Rams’ top-of-the-table clash with National One leaders Richmond under the lights of Old Bath Road feels like the ideal way to begin a festive block of fixtures full of intrigue. (Photo Credit: Paul Clark)

National One

“The biggest game in the club’s history,” exclaimed Rams (2nd) CEO Gary Reynolds on this week’s National League Rugby Preview Show.

We will only know how true those words will be once the final whistle is sounded on the season in April, but what Reynolds was spot on about was the fact that this Friday’s top-of-the-clash with National One leaders Richmond isn’t the first time his beloved Rams have experienced a massive occasion.

Under the lights at Old Bath Road will provide the perfect setting for Rams to continue their latest quest towards the National One title. In three of the last four seasons, the Berkshire outfit have finished second and this talented group of players look set to be embroiled in another fascinating battle towards the summit.

Last time out, their winning start to the season was ended by third-placed Rotherham Titans and the 21-14 setback at Clifton Lane allowed fellow title candidates Richmond to sneak into top spot.

A gritty 21-6 victory for Rob Powell’s troops against 12th-placed Sedgley Park maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign and both Richmond and Rams enter Friday’s mouth-watering tie level on points.

Arguably the biggest game of the season so far kick-starts what could be a defining month in National One as Richmond also have to play third-placed Rotherham and local rivals Rosslyn Park (4th) before we break for Christmas whilst Rams visit Rosslyn Park next Saturday.

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Following their success over Sedgley Park two weeks ago, Powell described December as an “important month” and if they were to depart Berkshire with a positive outcome, it could prove to be a key result.

The game is also being live-streamed for free on YouTube via NextGenXV: https://youtube.com/live/QCIqprudhJ4?si=yZn4y8pvCJ4ftl1p

Kick-off is 7:45pm.

Rotherham – who sit just six points behind the leading duo – will be interested observers on Friday night with the Titans looking to build on their excellent win over Rams.

Harvey Biljon’s side are back on home turf as they welcome fifth-placed Blackheath to Yorkshire, with the visitors having won four of their last five matches. As for fourth-placed Rosslyn Park, they take the trip to Sedgley Park (12th).

Sedge will be desperate for some early Christmas cheer, especially after table rivals Leicester Lions (13th) picked up a win in Round 11. After disappointing defeats to Darlington Mowden Park (14th) and Esher (11th), they concluded last month with a morale-boosting 15-12 victory away at Sale FC (9th). Gareth Collins’ charges welcome Dings Crusaders (10th) to the Midlands in Round 12.

Elsewhere, Birmingham Moseley (6th) – fresh from their 24-7 away success at Darlington Mowden Park – entertain Esher, Bishop’s Stortford (7th) host Sale FC and bottom of the table Darlington Mowden Park take the 758-mile round trip to Plymouth Albion (8th) seeking a second win of the season.

National Two North

After 11 rounds, no-one across National League Rugby can better the achievements of Lymm (1st).

After finishing in 10th place last year, the scintillating form of the Cheshire outfit couldn’t be further away from being a flash in the pan.

Adam Fletcher and Andy Davies’ side have faced 11 challenges and have overcome all 11 of them and after seeing off fellow title contenders Leeds Tykes at the start of November, they will be out to do the same again as we flick the switch on the Christmas period.

Their 30-26 victory over the Tykes came on home territory so travelling to third-placed Sheffield will provide a different dynamic.

The hosts – who have won 10 of their 11 games this term – sit five points off the table-toppers and have lost just once at Abbeydale Park in just under 14 months. That defeat did occur back in Round Seven against Leeds Tykes but since then, Anthony Posa’s side haven’t been licking their wounds.

The Yorkshire club have recorded four maximums on the trot and will be quietly confident of ending Lymm’s simply stunning start.

Keeping tabs on that encounter will undoubtedly be second-placed Leeds Tykes who are currently sandwiched between the pair.

Pete Seabourne’s side weren’t actually in action in Round 11 – after their original meeting with fourth-placed Fylde was postponed – but the game was swiftly rearranged to last Saturday.

Knowing that both Lymm and Sheffield had won the week prior, the Tykes may have felt under a bit of pressure to gain a result away at Woodlands but they displayed immense character and belief to record a 22-17 bonus-point victory.

That success leaves them four points behind Lymm as they head into their clash with 13th-placed Sheffield Tigers.

While the task of visiting Leeds Tykes in Round 12 may seem like a daunting one for the Tigers, they will head north in good spirits. An excellent 29-15 win over Hull (12th) last time out saw Jack Howieson’s men collect their second victory of the term and that result also made the bottom half of the table extremely tight.

Harrogate (11th) only added to this as they picked up a well-deserved 39-7 win over Otley (9th) and they now head into another intriguing meeting with table rivals Hull also with a spring in their step.

Like Sheffield Tigers and Harrogate, Tynedale (9th) may have turned a corner after going unbeaten in November. After no victories in their first eight games, the North-East side collected two away wins and a draw last month, and will now carry that form into their meeting with Otley on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Fylde (4th) will be aiming to bounce back from consecutive losses when they host bottom-of-the-table Billingham and it is fifth against sixth with Wharfedale welcoming Chester to The Avenue.

To finish National Two North, Preston Grasshoppers (7th) were one of the feature clubs on this week’s National League Rugby Preview Show. Dan Orwin’s side are certainly moving in the right direction but will be craving some consistency in December, beginning with a home tie against Hull Ionians (8th) this weekend.

On the Preview Show, Orwin talked about his passion for developing players at Preston and the role National League Rugby plays in this, and it was a view echoed by Sale Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson.

Sanderson, who played for Hoppers during his formative years, still holds a special place in his heart for Preston and also values the link between the Sharks and the club as well as the relationships with the array of North-West sides across levels three and four. Interview can be found HERE.

National Two East

For some reason, Round 11 feels like an age ago. It has only been 13 days since the last set of fixtures in National Two East but perhaps the results on that particular weekend led to us wanting more.

At the bottom of the division, Worthing (13th) were able to move off the foot of the table as they clinched a crucial first win of the season away at table rivals Colchester (14th). Their 20-14 success in Essex was built on solid set-piece and a strong defence and it gives Fred Pierrepont’s side a major boost going into another big game on Saturday.

The Raiders take on 12th-placed Sevenoaks who sit just one place and one point above their hosts and like Worthing, Adam Bowman’s troops enter December on the back of an important victory.

A hard-fought 14-12 win away at eighth-placed Westcombe Park was the ideal reaction from Oaks – who had lost 28-23 at home to Colchester in Round 10 – and now both they and Worthing come into this weekend with an opportunity to ease any early relegation fears.

The aforementioned Colchester will have one eye on proceedings in West Sussex when they make their way over to fourth-placed Guernsey Raiders but Mike Haywood’s men will be fully focused on their job especially as Guernsey have won all six of their home games thus far.


Round 11 also saw the first real twist in the title race. League leaders Tonbridge Juddians arrived at Bury St Edmunds (7th) with 10 bonus-point wins from 10 to their name but their unblemished record came to a halt in Suffolk.

A 32-21 win for Jacob Ford’s men meant TJ’s departed the GK IPA Haberden empty-handed and now second-placed Dorking sit four points behind the table-toppers with a game in hand.

The value of this may not come to fruition until February – when Dorking’s meeting with Guerseny has been rescheduled for – so for now,  TJs will be concentrating on themselves especially with an in-form Henley (5th) visiting The Slade on Saturday.

The Hawks have won their last six and are stringing together a run of results similar to Dorking’s who will be targeting an 11th straight victory when they take on 9th-placed Havant on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Barnes (3rd) welcome Bury St Edmunds to the capital, Canterbury (6th) take on Oxford Harlequins (11th) and Westcombe Park go up against Old Albanian (10th).

National Two West

Rearranged fixtures can often be a second thought especially if there are only one or two matches taking place across the course of a weekend.

But the two games that were shifted to last Saturday – due to the impact of Storm Bert – blew the door open on the National Two West title race.

Last month, league leaders Camborne seemed to be in the driving seat. Though they might not have admitted it, the Cherry and Whites did hold a healthy 10-point cushion and were on a six-game winning run before they met Cinderford (4th) last time out.

Granted, Steve Larkins’ side were missing some key personnel but their faultless form concluded in Gloucestershire as Cinderford clinched a 43-24 victory.

Camborne were able to collect a try bonus-point but their advantage at the summit is now down to six points after Taunton (2nd) defeated 13th-placed Macclesfield 55-33 last weekend.

The Titans are level on points with third-placed Clifton who – as if by magic – travel to Camborne in Round 12. The Lavender and Blacks are also one of the form sides in the division and will head to Cornwall on a six-game winning streak.

With confidence levels in a good place, Clifton will feel they can become the first side to defeat Camborne at The Recreation Ground in eight matches but the table-toppers haven’t dropped a point at home during that period.

The aforementioned Taunton will be checking in on the goings-on at Camborne when they face Redruth (7th). The Titans have won all five of their fixtures at Veritas Park this term but the visitors will arrive in Somerset off important, successive wins which have lifted them into the top half of the table.

Also across National Two West this weekend, Cinderford will be looking to add to last weekend’s win over Camborne when they go to Bournville (11th) and fifth-placed Luctonians travel to Exeter University (12th) while Old Redcliffians (6th) face Hinckley (12th) and Hornets (9th) entertain bottom of the division Devonport Services, who come into Round 12 following two victories from their last three matches.

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