Nat 1 Previews

Coventry v Waterloo

Ninth placed Coventry take on second bottom Waterloo at the Butts Arena looking for back to back wins for the first time this season.   

Coventry have won two of their last three after a three match losing run and could break into the top half of the table with a win on Saturday. At home this season they have won three out of five with defeats against Earth Titans and London Welsh.

Waterloo have had some strange results this season but on Saturday were well beaten at home by Leeds Tykes. They have managed just two wins but they were impressive ones at home to the Cornish Pirates and away at Exeter Chiefs. In their eight defeats they have managed just the one losing bonus point and are yet to pick up a four try bonus point this season.

Their win over the Chiefs was their only away win in four matches on the road.

These two sides last met in the 2000/01 when Coventry won this fixture 20-13 but late in the season at Blundellsands Waterloo triumphed 40-26.

Prediction: Coventry home win at the Butts Arena by nine points.        

Exeter Chiefs v Leeds Tykes

Interesting clash at Sandy Park as eighth placed Exeter Chiefs take on third placed Leeds Tykes.

The Chiefs after back to back defeats returned to winning ways last Saturday and will be looking to keep that going this week and climb into the top half of the table.

At home they have good wins over Plymouth Albion and Earth Titans already but were disappointed to lose to Waterloo and draw with Coventry.

The Tykes seem to be finding their feet now in National One and are looking for a fourth straight win on Saturday.

On the road they have won four out of five with their only defeat coming at Bedford Blues, They have to win here to have a realistic chance of taking the National One title.

These two sides last met in the 2000/01 season when the Tykes did the double over the Chiefs as they won promotion to the Premiership. This fixture was 33-26 to Leeds whilst at Headingley it was more convincing 63-13.

Prediction: Tough call but will go for three point Tykes win.        

London Welsh v Pertemps Bees  

Fourth bottom London Welsh entertain seventh placed Pertemps Bees looking to end a losing run.  

The Welsh are at the wrong end of the Form Guide with four straight defeats, the worst run in the division.

At Old Deer Park they have a dreadful record this season having yet to win losing all four of their matches.

Pertemps Bees have dropped of the pace of late with four defeats in their last five matches. O the road the Bees have a good record with three wins and a draw to date this season and their only defeat came at Plymouth Albion. 

Last season in this fixture at Old Deer Park the Welsh ran out winners 24-15 but at Sharmans Cross the Bees triumphed 26-10.

Prediction: Bees to win at Old Deer Park by five points.          

Moseley v Doncaster

Third bottom Moseley entertain fifth placed Doncaster looking for just their third win of the season which could move them up a few places in the table.  

Moseley are looking to avoid a third straight defeat and are at the wrong end of the Form Guide with just one win in their last six matches. 

At home this season they have two wins in five matches but in two of the defeats they have picked up a losing bonus point. They are the ninth highest scores in the division but have the 14^th worst defence in the division.  

Doncaster are looking for a third straight win as they look to stay up with the leaders and are just four points off top spot after a great start to the season.

On the road they have a good record with three wins in five matches with the two defeats coming against Leeds Tykes and Plymouth Albion. 

These two sides last met in the 2004/05 season when Moseley were narrow 21-20 home winners but late in the season Doncaster were comfortable home winners 31-16.  

Prediction: Doncaster away win by eight points.        

Newbury v Otley

11^th placed Newbury entertain 12^th placed Otley with both sides locked on 18 points with Newbury having a better points difference.

After putting together a three match winning run Newbury have slipped to successive defeats and will be keen to end that run with home advantage over Otley who are not the best travellers in the division.

At home this season Newbury have a poor record with just one win in four and that was a narrow 19-18 win against Nottingham. Whilst on the road they have three wins in six matches.

They remain along with Waterloo as the only side not to have picked up a four try bonus point this season.

Otley are also on a losing run after winning three in a row they have slipped to three successive defeats. On the road they have a managed one win in five and that was against bottom of the table Sedgley Park.

They are the lowest scorers in the division after Waterloo and in their seven defeats have managed just two losing bonus points.

Last season in this fixture at Monks Lane Newbury were 42-27 winners whilst at Cross Green were comprehensive winners 51-14.

Prediction:  Home win for Newbury at Monks Lane by eight points.        

Plymouth Albion v Sedgley Park

Sixth placed Plymouth Albion entertain bottom of the table Sedgley Par at Brickfields looking to close the four point gap on Earth Titans who have a tough match against the Cornish Pirates.

Albion are looking for a third consecutive win after losing two out of three to fall of the pace slightly and will buoyed after their win over the Titans last Saturday.

Sedgley Park got their first win of the season last Saturday at home to London Welsh at the 10^th attempt this season.

They remained bottom despite joining Waterloo on nine points having won just once compared to Waterloo who have won twice. They have only played three times on the road and lost them all picking up just a losing bonus point at Moseley along the way.   

Albion were comfortable winners 55-7 in this fixture last season and with a 25-8 win at Park Lane did the double over Sedgley Park.

Prediction: Albion to win by 12 points.       

Earth Titans v Cornish Pirates

Top clash of the days sees the top two meet at Clifton Lane as leaders Earth Titans entertain the Cornish Pirates.

The Titans will be looking to bounce back after they were beaten at Plymouth Albion last Saturday just their second defeat of the season although they remained top of the table by a point from the Pirates.

They are unbeaten at home with four wins out of four picking up four try bonus points in all of them.

The Cornish Pirates are top of the Form Guide with six straight wins and will go top of the table if they make it seven. 

On the road this season they have lost twice in five matches at Leeds and Waterloo.

They are the divisions leading points scorers and have the second meanest defence.

What the Titans would do for a repeat of last season result when they came through comfortable 41-7 but down in Cornwall the Pirates were comprehensive winners 43-13.  

Prediction: Tough call but have to go home advantage, Titans by six points.        

Nottingham v Bedford Blues 

10^th placed Nottingham entertain 4^th placed Bedford Blues on Sunday looking to return to winning ways.  

Nottingham are looking to find some form to climb the table and after back to back wins were beaten last Sunday by the Cornish Pirates narrowly at home.

At home this season they have won two and lost three with wins over Plymouth Albion and Waterloo.

Bedford Blues are looking to make it three on the bounce on Sunday and on the road this season they have won three out of five coming unstuck at Moseley and Cornish Pirates whilst winning at Waterloo, Otley and Newbury. .

Last season in this fixture the Blues were 25-10 winners but it was honours even with Nottingham winning at Goldington Road 26-21.

Prediction: Blues to pick up away win by seven points