National league 1 week 9 - 2nd November 2013 match previews

including Worthing Raiders v Coventry Rugby.

Week 9 fixtures 2^nd November

Blackheath                                  v        Hull Ionians

Blaydon                                       v        Henley Hawks  

Doncaster Knights                     v        Tynedale

Fylde                                            v        Rosslyn Park

Loughborough Students           v        Esher

Old Albanian                               v        Richmond

Wharfedale                                 v        Cinderford

Worthing Raiders                       v        Coventry Rugby

Assuming that all the teams survive the apoplectic warning from the Met Office, National League 1 had their own version with last Saturday’s shock defeat of Doncaster, can we expect any such alarums for Week 9. On the face of it, no such fears for the leaders but both Rosslyn Park and Esher face difficult away matches whilst Coventry’s own away match could be a banana skin awaiting the unwary.

No such worries will face Doncaster Knights as they face relegation zone Tynedale. How Doncaster will bounce back from that shock defeat will be a good test of their title pretensions. Unbeaten at home with straight bonus point victories they face a Tynedale side still with only 2 wins and finding it difficult to score tries as well as their poor away form, Doncaster should look forward to an easy victory.

There is an intriguing clash in prospect as Fylde entertain 2^nd placed Rosslyn Park. Despite a 50/50 record Fylde are capable of out- scoring any team in tries in this league even in defeat and are second only to Doncaster in the number of tries scored and have their own title aspirations. On the other hand the power play of the Rosslyn Park forwards led to a scoring feast by Park last week so a close but hard fought game is expected. If this were football a banker for a score draw but home advantage might just count. Certainly a game not for the faint hearted.

Another key game is 5^th placed Loughborough Students having 3^rd placed Esher as their visitors. With both sides having similar try scoring records as well as points scored and conceded it is difficult to pick out the dominant side. Whether home advantage will prove enough to beat the more experienced Esher side remains to be seen.

Different problems are raised as Worthing Raiders face a Coventry Rugby side. The home side is now sucked into one of the relegation spots and still only have one win whilst Coventry Rugby have lost their last 2 away matches in rather an anaemic fashion. A more detailed preview of this game will follow this general preview.

There is less at risk as Wharfedale now near their own peak at 7^th in the table face Cinderford. After last season’s tribulations Wharfedale have been boosted by the return of Rob Baldwin and recent signing of Dan Scarborough. After Cinderford managed a close but necessary win last Saturday Wharfedale should be too powerful in all areas as they look to go even higher, whilst another loss for Cinderford would see them nervously looking over their shoulder again.

Two mid-table teams meet as Blaydon have Henley Hawks as their visitors. Blaydon, despite their horrendous start to the season have now won 4 consecutive matches whilst Henley will still have their head in the clouds after last week’s win over Doncaster. Another close contest is expected with Blaydon slight favourites on their own ground.

The next game sees two struggling sides Old Albanian and Richmond meet. Both sides still only have two wins apiece but they both need to move away from the relegation area. A hard fought and nervous encounter is expected with home advantage just shading it for Old Albanian.

The final game sees the first ever meeting between Blackheath and Hull Ionians.  Although Hull Ionians have yet to win a game they put up a much better performance against Wharfedale, gaining a losing bonus point. Blackheath must still be shell shocked after a dismal defensive game against Coventry in letting in 10 tries, so a closer game than first expected might be on the cards. However, Blackheath should have enough experience at home to win this one.

Worthing raiders v Coventry Rugby match preview.

This Saturday 2^nd November sees  Coventry Rugby make their first ever visit to  Worthing Raiders at their Angmering  ground for a 2 pm kick off. The West Sussex side Worthing were formed in 1920 and since then a succession of judicious moves over the years have seen them move to their existing ground at Angmering in 1977 with its existing 6 pitches and conference centre. Plans are afoot to sell the ground and re-locate nearby which will give them even greater facilities and provide the necessary step towards their ultimate aim of bringing at least Championship rugby to the South Coast.

The advent of league rugby has seen them progress steadily through the leagues being runners up in National League 2 South last season. Their promotion to National league 1 was obtained after beating league favourites Stourbridge Saxons in a play off at Stourbridge.

Under Director of Rugby and Head Coach  Kieron Dawson, the former London Irish scrum half, Worthing play a fast exciting open brand of rugby and indeed have scored only one less try than Coventry Rugby but are in 14^th place with only 12 points compared to Coventry’s 30, which does include 4 try bonus points. Defensively they have the worst record in the league which has kept them in the relegation zone. They have only won one game but that was an exciting affair in lowering Fylde’s colours away by 50-45. Losses total 7, all being  high scoring affairs away to Wharfedale, Doncaster Knights, Tynedale and Rosslyn Park, together with close losses at home to Blackheath and Esher and a rather bigger home defeat to Loughborough Students.

Largely relying on the squad that saw them promoted Worthing have recruited two players from Ealing Tfs, namely lock Liam Perkins and flanker Simon Gaynor. The West Sussex club have maintained close links with Harlequins Academy, with back row dual registered player James Chisholm. The pack has been boosted by the signing of prop Kerry O’Sullivan who was at Coventry for a short spell last season before going onto Richmond.

Some of the retained players from last season include the experienced Kiwi centre Kiba Richards and his namesake Olly Richards as well as impressive scrum half and goal kicker Joe Govett.  At wing there is an intriguing battle in prospect between the league’s top two try scorers Alex Nielsen and Will Hurrell, who have both scored 8 tries.

The pack also includes experienced players in prop forward Peter Cleveland who has a penchant for scoring tries and back rowers Jamie Redmayne and Rob Smith.

Although Coventry Rugby have never played at Worthing before two of Coventry’s squad, Ian Clark and Chad Thorne appeared there in the Hartpury College side last season.

An important game for both sides for different reasons, Worthing Raiders urgently need the win to get their first home win of the season and to move away from the danger zone, whilst Coventry Rugby need to build on their performance against Blackheath and banish the thought of their last two away games and maintain pressure on Doncaster at the top of the league.

A game that Coventry Rugby cannot take too lightly as Worthing have shown they can score plenty of tries but their defensive qualities have let them down.

For those Coventry supporters making the long journey south, the address of Worthing  Raiders is The Rugby Park, Roundstone Lane, Angmering, West Sussex BN16 4AX  with an early 2 pm kick off, more detailed directions can be obtained on the official website www.worthingrfc.com

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

29^th October 2013.