Week 25 - round 25 national league 1 previews...

...Saturday 19th March 2016 including Coventry Rugby v Cinderford.

Week 25 Fixtures Saturday 19th March 2016.

Coventry Rugby                         v      Cinderford

Esher                                            v      Blaydon

Fylde                                            v     Henley Hawks

Hartpury College                       v     Wharfedale

Hull Ionians                                v     Darlington Mowden Park

Loughborough Students          v      Rosslyn Park

Plymouth Albion                       v      Blackheath

Richmond                                   v      Ampthill & District    

Week 25 will see 80% of the fixtures completed with leaders Richmond surely only requiring a win to make the title safe. At the other end of the table wins will be required by Blaydon, Loughborough Students and Coventry Rugby to remove them from any lingering relegation fears, which will then leave just 4 teams fighting to avoid the drop.

A true test of their credentials is at the Athletic Ground as runaway leaders Richmond take on 4th placed Ampthill & District, who have surprised many with their combative pack and consistency. Evidently the Blackheath pack gave the home pack a torrid time 2 weeks ago,and in Ampthill they will face a similar challenge. A close game but Richmond should be powerful enough at home to gain a narrow win.

Waiting for any slip up will be second placed Hartpury College, who have possibly the easier fixture against relegation candidate Wharfedale. Another loss for Wharfedale will see the gap between them and safety widen and it is a must win for them. However Hartpury College will be in no mood to be generous and should have an easy win.

Surely it is too late for 3rd placed Blackheath, as they are now 15 points behind the leaders as they travel to a Plymouth Albion side with the same number of points. Albion have already done better than expected after their relegation and should be too strong at home as a win for them would take them to at least 3rd position.

Esher, whose recent losses has seen their title ambitions evaporate face a Blaydon side whose recent form has seen them within 1 win of safety, despite their close loss at home to LS. Esher has just parted company with long standing DOR Mike Schmid, so it will be a test of attitudes for the home side. Although Blaydon don’t always travel well it could be a close contest.

The north-east derby between Hull Ionians and Darlington Mowden Park is an intriguing clash of teams with contrasting recent form. After a good start Hull Ionians has started to slip and are back in 13th place only 10  points above the relegation zone, whilst Park after a shaky start are within sight of 6th place. Park should just swing this one.

Loughborough Students, whose recent bonus point win over Blaydon has moved them up to 11th place and now 11 points above the relegation zone face a visiting form side Rosslyn Park. Park should have enough experience especially in their pack to win this one, although the Students probably only need this win for safety.

The final two games sees relegation scrapes, with the first one involving bottom side Henley Hawks visiting Fylde. A disappointing season for the home side has seen them unable to struggle out of the bottom half of the table, but at home still can be a formidable force. If they can get plenty of possession they should have an easy victory virtually sealing the Hawks relegation fate.

Another side struggling to get into the top half of the table Coventry Rugby are hosting 15th placed Cinderford. Coventry  need  this win to remove any lingering relegation fears as well as arresting 4 consecutive losses. The visitors have achieved wins in their last two games, which has given them a glimmer of hope, so the BPA cold see a game full of fraught and nervous tension. A full preview of this game will follow.

Final Catch Up Fixture Result Saturday 12th March.

Blaydon               26             27             Loughborough Students       crowd      250

A somewhat surprising loss at home by Blaydon ,although the 2 points gained keep them in 12th place but moves them above Hull Ionians, and moves the bonus point winners Loughborough Students to 11th place equal on points with Blaydon. Both sides are now 11 points ahead of the relegation zone.

COVENTRY RUGBY V CINDERFORD MATCH PREVIEW SATURDAY 19TH MARCH 2016

This coming Saturday 19th March sees the vital match for both sides as Coventry Rugby take on Cinderford, here at the Butts Park Arena, with kick off at 3pm.Founded in 1886 The Foresters as they are known have found the last 3 seasons somewhat of a struggle finishing 11th 2 seasons ago, 13th last season only surviving relegation by dint of an administrative error by Old Albanian. Currently they are in 15th spot, on 30 match points and 15 points from safety, with the second worst defensive record in the league.

So far Cinderford have won just 5 matches and lost 18, with home wins over Hull Ionians, Blaydon and Fylde two weeks ago, with away wins at Wharfedale and Hull Ionians. Director of Rugby Nick Corrigan  decided that the mainstay of the side were not good enough and they went elsewhere, but he  was sacked earlier in the season after a home defeat by Coventry 13-38. Since then some of the former players have returned including Adam Balding who has taken on the player coach role until at least the end of the season. Current form shows that Cinderford have won their last 2 games whilst Coventry Rugby have lost their last four- a warning if any such was required for Coventry.

Matters have not been helped for Cinderford with the emergence of fellow Gloucestershire side Hartpury College with their close connections with Gloucester Premiership rugby, which has resulted in Cinderford forging connections with Bristol, Bath and Worcester Academies.

A large number of new recruits arrived over summer but most seemed to have departed apart from Bristol dr player fly-half Callum Sheedy, hooker Dave McGregor from Plymouth Albion, lock Jerry Sexton and prop Will Goodrick-Clarke. Goal-kicker and centre Chris Eden has recently  arrived with prop Derek Appiah., and winger Josh Adams. Winger Nev Codlin  and centre Jack Adams have returned from Chinnor.

There are still some experienced players retained from the last few seasons with Mike Wilcox at full-back, centres Sam Hanks and Rob Winchle, with Harrison Yorke on the wing. Half-backs Danny Pointon and Alex Frame are back and the pack has captain George Mills at No 8 and Tom Bozzard as hooker, with prop Chris Bundy. The back row and locks have Milo Reynolds, Roger Birkin, Marcus Brown and Matt Lane.

This game is a must win for Cinderford  as another loss would almost certainly leave them too much to do, but they are in better form than Coventry Rugby at the present time, so a nervous and enthralling encounter is expected here at the Butts Park Arena on Saturday for the 3pm kick off.

Time for all supporters to get behind Coventry Rugby for this crucial game.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

14th March 2016.