Week 30 - round 30 previews national league 1...

...Saturday 30th April 2016 including Wharfedale v Coventry Rugby.

Week 30 Fixtures Saturday 30th April 2016.

Ampthill & District                     v        Esher

Blackheath                                   v       Blaydon

Darlington Mowden Park          v        Cinderford

Hartpury College                         v        Hull Ionians         14.30

Henley Hawks                              v        Rosslyn Park

Loughborough Students            v        Fylde                    14.00

Richmond                                     v        Plymouth Albion

Wharfedale                                  v        Coventry Rugby  

Well it’s finally arrived , the final games of the season, heartbreak for some, disappointment for others, surprise and joy for a few.

Champions Richmond, who would have thought we would be saying that at the end of this season of surprises, have another difficult home fixture this time against a Plymouth Albion side smarting from their internal problems. Not an easy fixture for both sides as Albion would have been in 5th place before the 30 point deduction, and Richmond will need to be at their best to win this one.

Second placed Hartpury College, after last week’s loss to Albion should be on firmer ground as Hull Ionians are their visitors. Yet Hull Ionians are extremely pleased to have survived their second spell in NL1 after a late season slump, so could surprise Hartpury, but a home win is expected.

Hoping for a College slip up will be 3rd placed Ampthill & District, who despite last week’s loss to Coventry are equal on match points with Hartpury College and face an Esher side which can be inconsistent. The power of the home pack should just swing it.

Blackheath in 4th place, only 1 point behind Hartpury and Ampthill are back at home to face a Blaydon side who can flatter to deceive. Blaydon seemed to have re-discovered their pack power and although they don’t always travel well they could spring a surprise.

The recent surge up the table for Rosslyn Park has seen them reach 5th spot on 90 match points, and in travelling to bottom side Henley Hawks must fancy a heavy away win.

Two recent losses for Darlington Mowden Park has seen them drop back to 7th spot, but with relegated Cinderford as their visitors, they will confident enough to finish off their season with a large win.

Coventry Rugby finally finding some form and now unbeaten in 5 games, will be looking to maintain this sequence against a relegated Wharfedale side. However in the past Coventry have struggled in the Dales, so it could be a close contest. Coventry do need the win to achieve a 50% record for the season. A full preview will follow.

The final game sees Loughborough Students at home to a Fylde side which has hardly set the league alight this season. A high scoring game is in prospect as a win for Fylde could see them overtake Coventry for a top half finish.

MATCH PREVIEW WHARFEDALE V COVENTRY RUGBY SATURDAY 30TH APRIL 2016.

This coming Saturday 30th April sees  Coventry Rugby travel to the Dales to face Wharfedale at their Threshfields Ground for a 3pm kick off. Not only is this game the last one of the season but it is also the last one for Wharfedale in NL1 as they will be relegated in 14th place, after 20 successive years in this league.

Founded in 1923 Wharfedale finished 9th and 11th for the past two seasons but this season there was no escape with the home side only winning 5 of its games, drawing one and losing 23, currently giving them 38 match points compared to Coventry’s 70 match points and 13 wins.

Matters were not helped at the start of the season with Tommy McGee becoming Head Coach in place of Jon Feeley, before suddenly going  leaving Jon to take over again. Only winning two of their first 13 games didn’t help and since then they are currently on a losing sequence of 8 games. They have won only 5 games with home wins over Darlington Mowden Park, Henley Hawks and Blackheath, and away wins at Blaydon and Hull Ionians.

Earlier in the season they lost at Coventry Rugby 41-14 but some of their later away losses were by close margins such as at Blackheath by just 3 points, Ampthill by 6 and Fylde last Saturday by 4.Threshfields have seen some close losses to Plymouth Albion, Fylde again, and Champions Richmond by just 1 point, somewhat of a warning to visitors not to take the game too lightly.

Once again Wharfedale have had a largely settled side but steady improvements by other NL1 sides have probably widened the gap. There have been some new recruits with full-back/wing Maxime Labasse coming in from France, prop Riccardo Cano from Chinnor, experienced lock George Hedgley from DMP and wing Dan Tai Ben-Choy. Centre Ollie Fewtrell has come in from Macclesfield and hooker Steve Graham from Ilkley.

As already mentioned most of the squad remain from last season with  fly-half and leading goal-kicker Jamie Guy pulling the strings and although scrum-Half James Doherty is injured experienced Phillip Woodhead or Jimmy Bullough are able deputies.

There is plenty of speed amongst the backs with winger Oli Cicognini, the elusive Josh Prell as wing or full-back, with centres Cameron Hudson and Huw Morgan. Another centre Andrew Hodgson has come into the side with back up at No 10 with Will Bell and Harry Bullough.

An experienced back-row has Rob Baldwin at No 8, flankers  Dan Solomi , Jack Barnard , Chris Howick and Josh Burridge. New lock Dan Preston-Routledge has come in with fellow locks Alex Powell and Alastair Allen.

Coventry supporters will recognise Dan Stockdale at hooker assisted by Jordon Poole, and experienced prop forwards Joe Altham and  Matt Beesley who is off to Northampton Saints, as well as Chris Steel and Jared Williams.

This game could be something of a banana skin for Coventry Rugby, for although they won at Threshfields last season they do sometimes make heavy weather of it. Coventry Rugby do need the win to maintain a top half finish as well as to ensure a 50% playing record, whilst Wharfedale will want to sign off in style  in front of their followers.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

26th April 2016 .