there will inevitably be regular top - and bottom - of-the-table clashes, which will see frequent changes to the make-up of the all-important top four.  As has been said many times before, the key is to win your home games and collect at least a losing bonus point away to your rivals.  Nottingham will be keen to make up from their home defeat to the Blues, while we need to return to winning ways after last week’s disappointment.