Week 22 - round 22 national league 1 previews...

...Saturday 13th February 2016 including Rosslyn Park v Coventry Rugby.

Week 22 Fixtures Saturday 13th February 2016.

Ampthill & District                     v           Wharfedale                            14.15

Blackheath                                  v           Loughborough Students

Blaydon                                       v           Hull Ionians                             14.00

Cinderford                                  v           Plymouth Albion

Darlington Mowden Park        v           Hartpury College

Esher                                           v           Fylde

Henley Hawks                            v          Richmond

Rosslyn Park                               v          Coventry Rugby

Week 22 sees 3 of the top 4 sides all facing teams in the danger area, whilst 2nd placed Hartpury College face a difficult away trip to the North-East. The bottom 2 sides are both at home but can’t be confident of a win.

Leaders Richmond travel the short distance to meet 15th placed Henley Hawks, who have found their return to NL1 equally as traumatic as last time. Richmond found bottom side Cinderford more resilient than expected but they are not expected to slip up this week.

Second placed Hartpury College travel to another in form side Darlington Mowden Park,which is a game difficult to predict. Both sides have a good all round game with plenty of experience. A close game is expected which may narrowly go to the home side.

Blackheath have the chance to forget last week’s surprise defeat by Wharfedale, as they face a struggling Loughborough Students side at home. The Students are still only 7 points above the relegation zone and need to start getting some wins to move out of danger. However in facing Blackheath, especially at home they face a severe test. The home side should not slip up again, as they still have a game in hand over the top two sides.

Fourth placed Plymouth Albion travel to bottom side Cinderford , who last week put in a brave but losing performance at leaders Richmond. Time is now running out for the home side to escape the drop, but Albion will be in no mood to take their foot off the brake as they look to keep pressure on Blackheath just above them.

Esher and Fylde, who both had excellent wins last week face each other in Surrey. Esher have recently lost ground to the top 3 but at home certainly have a chance to keep the pressure on. Fylde have been inconsistent this season but always have the ability to score tries. A close game is in prospect.

Wharfedale surprised many with their home win over Blackheath but probably don’t relish the visit to 6th placed Ampthill & District. The home side’s pack should be too strong for Dale, and another loss by them could see them back into the relegation zone.

Two sides who have struggled this season to make a mark on the top, Rosslyn Park and Coventry Rugby meet at the Rock. Coventry will be looking to replicate last season’s away victory But Park at home should be too strong for a Coventry side not having won away since November. A full preview of this game will follow.

The final game sees 14th placed Blaydon at home to Hull Ionians. Blaydon put up a good showing in losing at Albion, and at home should be confident to win over a Hull Ionians side seemingly incapable of winning matches even when having a large lead. If Hull can be less generous than usual then it might be a closer game than expected.

Match preview Saturday 13th February 2016 Rosslyn Park v Coventry Rugby.

This coming Saturday 13th February 2016 sees Coventry Rugby travel to Rosslyn Park to face the home side on their new 3G pitch for a 3pm kick off. Rosslyn Park were founded in 1879 just 5 years after Coventry, and indeed were the first club to face an overseas club from France. The previous 2 seasons under Alex Codling saw steady progressions finishing 4th and 2nd respectively. With Codling leaving to join Ulster Academy, Shaun Justice is now MD and DOR, with new Head Coach James Buckland coming in from London Scottish and London Welsh, and assisted by former OA coach Andy Holloway.

It has to be said that this season Park’s playing record has not lived up to their pre-season ambitions, although off the field there are some ambitious plans afoot including a newly installed 3G pitch. Park are currently in 8th place on 55 match points with 12 wins and 9 losses, compared to Coventry Rugby’s 10th place with 48 match points.

Park started off the season well winning 8 out of their first 10 games, but then went on to lose 6 out of the next 10. Losses away have been to Fylde, Blaydon, DMP, Blackheath and last Saturday Ampthill, with 4 losses at home to Blackheath, Loughborough Students, Richmond and Plymouth Albion. There have been some key wins out the 12 including DMP, Ampthill, Hartpury College and Fylde at home , with away victories at Albion, Esher and earlier in the season a win at Coventry 20-17.

Pre-season ambitions saw the recruitment of some experienced players as well as retaining the core of last season’s squad. Two former Coventry favourites came in with winger Mark Kohler from Plymouth Albion and flanker Ed Milne DR from Leicester Academy. More DR players have arrived including  prop Henry Elrington from London Irish via Loughborough Students, hooker Charlie Piper from Quins, scrum-half  and goal-kicker Tom Whiteley  from Saracens and centre Brett Herron from Bath.

In the pack props Mark Lilley and Lovejoy Chawatama with hooker Todd Gleave have arrived from London Scottish, lock Adam Frampton from Newport and another prop Maurice Nwakor. New recruits in the backs include scrum-half Will Crow from Dorking, centre Matt Hawke from London Scottish and a name well known to Coventry full-back / centre Arthur Henderson from Ealing Tfs, as well as full-back Henry Robinson from DMP.

Many players remain from last season including hooker Adam Bellamy, locks Richard Boyle and James Inglis, with an experienced back-row of Mick Macfarlane, Sam Shires, try scorer Hugo Ellis and flankers Harry Broadbent and Harry Rowland.

There is pace in the backs with wingers Stephen Hihetah, Adam Field and Dave Vincent, centre Paul Mackey and half-backs scrum-half Jack Gash and fly-half and goal-kicker Tom Whelan. 

In what has been a disappointing season for both sides, especially Coventry Rugby whose recent away form has been poor, this game will see Coventry working to avoid conceding another double in what is expected to be a fast game on the artificial pitch.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

8th February 2016.