After a disruptive return to action last weekend, all 56 clubs across levels three and four are ready to hit the ignition button in Round 16. (Photo Credit: John + Barbara Austin)

National One

After five of last week’s seven matches fell foul to the weather, National One is back to a full complement of games with the action kicking off on Friday night.

League leaders Richmond host 13th-placed Esher at The RAG, with Rob Powell’s troops returning home for the first time since they saw their 13-match unbeaten record come to an end just before Christmas.

The table toppers have had almost a month to stew on their 25-17 defeat against near neighbours Rosslyn Park so they will be determined to resume their title bid by recording a first victory of the New Year. Visitors Esher are currently one point behind 12th-placed Leicester Lions – with a game in hand – but the EEEs did end 2024 with three straight defeats.

One of the standout fixtures of Round 16 sees Blackheath (5th) entertain Birmingham Moseley (7th). ‘Club’ – who featured on this week’s National League Rugby Preview Show – are targeting an eighth successive home win as James Shanahan’s men look to bounce back from last week’s narrow 26-25 loss at fourth-placed Rosslyn Park.

As for Moseley, postponements and fixture disruption across December and the beginning of January means the Midlands outfit have only played once since the end of November. Adam Balding’s side come into this weekend nine points behind their hosts with three games in hand, but can they become the first team to defeat Blackheath at The Utilita since the opening day of the season?

Also across the third tier, second-placed Rams – who sit just one point behind leaders Richmond – host Dings Crusaders (8th) while fellow title candidates Rotherham Titans (3rd) – who are four points off the top – will be hunting a seventh success from their last eight games when they welcome Sale FC (10th) to Clifton Lane.

Elsewhere, an in-form Rosslyn Park (4th) will be seeking further home success when they take on bottom-of-the-table Darlington Mowden Park, sixth-placed Plymouth Albion – who concluded 2024 with three consecutive wins – take on Bishop’s Stortford (8th) and Sedgley Park (11th) face Leicester Lions (12th) at Park Lane with club legend Matt Riley set to make his 450th appearance for The Tigers.

National Two North

Last week’s cold snap wiped out all seven fixtures in National Two North, but those currently at the wrong end of the standings will resume their fight for safety in Round 16.

Bottom of the table Billingham are currently seven points behind 12th-placed Sheffield Tigers – with a game in hand – but this weekend feels like an ‘opportunity’ for Peter Evans and Dan Finney’s side to record just their fourth victory of the term.

After coming so close to ending their seven-match winless run against North-East counterparts Tynedale (6th) just before Christmas, Billingham are back at home on Saturday where they will face 10th-placed Hull.

Heading into the festive break, the Yorkshire outfit gave their campaign a real shot in the arm following a tense but crucial 37-36 derby day success away at Hull Ionians (7th). It’s a result that has left them seven points clear of the bottom two.

Intriguingly, Hull have beaten three of the current top-seven sides this term so may fancy their chances of departing Greenwood Road with another morale-boosting win but a young and hungry Billingham side are very much up for the battle on their own patch.

Two clubs currently sandwiched in between Billingham and Hull are Harrogate (13th) and Preston Grasshoppers (11th) who meet in Lancashire in Round 16. Towards the end of 2024, Hoppers slid down the table and a run of no win in five has left them six points clear of their visitors on Saturday. Even in January, this feels like a key game for both teams at Lightfoot Green.

For the second season running, we look set for a thrilling title race in National Two North with the top three currently separated by a single point. As it stands, Leeds Tykes (1st) are in possession of pole position (by virtue of having a +17 points difference over second-placed Lymm) and they travel to Hull Ionians (7th) in Round 16 while the aforementioned Lymm (2nd) entertain a Sheffield Tigers (12th) outfit who certainly caused the promotion candidates problems during the reverse fixture back in Round Four.

Meanwhile, third-placed Sheffield resume their excellent campaign by welcoming an in-form Tynedale (6th) to Abbeydale Park who are unbeaten in six matches.

Also across the division, Fylde (4th) visit Chester (8th) and it is derby day in the Yorkshire Dales as Wharfedale (5th) clash with Otley (9th) at The Avenue.

National Two East

Barnes were just one of six teams who played in National Two East last week and Jack Heald’s side took full advantage of being in action. Their nine-try 57-28 victory away at 13th-placed Colchester – in which hooker Matt Humphreys helped himself to four tries – lifted the London outfit up to second in the standings.

In truth, their title bid was dented just before Christmas following a tight but chaotic 14-7 loss to table rivals Dorking but all Barnes will be focused on in Round 16 is themselves when they entertain 11th-placed Sevenoaks. As for the aforementioned Dorking (3rd), they have two games in hand on Barnes – and a single game in hand on leaders Tonbridge Juddians – as they prepare to resume their campaign this weekend.

On Saturday, Armand Roux’s troops face a potentially tricky test when they travel to sixth-placed Bury St Edmunds. In fairness, Dorking have been victorious in seven of their eight away fixtures this term but Bury have won their last three at home which includes inflicting the only defeat of the season on table-toppers Tonbridge Juddians. Could Jacob Ford’s side produce something similar at the GK IPA Haberden in Round 16?

Meanwhile, the leaders Tonbridge Juddians will be hoping to pick up from where they left off in 2024 when they take on bottom-of-the-table Worthing on Saturday. TJs begin 2025 having won 13 of their 14 matches this season and they currently hold a six-point lead at the summit with a game in hand.

Currently in the danger zone with Worthing are Colchester (13th) who go to 10th-placed Old Albanian this weekend while Oxford Harlequins (12th) will be looking to build on last week’s excellent 38-31 victory over Bury St Edmunds when they take the short trip down to Henley Hawks (8th) for derby day.

Elsewhere, we have fourth vs fifth with Canterbury hosting Guernsey Raiders while Havant (9th) – who incidentally lost 40-14 to Guernsey last week – are back on the road at seventh-placed Westcombe Park.

National Two West

National Two West saw the majority of action in Round 15 and we were certainly entertained across the five matches that did take place, especially at Taunton Titans where the fourth-placed side drew 38-38 with league leaders Camborne in front of a crowd of over 1,100 at Vertias Park. 

Two tries in the final 10 minutes from Alex Ducker and Will Tanswell clinched a share of the spoils for the table toppers who now have a four-point lead at the summit going into this weekend.

The Cherry and Whites welcome a Loughborough Students side (8th) to The Recreation Ground aiming to maintain their unbeaten home record while the visitors will arrive in Cornwall off the back of a brilliant 55-14 win over Hornets (9th) last time out. A subplot to this meeting is Martin Webdale’s side are only one of two teams to beat Camborne this term – a 49-31 victory back in Round Four – so could the Midlands outfit really upset the title challengers again?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Taunton Rugby Club (@tauntonrfc)

Second-placed Clifton may hope that is the case as the in-form side in National League Rugby kept the pressure on the league leaders in Round 15. Matt Salter and Luke Cozens’ charges made it nine victories on the spin thanks to a 16-12 success over Luctonians (5th) but their winning streak will be put to the test on Saturday when they visit third-placed Cinderford.

The hosts are unbeaten in six matches and with both they and Clifton currently in the promotion conversation, who will be able to strengthen their possible title credentials in Gloucestershire?

At the other end of the table, bottom club Devonport Services had their hearts broken in Round 15 as a last-gasp try saw them slip to a 26-20 loss against seventh-placed Old Redcliffians. Ben Russell’s men will look to pick themselves up away at Luctonians this weekend while 13th-placed Macclesfield travel to the aforementioned Old Reds.

Just above Macc are Bournville (12th) who are now only one point clear of the danger zone following a run of seven straight defeats. The Chocos will be eager to arrest this run as quickly as possible and they face Taunton Titans (4th) at home in Round 16 while elsewhere, an in-form Redruth (6th) take on 11th-placed Exeter University and Hornets (9th) go up against Hinckley.

Make sure you follow National League Rugby on social media + hit like and subscribe on our YouTube channel!

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | TikTok | Threads