By Tom Little.
August 27 2012

Fixtures Saturday 1st September...

Cambridge                     v     Cinderford

Coventry                        v     Ealing Tfs

Fylde                             v     Esher        R

Loughborough St   P       v    Blackheath

Macclesfield                   v    Blaydon

Richmond             P       v   Wharfedale

Rosslyn Park                 v    Sedgley Park

Tynedale                       v    Old Albanians    P

P promoted sides             R  relegated  side

In what promises to be the most open and closest contests in National League 1 for some years, for not only the one promotion spot, but to also avoid one of the three relegation places takes place with the opening fixtures this Saturday 1^st September.

The vast majority of teams seem to have strengthened their sides from last season, yet with no clear favourite for promotion. Following last season’s promotion of new comers Jersey, the three promoted sides, Richmond, Old Albanians and Loughborough Students cannot be discounted, nor indeed the relegated team from the Championship Esher, who appear to have been able to keep most of last team’s squad.

Rosslyn Park have recruited the largest number of new players and appear to be going for promotion. Yet it is difficult not to see any of last season’s top 4 teams after Jersey still challenging namel EalingTfs, Blackheath, Fylde and Rosslyn Park. Coventry’s large recruitment could also put them in the mix, as well as newly relegated side Esher.

The opening day fixtures provide some intriguing games, which should be mirrored throughout all of the coming season, with the pick of them being Coventry against Ealing TFs, and Fylde at home to newcomers Esher. Two of the promoted sides, Loughborough Students at home to Blackheath and Old Albanians facing the long trip to Tynedale, may find it a step too far, but another promoted side Richmond must fancy their chances at home to Wharfedale. Overall then an exciting Saturday of fixtures but probably too early to make any form predictions for the rest of the season.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

National league 1 previews and fixtures 1st September 2012.

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 27/08/2012 19:43

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
27/08/2012 19:43

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zinzanh
27/08/2012 23:10

Summed that up well Tom.

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titchywinger
27/08/2012 23:56

The league certainly looks very competetive this year.Can't make the first 3 or 4 games of the season due to holidays and my own sporting committments,On Saturday though ,after checking online,I expect to walk down the prom(if they have one)in Lanzarote,proudly wearing my Cov shirt after giving Ealing a good seeing to.A big season for us.

Come on Cov.

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tom snr
28/08/2012 08:16

there will be a more detailed Cov v Ealing match report out later this week

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Cliff Bennett
28/08/2012 09:27

I've read your preview, Tom. You won't be able to accuse me again of not reading your postings! Whether I understand them, however, is a totally different thing, but that's due to my shortcomings, not yours.
I was looking forward so much to the first game of the season, but my son has asked us to babysit my grandson so I very much regret to say that I won't be there.
My very best wishes to the team for a successful start to the season.

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hipflask
28/08/2012 15:05

hi Tom !, guess time to start watching what goes on, on here again, been awhile, anyways thanks as always for the heads up very good read, most say team looking good after seeing the xed keys and bedwas games, see you saturday one and all

woods, it's in the hipflask! (Steve Emms)
' COME ON COV '

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tonker
28/08/2012 16:46

could someon econfirm the promotion & relegation machinations this year and the changes to the laws ie is the 5 sec rule re using the ball from aruck being used in our league?

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tom snr
28/08/2012 22:59

same as last season for promotion- only the top side at end of season goes up,likewise for relegation the bottom three sides at end of season go down.
cant answer about 5 sec rule though.

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Cov Schools
29/08/2012 08:36

The ruck law has been brought in line - so they say - with the maul law - "use it or lose it". In recent seasons we have seen teams, particularly at international and Prem level, waste time/wind down the clock by slowing the game at ruck time. The scenario is usually one where the scrum half is directing players to get into position, for him to pass to them, at a ruck. The ball is visible, but the opposition can't get to it. 20 seconds sometimes elapse before the scrummie passes to a forward, who grunts into another forward, and the whole slow ruck thing begins again. The law change means that the referee will call when the ball is available at the back of a ruck. From that time, players in the attacking team will have 5 seconds to play the ball. If they don't. then a scrummage will be called, with the non-offending team having the feed, as in the maul law.

I'm not sure we'll see too many. I've watched 3 matches so far this season, and there hasn't been a single call by the ref re this new law.

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OldNick
29/08/2012 20:46

Crouch - Touch - (wait a while) - pause - (guess ow long I'll make you wait) - Engage

is now

Crouch - Touch - set.

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Cov Schools
30/08/2012 09:28

Re: the new scrum calls.

Are the IRB trying to protect themselves from any 'action'.... If the ref calls 'engage', it's an instruction. If the engage goes wrong, then the instigator of the engage could be seen to have encouraged unsafe practice. Calling 'set' - it's then the decision of the players to..... engage. I know the official line is that it's a one syllable word beginning with a fricative, which is easier for the ears/mind to process. But.....

Anyway - it seems to be better. The problem was not particularly the pause bit, but it was the variable lengths of time (that great word 'cadence') used by ALL referees - there was never any consistency. Watching the SH matches at the weekend, watching them play using CTPE and the lack of the 5 second law - all seemed a bit of an old fashioned game suddenly.

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