Get used to it...

By stonehousealbion
April 29 2015

I know - we've barely finished this season (Albion's annus horribilis?) and we're looking ahead already? Yes! Gotta embrace change and all that, plus there's always the need to start planning weekends away and that sort of thing. It's a good while before the fixture list will be out, but with some serious miles beyond what we've been used to of late (- the "derby" game is in the Forest od Dean, for God's sake!), it's never too early to start looking at the map and renewing old acquaintances up country.

The cup/vase/shield competitions of old have fallen by the wayside, so in a 16 team league, it's a straightforward 15 x 2, H and A format. That's 30 games in total and as far as I'm aware, Nat 1 games are all on a Sat afternoon with the odd Fri evening KO in the SE to accomodate the internationals. The RFU and NCA have now agreed a 'Structured Season' for 2015/16. It starts on 05 Sept and runs eight weeks up to and including 24 Oct. Then there's a blank Saturday on Oct 31st for the RWC 2015 Final, a week's break over Christmas and a restart on 02 Jan. Three blank weekends (27 Feb, 12 Mar and 09 Apr) until the end of season on Saturday 30th April (two of them coincide with England's home 6N games.

Here is the full nominal list (with broad location, * = ex-C'ship/ND1): 

1     Ealing Trailfinders (P)
2     Rosslyn Park (London)
3     * Coventry (W Mids)
4     Fylde (Lancs)
5     Hartpury College (Glos)
6     Blackheath (London)
7     Richmond (London - ground share with L Scottish)
8     Blaydon (Tyneside)
9     Darlington Mowden Park (S Yorks)
10   * Esher (London)
11   Wharfedale (N Yorks)
12   Loughborough Students (Leics)
13   Cinderford (Glos)
14   Old Albanian (R)
15   Tynedale (R)
16   Macclesfield (R)

Up from N2S are Henley (Berkshire - Anyone remember a visit there in a Transit in the Nat Trophy in 2006?).

Up from N2N are Hull Ionians (Humberside).

The third promotees will be decided this Sat when N2N/S runners up Ampthill (Beds) host Bishop's Stortford (Herts).

NCA (parent body for Nat 1) website, fixtures page: NCA Fixtures

Current map: Nat 1 Map (Somehow, I reckon the existing clubs would have preferred Moseley to be relegated...)

Nat 1 - Here we Come!

Discussion started by Unofficial Plymouth Albion (IP Logged), 30/04/2015 13:39

Unofficial Plymouth Albion
30/04/2015 13:39

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stonehousealbion
01/05/2015 10:07

If you're interested in keeping up with future opposition or league developments, a good source of info is rolling-maul, which covers all of non-AP rugby including (England) County rugby:

rolling-maul.com

There are separate boards for the C'ship and Nat 1, which means there's a little more keyboard work required at the moment. Technically, (I believe) we don't actually become part of Nat 1 until just before the start of the new season (Just in case anyone goes belly up in the off season?)

Coventry are the only team in our new home who have a Sportnetwork board. Just go to the dropdown menu next to the big RUGBYNETWORK.NET (top LH corner of this page) and scroll down. Or put this in to your faves as a bookmark:

Sportnetwork - Coventry

Come cheer up, my lads - 'tis to glory we steer!

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hills22
01/05/2015 10:16

Thanks for this Stonehouse. You guys I can see on matchdays are good people so the thought of being able to socialise with you all is a nice thought.

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stonehousealbion
01/05/2015 13:32

Article editted to include NCA website address (for fixtures).

Come cheer up, my lads - 'tis to glory we steer!

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B L Zebab
02/05/2015 17:11

Ampthill claim last place in next years ND1 after beating Bishops Stortford in ND2 playoff today

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stonehousealbion
03/05/2015 02:25

Phew! That's saved us 17 miles each way, then...

Come cheer up, my lads - 'tis to glory we steer!

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stonehousealbion
03/05/2015 08:20

For a flavour of what we're into next term:

ampthillrufc.com

Come cheer up, my lads - 'tis to glory we steer!

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hills22
03/05/2015 16:29

To think we were leaving the long trip to Bedford behind us.

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stonehousealbion
15/06/2015 10:58

It's official - we're now off the C'ship and onto the National menu.

Interesting that with Old Albanian dropping a league as well, Saracens now have a development arrangement with Ampthill...

Come cheer up, my lads - 'tis to glory we steer!

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Observation
19/06/2015 16:40

When you travel to Darlington Mowden Park I would suggest you don't aim for South Yorkshire!

Similarly don't go to London to find Esher!!

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Kimbo
24/06/2015 19:23

And you won't find Coventry in 'W. Mids' or Hull Ionians in 'Humberside' either, as neither of these 'counties' exist...
(Never did in my book!).

Whatever, looking forward to renewing hostilities very soon

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stonehousealbion
25/06/2015 08:22

Fair cop on Darlington - was thinking of Donny at the time. Should be Teeside, of course. But the clue was in "broad location"...

Don't forget when you come to see us, guys - we're just past Bristol .

Come cheer up, my lads - 'tis to glory we steer!

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noibla
25/06/2015 08:57

And don't follow the signs to Bodmin, 60 odd miles and just 60 minutes away on the A 30.

Semper Sersum.

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stonehousealbion
02/07/2015 12:03

Bound to happen as we changed leagues - a few faces from the past will come our way; Cameron Mitchell now at Richmond and Gully (Ben Gulliver) at Ampthill next season...

Fylde RFC

Come cheer up, my lads - 'tis to glory we steer!

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