By Tom Little
December 15 2014

...Saturday 13th December 2014 including Blackheath v Coventry Rugby. 

Results Saturday 13^th December 2014.

Blackheath                                  12         36        Coventry Rugby

Blaydon                                        20        25         Hartpury College

Cinderford                                   42           5        Macclesfield

Fylde                                             40         33        Richmond

Loughborough Students            32           3       Tynedale

Old Albanian                                29         21       Darlington Mowden Park

Rosslyn Park                                 16         17       Ealing Tfs

Wharfedale       postponed due to snow         Esher

Well it had to end sometime, no not Coventry’s winning run but the end of a dramatic and exciting first half of the season which has left wide open what will happen at both ends of the table come April. Pre-season favourites Ealing Tfs, Rosslyn Park and Coventry Rugby are leading the pack with now only 5 points or one bonus point win separating the three sides, whilst although virtually certain that we will lose Macclesfield, the other two relegation places could be filled by any of 8 sides.

Coventry Rugby maintained their thrilling form with another bonus point victory, this time over Blackheath. Coventry found the home side in resilient mood in the first half with ferocious tackling and incisive counter attacking, helped by some unusual handling errors from Coventry. However the signs were already on the wall that the power of the Coventry scrum and hard direct running of the ever improving Rob Knox, whose brace of tries for the third game running and the dynamic back row would eventually take its toll, as it did in the last quarter. This bonus point win more importantly put Coventry within 5 points of Ealing and only one behind Rosslyn Park.

As expected the battle of the league’s top two sides Rosslyn Park and Ealing Tfs lived up to expectations being as close as expected. In a feisty display Ealing managed to keep in touch despite two yellow cards and their pack earned a late late penalty try to disappoint the home side. The result allowed Coventry Rugby to close the gap on both sides leaving the prospect of an even more exciting finale to the season.

Another penalty try in more controversial circumstances settled the contest between Fylde and Richmond. At 19 all at half-time a score that summed up the game and as the second half drew to an end a draw seemed more and more likely, until an attempted Rob Kirby interception was deemed to be a deliberate knock on with a penalty try being awarded. This win still leaves Fylde in 4^th place but in view of their poor away record compared to their unbeaten home record surely have left it too late to reach the top.

A crucial game for Cinderford taking up the last but one relegation place resulted in a bonus point victory over bottom side Macclesfield. The home side’s third win in four games was virtually assured with their half-time lead of 35-0, a loss that surely dooms Macclesfield, but although still keeping Cinderford in 15th place brings them now within 3 points of safety but more importantly sucks up to 8 sides into the relegation mix for the remaining two places. It is going to be a nerve wracking second half of the season for 8 teams as they look for a winning run.

Darlington Mowden Park, have been sucked into the third relegation place after another narrow loss this time at Old Albanian whose own form has recently picked up. The home side’s impressive backs gained the try bonus early into the second half but two late Park tries almost saw them gain a bonus point. The win moves OA 3 points from danger but drops Darlington into the third relegation place albeit still only one point from safety.

Two sides in need of a win Loughborough Students and Tynedale met, with the Students getting over an eminently forgettable half time score of 0-3 to run in 5 second half tries without reply over a Tynedale side whose well-publicised injury problems have left them vulnerable. Their fifth loss in a row has left Tynedale in 13^th place only 1 point above the danger zone, but even the Students with this win are only in 12^th spot 2 points ahead of Dale.

With the game between Wharfedale and Esher being snowed off,the final game saw somewhat of a surprise result as Blaydon were beaten at home by Hartpury College. Not so much men against boys but the home pack against the excellent college backs thus negating the home sides proven strengths. This win lifts Hartpury to 8^th place one place ahead of Blaydon but they are still only 9 points ahead of the relegation place with Blaydon only 8 points.

Possible Movements into National League 1.

Not only is it the halfway mark in National League 1 but also National League 2 North and South the feeder leagues for promotion into League 1. The end of this season will see both the Champions of NL2 North and South promoted to NL1 with the third place taken by the winner of the place off between the runners up in the respective North and South leagues. Currently Hull Ionians lead the North and Henley Hawks the South, with Ampthill in the North and Dorking in the South currently being runners up.

The team to be relegated from the Championship to NL1 is not so clear cut as the British and Irish Cup has delayed the completion of the halfway mark, although currently Plymouth Albion are looking somewhat isolated from the rest.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

15^th December 2014 .

Week 15 national league 1 results round up...

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 15/12/2014 16:57

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
15/12/2014 16:57

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