Coventry
National league 1 week 22 Saturday 8th February 2014...
By Tom Little.
February 4 2014
match previews including Blackheath v Coventry Rugby.
Fixtures Week 22 - Saturday 8th February.
Blackheath v Coventry Rugby
Blaydon v Richmond
Doncaster Knights v Henley Hawks
Fylde v Esher
Loughborough Students v Tynedale
Old Albanian v Cinderford
Wharfedale v Hull Ionians
Worthing Raiders v Rosslyn Park
Week 22/ Round 22 sees 7 of the 8 ties involving the top half sides meeting the bottom half. Yet in view of recent surprising results it would be a brave or more likely a foolhardy pundit to suggest a week of no surprises.
The bottom half of the table is getting increasingly congested with no fewer than 6 sides ,separated by just 6 points trying desperately to avoid the final two relegation places with their fight for survival expected to have an impact on the overall results.
The tie of the round is 3rd placed Fylde up against 4th placed Esher. With Fylde needing to recover from a poor performance at Tynedale but being far more effective at home, and Esher after a couple of poor results were back in form against Worthing, a close game is in prospect. Either of these two sides cannot afford to let Doncaster Knights get any further away, but Esher with their slightly more effective pack should run Fylde very close.
On paper it seems more straightforward as leaders Doncaster Knights have Henley Hawks as their visitors. Recent defeats have left Henley only 2 points ahead of the relegation places, but with the form of Doncaster and their better all round game Doncaster should be firm favourites at home to complete an easy win and consolidate their lead at the top, as well as maintaining their 100% home record.
Likewise Rosslyn Park face what should be a straightforward task at Worthing Raiders. However Worthing have shown that they do have the ability to score tries even if their defence leaves something to be desired. Yet once again the power of the Park pack should provide enough of a platform for them to maintain pressure on Doncaster, although the home side need the win to stay out of the danger zone.
A more difficult game to predict is Coventry Rugby’s visit to Blackheath. The home side with recent victories over Esher and Rosslyn Park can be a match for any team; especially now that some more experienced players have returned to the fray. A contest not for the faint hearted, a more detailed match preview will follow at the end of this general preview.
Micky Ward’s somewhat premature reported remarks that Blaydon are already out of the promotion race may come back to haunt them as they face Richmond. With games in hand both sides could be further up the table, and in Richmond’s case an urgent need to move more than the existing 2 points ahead of the relegation places. A match which might prove a lot closer than first expected.
Wharfedale should be back to winning ways as they have bottom side Hull Ionians as their visitors. Continued poor results for the league’s newcomers has done nothing for their confidence and Wharfedale at home should prove too strong.
Old Albanian will be going for their third successive win as Cinderford are the visitors. The home side are now finding some form yet recently postponed matches have left Cinderford in the relegation zone, but still only 4 points from safety and with two games in hand. A key game for the Foresters who need to get something out of this game, but the home side should start as slight favourites.
The final game sees Loughborough Students having the north-easterners Tynedale as their guests. The Students have found it difficult of late especially when their youthful impetuosity leads to discipline problems, and they cannot expect an easy ride from an in form Tynedale who are still in the relegation zone despite their better results of late. A game that will be hard fought as both sides desperately want the win.
Blackheath v Coventry Rugby match preview.
This coming Saturday 8th February 2014 at the Rectory Field sees Coventry Rugby visit one of their historic rivals Blackheath, with the kick off at 3 pm. Blackheath or “club” as they are known were founded in 1858, becoming one of the founder members of the RFU in 1871 as the game became separate from Association Football.
Last season Blackheath finished just one place and two points behind Coventry rugby in 10th place.
This season under new Head Coach Simon Legg they have had somewhat of a stuttering start to the season currently having won 7 games, lost 12 and drawn 2 and are in 13th place on 41 points, just two points away from the relegation zone, compared to Coventry’s 5th place and 62 points. Some key players have been missing for part of the early season but are now coming back into the side. Wins at home have been over Tynedale, Worthing Raiders, Hull Ionians, and most impressively over Esher two weeks ago. Creditable home draws have been against Blaydon and Loughborough Students, whilst the three away wins have been over Worthing Raiders, Loughborough Students and even more impressively last week’s win at Rosslyn Park which took away Park’s undefeated home record.
Those who were at the Butts Park Arena earlier in the season witnessed Coventry’s best home performance with a 10 try 63-21 win over Blackheath. A result that Coventry Rugby need to put behind them as Blackheath are now showing some impressive form and will want revenge over that large defeat. Coventry Rugby for their part had something of their own stutter recently with two back to back losses but were almost back to form with last week’s win over Wharfedale.
Blackheath have had a large influx of new players this season and bedding these in with some other key injuries have delayed their start to the season .Always a combative pack Blackheath have still retained most of last season’s players including the iconic Dave Allen as No 7 who has recently re-discovered his penchant for scoring tries. Locks Tom Strudwick and the returning captain Tom Bason, with James Catt at No 8, plus an experienced front row with hooker Gavin O’Meara, and props James Cleverly and Nick Winwood suggest that this pack cannot be taken lightly. Also on the retained list are some impressive backs with scrum-half Jack Walsh and pacey full-back Mike Canty. Speed on the wings is found with Liam Gibson and Geoff Griffiths.
New recruits making a name for themselves in the side include their leading goal-kicker and fly-half David Marshall who joined from Nottingham, taking over from Rory Teague, with new centres Simon Watling from London Welsh and Marcus Burcham from Thurrock. New recruits in the backs also include winger James Ticknell and full-back Hamish Graham from Dungannon.
The pack has also been enhanced with lock Cai Griffiths, and prop forwards Bertie Haskins from Exeter Chiefs and Richard Culley from Ealing. In flanker Jesse Liston from Canterbury they have discovered an impressive new talent.
A game that is important for both sides, Blackheath to avenge their early season defeat, but more importantly to move them further away from the relegation zone, and for Coventry Rugby their need to continue on with their better form shown in the win over Wharfedale as a win will bring them in sight of third place.
A close contest is expected with no quarter given by either side.
There will be a supporters coach to the game please contact the club for details, for those making their own way the address of Blackheath is Charlton Road, The Rectory Field, Blackheath, SE3 8SR
Tom Little
Coventry Rugby press office
4th February 2014.
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04/02/2014 18:30
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