A year of good rugby awaits in National One

The first weekend of the New Year signals the second half of the season and if the first 15 games are anything to go by, we are in for a treat in National One.

Currently, Richmond are the top dogs in this division, but their lead is just three points as Blackheath along with Hartpury College look to hunt them down.

Esher and Rosslyn Park may fancy their chances of mounting an outside challenge, while the likes of Plymouth Albion and Darlington Mowden Park will be looking to pick up from where they left off at the end of 2015.

Down at the bottom, the battle for survival rages on and those sides embroiled in the fight for their National One lives will be hoping to begin the New Year on the front foot.

Hull Ionians v Richmond

Richmond have the chance to cement their lead at the top of National One when they travel to Hull Ionians this weekend. The I’s, who were promoted into this division for this season, ended 2015 without a win in five matches and only nine points clear of the relegation zone.

Richmond will be favourites for this one as they go in search of their 13^th win of the season but Brantingham Park is not an easy place to go to.

Cinderford v Blackheath

Richmond know they can’t avoid any mistakes against Hull Ionians because if they do, Blackheath will be waiting in the wings to pounce on any slip-up.

Club travel to bottom side Cinderford as they look to continue their good recent form and shouldn’t have any problems against Cinderford who are currently four points from safety as things stand.

Fylde v Hartpury College

Hartpury College are third in the division and four points behind Richmond after suffering two recent defeats and their next task is a trip to Lancashire to take on Fylde. The home side have really struggled to string a sustained run of results together this season which is highlighted by them being ninth in the table.

As for College, they will be hoping their defeats to Plymouth Albion and Rosslyn Park won’t have damaged their title chances to much as they look for their 12^th win of the season this Saturday.

Esher v Wharfedale

Esher have fallen away from the title race slightly after four defeats in their last six and their next assignment is at home against a struggling Wharfedale side.

Dale sit 15^th in the table and are one point from safety, but Esher are more than capable of turning this poor run of form around and will fancy their chances against Wharfedale who have won just three times this campaign. 

Rosslyn Park v Plymouth Albion

Many may have thought at the start of the season that Rosslyn Park would be in an around the top three places at this stage of the campaign, but that hasn’t been the case. They have found it tough to make sufficient inroads this season and take on a Plymouth Albion side oozing with confidence this Saturday.

Albion were relegated from the Championship last season and it has taken them a while to get going in National One, but they are certainly clicking into gear now. A win against Hartpury College emphasised that and they will be hoping to carry their great recent form into the New Year as quickly as possible.

Blaydon v Ampthill & District

Blaydon come into this fixture with Ampthill & District on the back of a heavy derby day defeat against Darlington Mowden Park. They have had the Christmas break to recover from that and this fixture now gives them a chance to move away from the bottom three as they currently are outside the drop zone on points difference.

As for Ampthill, they have shown they can compete with most teams in National One after promotion last season. They flirted with top spot earlier on this campaign and they now sit seventh in the table and will be looking to push on in 2016.

Henley Hawks v Darlington Mowden Park

The team Blaydon are level on points with are Henley Hawks who occupy the final relegation spot in National One. They sit 14^th in the table and welcome an in form Darlington Mowden Park side to Dry Leas this weekend.

DMP have won their last six games and go into this clash with Henley as favourites but the Hawks will be buoyed by their win over Cindeford just before the Christmas break.

Coventry v Loughborough Students

It wasn’t the greatest first half of the season for Coventry who would have had promotion ambitions at the start of this campaign. They sit 10^th in the table at present and host a Loughborough Students side who are seven points behind them in 12^th.

I think Students will be looking over their shoulder still as they are also seven points off the relegation spots, but a win at the Butts Park Arena this weekend will certainly relief some pressure on the side.