Coventry
Week 30 national league 1 match previews...
By Tom Little
April 21 2015
...Saturday 25th April 2015 including Rosslyn Park v Coventry Rugby.
Fixtures Saturday 25th April 2015.
Blackheath v Fylde
Blaydon v Darlington Mowden Park
Cinderford v Esher
Loughborough Students v Ealing Trailfinders
Old Albanian v Tynedale
Richmond v Macclesfield
Rosslyn Park v Coventry Rugby
Wharfedale v Hartpury College
Well, it’s finally come round, the final fixtures of the season, and with it the final previews including Coventry Rugby’s visit to Rosslyn Park. This week sees the final relegation spot to be resolved which is between Cinderford and Old Albanian, with Cinderford requiring a bonus point win to send Old Albanian down.
Champions Ealing Trailfinders travel to a Loughborough Students side which has struggled this season, especially away from home and with its lack of on field discipline. A confident Ealing side are expected to complete their season with a comprehensive win.
Second placed Rosslyn Park buoyed up by beating Ealing last week have third placed Coventry Rugby as their visitors, who are expected to bring another army of fans to the capital.A meeting of two of the three sides to beat Ealing this season, in a clash that could be a title clash rehearsal for the coming season. A full preview of this game will follow.
The only unresolved issue in this league, that of filling the final relegation spot sees Cinderford at home to Esher. Cinderford have clawed their way out of the relegation zone helped by better form and that their rivals Old Albanian have been deducted 5 points. The scenario is quite simple, a bonus point win for Cinderford will see them safe, but a loss or lack of bonus point will see the Old Albanian result settle the issue.
Old Albanian for their part have a home fixture against already relegated Tynedale, however Tynedale have been finding some form of later even if too late and can never be written off. Old Albanian have been boosted by the return of James Shanahan and Saracens players and should be too strong for the north-easterners, which means it will back to what Cinderford do to resolve the relegation place.
A close and high scoring game is expected at The Rectory Field as Blackheath take on Fylde. Both sides suffered large defeats last Saturday although scoring tries in the process, and have seen them overtaken by Hartpury College now in 4th place. Home advantage might just swing it for Blackheath.
The North-East sees the derby between Blaydon and league newcomers Darlington Mowden Park, as they fight over 8th place. Blaydon have had a disappointing season by their standards, but with home advantage might just swing it, unless Park can put behind them last week’s poorest performance of the season in losing to Old Albanian.
Hartpury College, now up to 4th place in the league, visit a Wharfedale side whose inconsistency has seen them drop back in 12th place. Despite home advantage Hartpury should be strong enough to take the spoils to consolidate 4th place in their inaugural season in NL1.
The final game sees bottom side Macclesfield travel to a Richmond side safely ensconced in 7th place. Although Macclesfield have been playing better of late, Richmond should be too strong at home for an easy win.
ROSSLYN PARK V COVENTRY RUGBY MATCH PREVIEW SATURDAY 25TH APRIL 2015.
The final game of the season sees Coventry Rugby make the trip to “The Rock” to face Rosslyn Park with kick off at 3pm. Founded in 1879, 5 years after Coventry Rugby, Park have made impressive progress in this league finishing 4th 3 seasons ago and now runners up for the past two seasons.
Ambitious plans have been unveiled and agreed, not only for a new stand and road facing advertising but a 3G pitch ready for next season. Members have been asked to fund these proposals. Rosslyn Park have never been short of attracting quality players with their close connections to the City, and at last their ambitions off the field will match those on it.
Under influential Director of Rugby and Head Coach Alex Codling they have had a very successful season with just 3 losses, at home to Ealing Trailfinders, and away to Fylde and Blackheath. Last Saturday they inflicted on champions Ealing their first home defeat.
The first game of the season saw Rosslyn Park travel to the Butts Park Arena and defeated Coventry Rugby 32-30, always in control there, yet a late penalty award almost cost them the game.
The game this Saturday against one of their historical rivals Coventry, will be the swansong for Alex Codling, shortly off across the Channel, not the English one though. He will leave Park in good heart as they challenged ultimate champions Ealing all the way with the title in doubt until last Saturday. An excellent away record almost matching that of their home one, proved their competitiveness and with having the meanest defence in the league often showed with the ability to eke out wins. In the end their lack of early season try bonus points cost them the title. What an intriguing match is in prospect as the meanest defence meets the second highest league points scorers, in what could be a dress rehearsal for the title next season, although Coventry Rugby will be looking to stop a third successive losing double to the home side.
The start of the season saw Rosslyn Park recruit heavily with 22 new players but managed to keep the majority of their original squad. Players retained include an impressive back row of Sam Shires, Hugo Ellis and Harry Broadbent, augmented by No 8 Mike McFarlane from Esher, and Max Northcote-Green dr from Bath. Most of their influential and abrasive pack remains with experienced locks, Will Bowley, Richard Boyle and James Inglis. A front row of props Aaron Liffchak , Alex Lundberg dr from Wasps and new signing Alex Mackenzie, with hookers Adam Bellamy and Tom Woolstencroft add some bite.
An impressive backline retained includes Jack Gash at No 9 with goal-kicking fly-half Scott Sneddon facing competition from new signings Luke Carter from Henley Hawks and Tom Whelan from Esher. In centres Kiba Richards from Worthing Raiders and Paul Mackey they have some impressive broken field runners, with the experience as well of Mark Ireland and full-back J J Kilmartin from Bath.
There is some pace on the wings with Dave Vincent and Charlie Broughton, with a returning Neville Edwards from Bedford Blues, new signings Adam Field and from London Welsh Joe Ajuwa.
Before what is expected to be another large travelling Coventry Rugby supporters contingent an exciting game is in prospect with these two old rivals locking horns in what is expected to be a hard fought encounter, with both sides going for the psychological advantage as preparation for next season’s clash.
For those supporters travelling by train, regular trains from Waterloo stop at Barnes station which about 5 minutes signposted walk away from the ground, the full postal address of Rosslyn Park RFC is The Rock, Priory Lane, Roehampton, London SW15 5JA.
Tom little
Coventry Rugby press office
21st April 2015.
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21/04/2015 17:50
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