The halfway point of the season is here – and ambitions for the second half of the campaign can be enhanced or diminished in Round 13. (Photo Credit: Devonport Services RFC)

National One

The festive period is in full swing and National One’s bottom club Darlington Mowden Park will be hoping for an early Christmas present in Round 13. This season has been anything but cheerful for Garry Law’s troops as the North-East outfit currently prop up the division and are in danger of being cut adrift.

Their only taste of victory this term came at the start of November against table rivals Leicester Lions but DMP have been unable to build on that 36-29 success and now sit 13 points behind 11th-placed Sedgley Park, their opponents on Saturday.

The Tigers will arrive at the Darlington Arena with renewed confidence after securing their third win of the season last time out. A 28-0 victory over fourth-placed Rosslyn Park will have given Scott Barrow’s men the belief that they can secure back-to-back victories for the first time in 13 months, but DMP are not a side who roll over despite their league standing.

“I am a firm believer that if the attitude is right, the intensity is right, whilst the rugby might not be flying, you can work with that,” DMP Director of Rugby Garry Law told this week’s National League Rugby Preview Show.

“If their [DMP’s players] attitude wasn’t right and we didn’t have the intensity, that want to win, then we would be really worried but that gives you hope. Now, at the end of the day, what do we have to fear? We are in a position which, right now, is ‘going down.’ We have seen enough to say that we can get a win or another win so we can try and claw back teams just above us and Sedgley are one of those teams.”


Law will be hoping his words ring true because after this Saturday’s showdown with Sedge, DMP confront a consecutive run of fixtures against four of the current top five before the end of January. Negotiate Round 13 successfully and it would undoubtedly give the North-East side a lift going into the second half of the term.

Meanwhile, the sequence of fixtures between the division’s current top four reaches boiling point this weekend with league leaders Richmond welcoming Rotherham Titans (3rd) to The Atheltic Ground.

Rob Powell’s side opened up a three-point gap at the summit following last Friday’s absorbing 7-5 victory over second-placed Rams and the only undefeated club across National League Rugby could strengthen their title bid if they were to see off Rotherham this weekend. However, the visitors from Yorkshire have won their last five matches – including recent victories over Rams and Blackheath – so there might be a simmering confidence about Harvey Biljon’s men when they arrive in the capital.

Three miles up the road, fourth-placed Rosslyn Park entertain Rams (2nd) with the away side itching for a response. Successive losses to both Rotherham and Richmond would have stung for Seb Reynolds’ charges, but they have the opportunity to react at The Rock. The top three sides are separated by just six points whilst Rosslyn Park are now 10 points behind third-placed Rotherham having fallen away from the leading pack. Back-to-back away defeats have been the reason for this, but a victory over Rams would be an ideal way to bring themselves back into the title conversation.

Elsewhere in Round 13, Blackheath (5th) will be targeting a sixth straight home win when they take on Leicester Lions (12th) and Birmingham Moseley (6th) – who weren’t in action last weekend due to their fixture against Esher being postponed – visit Sale FC (9th) while Plymouth Albion (7th) face Esher (13th) and Bishop’s Stortford (8th) – who have won their last three – travel to Dings Crusaders (10th).

National Two North

After a difficult opening to the season, 15 points from the last five games has lightened the mood at Sheffield Tigers (12th). Jack Howieson’s side seem to have stepped it up in recent weeks and as we enter the halfway point of the campaign, the men from Dore Moor have nudged themselves out of the bottom two.

A losing bonus point last time out against second-placed Leeds Tykes – which could have been more if Mark Ireland’s conversion from Will Baker’s try hadn’t been disrupted by Storm Darragh – saw them leapfrog Harrogate and now the Tigers have the chance to potentially put some breathing space between themselves and the relegations places.

As it stands, they are level on points with 13th-placed Harrogate and are just two ahead of bottom of the table Billingham. The North-East club are Sheffield Tigers’ opponents for Round 13 and Peter Evans’ side will be hoping for a change of fortunes in Yorkshire.

After their Round 12 meeting with Fylde was abandoned at half-time due to Storm Darragh, it means Billingham are still without a win since the middle of October. In that time, they have only picked up two points but a victory on Saturday against a table rival could see them move out of the danger zone.

Sandwiched in between the Tigers and Billingham are Harrogate (13th) and they face a tricky test at home against promotion candidates Leeds Tykes (2nd), who themselves are embroiled in a fascinating battle at the summit.

Pete Seabourne’s troops are level on points with leaders Sheffield and third-placed Lymm after Round 12 shifted the dynamic of the title race. With Sheffield ending Lymm’s perfect record of 11 wins from 11 following a 24-5 victory, it means Anthony Posa’s side now occupy top spot ahead of their trip to seventh-placed Chester.

It won’t be a straightforward visit to Hare Lane either, as Chester have won their last four home games while Lymm are back on their own patch to face Preston Grasshoppers (8th).

Elsewhere, fourth meets fifth as Fylde entertain Wharfedale at Woodlands, Hull Ionians – who are now up to sixth – go to Otley (10th) – and an in-form Tynedale (9th) host 11th-placed Hull.

National Two East

If Dorking (2nd) are to sustain yet another tilt towards the National Two East title, perhaps December could be a crucial month for their aspirations. Now, those of a Red and White persuasion may say a key moment could be the game in hand Armand Roux’s side have in February away at Guernsey Raiders but if they can go into the Christmas break with their impressive winning streak still intact, then that would certainly strengthen their ambitions.

The manner in which they came from behind to beat Havant (9th) 28-25 in Round 12 was a stereotypical sign of title challengers. Two tries in the final seven minutes meant Dorking extended their winning run to 10 matches but that record will now be put to the test against two of their fellow top five sides.

In their final match before the festive interlude, Dorking renew their rivalry with third-placed Barnes (away) but first up is the visit of Canterbury (5th). Taff Gwilliam and Matt Corker’s side might not be at the epicentre of the title race per se, but they head to Surrey having won three of their last four games, scoring 22 tries in that period.

One concern for the City Men though, will be the fact that three of their four defeats this term have come against sides above them in the table – (the other against sixth-placed Henley) – but nevertheless, they have the tools in their armoury to cause Dorking problems.

Another top-six clash takes place in Round 13 with Barnes (3rd) visiting the aforementioned Henley while table-toppers Tonbridge Juddians go to an Oxford Harlequins (12th) side who were three levels below TJs three seasons ago.

Oxford Quins will be looking to arrest their mini slide while table rivals Sevenoaks (11th) are on the up. Two excellent away wins over Westcombe Park and Worthing have moved Adam Bowman’s troops six points clear of the bottom two and the Kent outfit now take on a Guernsey Raiders (4th) side who have had their last two fixtures postponed.

Elsewhere, Bury St Edmunds (7th) entertain Old Albanian (10th), Havant (9th) go to bottom of the table Colchester and Westcombe Park (8th) – who snatched a welcome 19-17 victory in Round 12 against OAs – meet Worthing (13th).

National Two West

National Two West serves up a classic top against bottom clash this week with league leaders Camborne taking on Devonport Services. Two weeks ago, the Cornwall outfit seemed to be in control of the title race but since then, the wind may have been taken out of their sails slightly following a 43-24 loss to Cinderford.

Combine that with some fixture disruption and fellow promotion candidates Taunton cutting their advantage down to four points at the summit, Steve Larkins’ side will be itching to get back out there and return to winning ways.

Followers of this division may feel like the odds are stacked in favour of Camborne for this one, but Devonport’s relentless grit and determination makes them an interesting proposition, especially on their own patch.

After three promotions in six seasons, the club entered National League Rugby for the first-ever time this term but it really did feel like unknown territory for Ben Russell’s men. Eight successive defeats saw them plummet to the foot of the table but back-to-back home victories over Redruth (8th) and Loughborough Students (7th) have now given the fully amateur side something to work with.

“I think the lads have really taken to the experience,” head coach Ben Russell told the National League Rugby Preview Show. “We had a tough start but we have sort of found our feet. Picking up two wins from the last four has been really good for us to boost the confidence. A lot of our lads, as well, have played level eight, level seven rugby and are now playing level four but we have not given up. We are fighting every weekend.”

By their own admission, Devonport Services have been competitive in almost all of their fixtures this term and could well have secured their first away victory last time out against Hornets (eventually losing 33-24) if one or two things had fallen their way. However, the division’s bottom club are realistic about their prospects for this Saturday with Russell describing Camborne as ‘a team fit for the level above’ but never say never in National League Rugby.

The chasing pack behind Camborne will be hoping for an upset in Devon as they continue to hunt down the Cherry and Whites. This weekend, second-placed Taunton Titans go to Hinckley (11th) – who beat fifth-placed Old Redcliffians 21-19 last time out – while the in-form pair of Cinderford (3rd) and Clifton (4th) host Exeter University (12th) and Bournville (10th) respectively.

Elsewhere, it is fifth vs sixth with Old Redcliffians travelling to Luctonians while second-from-bottom Macclesfield will be eager for another home success when they welcome Hornets (9th) to Priory Park.

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