Week 2 - round 2 national league 1 previews...

...Saturday 12th September 2015 including Loughborough Students v Coventry Rugby

Fixtures Saturday 12^th September.

Ampthill & District                     v        Blaydon

Blackheath                                  v        Cinderford

Darlington Mowden Park         v        Henley Hawks

Hartpury College                       v        Fylde

Loughborough Students          v        Coventry Rugby

Plymouth Albion                       v        Rosslyn Park

Richmond                                   v        Hull Ionians

Wharfedale                                v        Esher

Week 2 - Round 2 sees four of the still unbeaten sides meeting each other, whilst four sides yet to win also meet each other, something will have to give but with 28 games to go after Saturday still plenty of pointers to follow.

Runners up for the last two seasons Rosslyn Park, have hardly been the blushing bridesmaid, as an already impressive squad has been further enhanced pre-season, travel to former Championship side Plymouth Albion.  Despite only able to keep 4 of last season’s squad Albion had an impressive debut to NL1 and will feel that they can more than match Park at home.  However Rosslyn Park have more than enough experience to sneak this one, especially if they can keep fly-half Elliot Bale under control.

Coventry Rugby travel to near neighbours Loughborough Students for an early 2pm kick off, knowing that a win is imperative even at this early stage of the season. The students gave a good account of themselves, and were unlucky to concede a late penalty at Fylde. A full match preview will follow.

After a good start to their NL1 campaign, unbeaten Darlington Mowden Park are at home to newcomers Henley Hawks. The Hawks were badly beaten away at Rosslyn Park, shipping in 10 tries, although no real disgrace in that. They face another difficult away trip to Park which will be a severe test of their survival credentials. DMP should be far too strong, especially in their forwards to lose this one.

Two more unbeaten sides Ampthill and Blaydon meet in what should be a gigantic battle between two formidable and abrasive packs. No quarter will be given and despite Blaydon’s excellent 2^nd half performance over Blackheath, I expect Ampthill will just shade this one.

Richmond, despite not taking advantage of their squad experience at Plymouth Albion, have the chance to put matters right as they have Hull Ionians as their visitors. Richmond usually do play better at home but face a Hull Ionians side buoyed by their win over Hartpury College, but home advantage should just see Richmond home.

Hartpury College, were perhaps the surprise losers at Hull Ionians last week, but back on home soil they will be confident over putting up a strong show over Fylde. The visitors needed a late penalty to beat the other Students, but I expect to see this as a high scoring game, with Fylde just winning if Hartpury are still without their Gloucester contingent.

Two sides who had opening day disappointing losses, Blackheath and Cinderford meet in London. Blackheath found that their pack and scrum couldn’t cope with Blaydon’s in the 2^nd half and in facing Cinderford they face a team with their own reasonable pack. In football terms this could be deemed a score draw but as highly unlikely in rugby, home advantage might just do it.

The final game of Round 2 sees Wharfedale at home to Esher, with both sides needing to recover from poor performances last Saturday. Both sides struggled in their respective games in the scrum,but this is another game that home advantage might just count.

Loughborough Students v Coventry Rugby match preview Saturday 12^th September 2015.

This coming Saturday 12^th September, Coventry Rugby travel to Loughborough Students, to face the Students on their new 3G pitch at an early 2 pm kick off time.

Founded in 1919, the merger of the Loughborough colleges in 1976/7 saw the club renamed Loughborough Students Rugby Club. The club was then allowed to be part of the RFU league pyramid, and since that time the club made steady progress through the leagues, currently being in NL1 for the past 4 seasons.

Last season Coventry Rugby did the double over the Students winning at BPA by 48-22, but narrowly winning on campus by 30-27, after leading by 22-8, indeed a salutary lesson that the Students cannot be taken too lightly and never give up. Last Saturday Loughborough Students went to top 4 challengers Fylde and will feel unlucky that they lost by 30-28 only denied by a late, late penalty. Coventry Rugby for their part will be pleased about the bonus point win over Wharfedale but mindful of their second half performance.

The nature of University rugby here at Loughborough has seen a large turnover of players with many alumni going on to be professional or semi-professional careers as rugby players. A steady influx of new recruits and close links with Premiership sides provide a high quality rugby intake making the club very competitive in the league, although after finishing 12^th over the last two seasons it can take time for new players to settle in.

There have been a number of key players moved on with scrum-half Henry Taylor and prop Biyi Alo going to Bedford Blues, flanker James Freeman and centre Rhys Owen both to Jersey, prop Henry Elrington to London Irish via being dr at Rosslyn Park, lock Jake Albon and centre Jack Bradford both to Henley Hawks and Matt Rogerson No 8 to Sale Sharks.

There are a number of new faces with wing Rotimi Segun and scrum-half George de Cohti, lock James Hill, prop Joe Cave and flanker Harry Nuttall. Goal-kicker John Hargreaves has come in either at fly-half or full-back.

Many of last season’s squad remain led by captain and lock Ed Taylor, with the Pons brothers Jack full-back and Ben in the backrow. Hookers Jacob Fields and Isaac Miller remain as does props Jonah Boyce and George Davis. There is plenty of speed in the backs with Will Edwards and winger Yiannis Loizias and centres Blair Hutchinson and George Eastwell. Highly regarded flanker, Gabriel Carroll also remains.

Loughborough Students will make use of their new 3G pitch and it will be  intriguing to see how Coventry Rugby perform on it .A game that is expected to be fast and furious and a real test for Coventry Rugby as a pointer for the rest of the season. Certainly a game that Coventry cannot take too lightly.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby Press office

8^th September 2015.