Bedford v Birmingham & Solihull

Bedford Blues start off the season with a home fixture over one of last seasons most disappointing sides in National One, Birmingham & Solihull.

The Blues finished as runners up last season to Harlequins and would again be hoping to be up there pushing for promotion.

The Blues have recruited well during in the summer with James Pritchard and Ross Broadfoot likely to have a big influence as the season progresses.

The Bees have released a number of players as they look to rebuild after finishing bottom of the table last season.

Last season the Blues did the double over the Bees including a late season thrashing of them at Sharmans Cross, 68-16.

Prediction: Home win by 15 points as the Blues look to get off to a flyer.

Doncaster v Newbury

Last season Doncaster finished a place above Newbury in the league table finishing 10^th in their first ever season of National One rugby. It was down to their home record which served them well throughout the campaign. 

Doncaster have been busy recruiting in the summer and would be hoping for a top half finish by next May.

Newbury after a promising start to the season fell away and had a disappointing season but it was their first at this level and survival was the plan but with the increase in the division to 16 sides it was of the menu.

They have been busy in the close season and signed a raft of new players.

Last season Doncaster won this fixture 26-16 and with a 30-11 win at Monks Lane did the double over the Berkshire side.

Prediction: Tough call this one with both sides heavily recruiting during the summer but will go with a home win by eight points.

Moseley v Earth Titans

New boys Moseley back in National One after a three year break have a tough opener at home to Earth Titans who are looking for a promotion push. 

Moseley have recruited a few new players but will be relying mainly on the side which got them promoted last season as National Two Champions.

The Titans have had another busy summer on the transfer side and brought in over a dozen new signings. They have also lost a few players including David Strettle and Chris Hala’uifa to Harlequins whilst last seasons leading try scorer Scott Donald has joined National Two side Barking. With all the new signings it may take them a while to settle down and Moseley will be looking to take advantage of that situation.  

These two sides have met 12 times in the league and the Titans dominate the fixture with 10 wins including the last eight meetings between the two sides.

Moseley’s only home win over the Titans was back in April1997 when they won 48-17.

Prediction: Titans to get off with an away win by eight points.

Sedgley Park v Coventry

Both sides will be looking for big improvements this season after poor shows last time round.

Park will be looking to continue where they left off at the end of last season as there form improved and they climbed of the foot of the table to finish six points ahead of the Bees with three wins and a draw in their last six matches.

They have lost last season’s leading try scorer Jon Feeley but like Coventry look to have strengthened overall. In the centre they have picked up Gavin Duffy, formerly with Sale and Waterloo, and Scottish International centre Andy Craig who had a very successful spell at Orrell a couple of years back.    

Coventry ended last season with three straight defeats and just two wins in their last eight games.  They has been a big turnover of players at Coventry during the summers with the Ins looking to have given the squad a better look than last season although only time will tell.

Park won this fixture last season 22-19 having already won 27-26 at the Butts Arena earlier in the season to do the double over Coventry.

Prediction: Another tough call with both these two sides struggling last season, Coventry seem to have recruited well so will go narrow away win.

Waterloo v Plymouth Albion

Waterloo return to National One after five years away after finishing runners up to Moseley in National Two last season.  

Don’t know much about the Ins and Outs at Waterloo during the summer yet so difficult to comment too much. 

Plymouth Albion are starting a fifth successive season in National One and have finished in the top five in the last three seasons.

The two sides last met in the 2001/02 season in National Two with Albion doing the double over Waterloo on their way to Promotion to National One. They were 37-0 winners at Blundellsands and later the season were comfortable home winners 43-15. 

Prediction: Another tough call this one but will go for a narrow away win with Plymouth’s experience at the higher level counting.

Leeds Tykes v London Welsh

Leeds Tykes have lost a lot of star names over the summer but seem to have recruited well and will start the season as favourites to go back up into the Premiership at the first attempt. They still have a powerful looking squad which is a good mix of experience and some good young players.

London Welsh have had a reasonable summer and seem to have strengthened their squad with around nine quality signings whilst losing no one of note. They finished last season with four straight defeats. On the road last season they managed just the one win with a victory at Cross Green over Otley.   

These two have met eight times in the National Leagues with Leeds edging it with four wins to three for the Welsh with one match drawn. In Leeds National One Championship year, 200/01, they did the double over the Welsh including a comprehensive win at Headingley 55-16. 

Prediction: Tykes to win as they look to put down a marker for the season ahead.

Nottingham v Exeter

Nottingham will be looking to start the new season like they finished the second half of last season when they had six wins in their last eight matches to finish a highly creditable seventh in National One, their best finish in the division in over a decade.

The Chiefs, after an indifferent first half to last season, also finished the season strongly with eight wins from 11 matches including four successive wins to close the season out to overhaul Nottingham and finish sixth, their second worst finish in the division since winning promotion back in 1997-98.

Last season Nottingham won this fixture which was a high scoring affair 49-34 after the Chiefs had won at the County Ground, narrowly 19-18.

Prediction:  Tough call this one will go home win by Nottingham by eight points. 

          Cornish Pirates v Otley

The Pirates had the best ever finish last season as they finished in third spot in National One and have improved in each of their three seasons in the division. 

The Pirates finished last season with four successive wins and will hope to pick up where they left off and that included a win at Cross Green against Otley.

After finishing fifth for two successive seasons Otley slipped down to ninth place last season and will be keen to start climbing the National One table again. 

Otley finished last season with a good away win at Nottingham but prior to that had a disappoint spell with just two wins in seven matches.

The Pirates were 39-22 winners in this fixture last season and with a 13-7 win at Cross Green did the double over the Yorkshire side.

Prediction: Pirates to get off to a winning start with home advantage in 10 point win.