By Tom Little
April 19 2016

...Saturday 23rd April 2016 including Coventry Rugby v Ampthill & District.

Week 29 Fixtures Saturday 23rd April 2016.

Blaydon                      v              Darlington Mowden Park               14.30

Cinderford                 v              Henley Hawks

Coventry Rugby        v              Ampthill & District

Esher                           v             Blackheath

Fylde                           v             Wharfedale

Hull Ionians               v             Loughborough Students

Plymouth Albion       v            Hartpury College

Richmond                   v           Rosslyn Park

The penultimate games of the season sees promotion already settled as well as relegation, so will Week 29 see any surprises or indeed lower crowds?

Champions Richmond  have their West London neighbours  Rosslyn Park as their visitors, with the home side wanting to finish off their home games in style. However with Rosslyn Park rather belatedly finding their expected pre-season form a close and hotly contested game is in prospect. A game which could either way as Park look to put down a marker for next season.

Hartpury College also have a difficult fixture away at Plymouth Albion .Before an expected 30 point deduction Albion were in 5th place, which considering their relegation and off field problems could be considered positive in their season in NL1. A game which could go either way, although the news filtering through that Albion’s new owners have sacked DOR Graham Dawe, might cause a backlash.

Hoping for an Albion win will be Ampthill & District who travel to Coventry Rugby looking to take over 2nd spot. However with Coventry on their best unbeaten run of the season and in their final home game for many of the team, they will be looking to please their supporters. Another close and absorbing contest is in prospect. A full preview of this game will follow.

Another side looking for a top 3 finish Blackheath, in 4th place after their home draw with Coventry, travel to neighbours Esher. Both sides have been inconsistent at the wrong time this season so this is another game which could either way.

Darlington Mowden Park firmly ensconced in 5th spot travel to a Blaydon side back in 11th place. Both sides have struggled at times this season but strong late form from DMP should make them strong favourites to become pride of the north-east.  

There will be sadness at the seaside as anther North-West derby bites the sand as Fylde face a soon to be relegated Wharfedale. Fylde have somewhat disappointed this season after a good last 2 campaigns, but Wharfedale have struggled to keep up  with the increasing playing standards in NL1. It could be an emotional but close contest.

Both Hull Ionians and Loughborough Students will be grateful that their last few nervous weeks worrying about their league position is now over.  Both sides are still fighting to overcome Blaydon in 11th place and a high scoring game is expected.

The final game sees Cinderford and Henley Hawks meet for the final time in NL1 as both teams will be relegated. Henley Hawks  have recently shown plenty of spirit even in defeat and should be slight favourites to end their NL1 sojourn in style.

MATCH PREVIEW COVENTRY RUGBY V AMPTHILL & DISTRICT SATURDAY 23RD APRIL 2016 

This coming Saturday sees Coventry Rugby meet Ampthill & District for the first time at the Butts Park Arena, with kick off at 3pm, in Coventry’s last home game of the season.

Founded in 1881 Ampthill & District moved steadily through the leagues being promoted to NL1 at the start of this season following beating Bishops Stortford in a play-off. It has to be said that their first ever season in NL1 has been a resounding success being currently in 3rd place on 98 match points, with no less than 19 wins, 2 draws and only 7 losses on their record.

An experienced coaching team has been assembled over the years with Director of Rugby Mark Lavery and Head Coach Paul Turner. In addition on board is a heady list of specialist coaches and player coaches with hooker Villiami Ma’asi, No 8 Ma’ama Molitika, scrum-half Kevin Barrett, scrum coach Tevita Taumopeau from Worcester Warriors and former Coventry favourite lock Ben Gulliver from Bedford Blues.

Ampthill’s overall record shows  11 home wins and 8 away win and they are currently on an unbeaten run of 9 games with 8 wins and 1 draw. Included in the wins are ones over Darlington Mowden Park, Hartpury College, Rosslyn Park, Plymouth Albion, a double over Fylde, a 31-25 home win over Coventry Rugby and a creditable away draw with Richmond.  Only Blackheath have done the winning double over them.

Close connections have been fostered between Ampthill and Premiership side Saracens with a number of DR players at Ampthill who were previously at Old Albanian or might have gone there, as well as a close affinity with fellow Bedfordshire club Bedford Blues, which earlier in the season saw James Pritchard at Ampthill on loan. Recently Leicester Tigers have also provided DR players.

In addition to the number of player coaches Ampthill & District have recruited some experienced players with hooker Aleki  Lutui in from Premiership side Gloucester , flanker Kiefer Laxton from Nottingham, and former Coventry player fly-half Will Maisey also from Nottingham.

A number of DR loan players are or have been at Ampthill including Leicester Tigers flanker Will Evans, prop Ben Wilkinson from Bedford Blues Academy, and a number of players from Premiership side Saracens with prop Ralph Adams-Hale, winger George Elliott as well as 2 players previously on loan at OA fly-half/centre Elliott Reeder and centre Max Wilkins. A number of other new recruits have recently broken into the side including scrum-half Thomas Aviss, flanker Sydney Blackmore, lock Kennet O’Neil, winger Conor Bullivant and prop Jack Culverhouse.

A number of key players remain from their surge up the leagues with flanker Matt Burke, hooker James Fish, prop Matt Collins and flanker Darrell Dyer who occasionally doubles up on the wing. More power is found in the pack with lock Paino Hehea and flanker Karl Braband, and winger Jonathan Morgan.

Two players Coventry need to be wary of is full-back/ wing Elliot Clements-Hill who is their leading goal-scorer  and full-back Karim Lynch capable of making breaks from deep. An impressive half-back is fly-half Jo Tarrant and scrum-half Gavin Williams with another exciting centre in William Goodge.

Both sides will be going all out to maintain their unbeaten records, but it will be an emotional afternoon both for the Coventry Rugby supporters and the large number of players and backroom staff  who will leaving the club after  giving such sterling service.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

19th April 2016.

Week 29 - round 29 national league 1 previews...

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 19/04/2016 21:28

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
19/04/2016 21:28

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