Week Three: Down to Earth - With a Bump

With only four matches played over the weekend - all on Saturday - the league begins to look thinner and thinner.  

With clubs finding themselves in the position of having slim pickings from only ten home league games between October and the end of the season, surely it's time for the RFU to pick up its own dropped ball and reinstate a workable division (whether that's called the Championship, or the 'King's New Clothes' Premiership Two, who knows - or cares overmuch?) Of at least fourteen clubs.

Sadly, we can be almost certain that the current Generals who cower way behind the trenches in Twickenham will, as per, sit on their hands while the game goes to hell in a hand-cart. C'est normal.

So, we plod on, with clubs/owners trying to make ends meet with diminishing resources due to savagely slashed central funding, and with covid loan repayments to make.

I wonder who will be the next benefactor to cry enough?

This week's clipped menu of games began with Cov's visit to a ground which is rapidly becoming its nemesis - Dillingham Park.

On paper, this was an eminently winnable clash for the vistors, even shorn as they were of a few senior players. However, after a bright start, things fairly rapidly went downhill with The Mob making the best of some errors in the 22 to take a lead which they held until the interval.

Cov did fight back with three tries bringing them the bonus point and the lead, but it was short-lived as the A's kicking game gave them the thick end of the spoils in a 5-1 result.

The total of four tries scored was one of the bright spots, but many fans are now calling for more pragmatism in the side's tactics, and questioning the validity of 'going for the corner' every time when the alternative choice of three points on offer might just be the way forward in such tight encounters.

That's one for Coach Rae to ponder though, and no doubt he'll come to the correct decision.

Attendance: 757

Ealing maintained their charge, making it three from three to stay top of the pile with a home nine try 64-7 demolition of Cambridge, who, along with London Scottish, must be wondering where the next points are coming from, yet comforted by the fact that relegation is off the cards.

Attendance: 811

Doncaster, who strengthened effectively over the summer, slipped smoothly into second with a 30-19 defeat of Nottingham at Castle Park. Ten points from the boot of Olver coupled with the four tries ensured that the Archers went home empty-handed.

Attendance: 1872

Caldy ran in four tries as they saw off struggling London Scottish by 29 points to 19. Former Cov man Will Talbot-Davies' try not being enough to earn a consolation for the visitors.

Attendance: 1258

Edit:

Bedford's delayed home tie with Hartpury took place on Saturday the 11th, completing the Round 3 fixtures.

The hosts comfortably saw off the 'students', racking up a 53-12, 5-0 result that lifted them to one place and three points above Coventry, although having now played one game more.

Attendance: 2414

Ealing: Played 3, Points 15

Doncaster: 3, 14

Ampthill: 3, 11

Nottingham: 3, 10

Bedford: 3, 9 (edited)

Coventry: 2, 6

Caldy: 3, 6

C. Pirates: 2, 5

Cambridge: 3, 2

Hartpury: 3, 1 (edited)

L. Scottish: 2, 0