The National League Rugby campaign is starting to hit its stride and Round Three is set to provide us with some exciting encounters.
For those with National One affiliations, we'd like you to cast your mind back to December 2022.
Why we hear you ask?
Well, after an early Christmas cracker at Old Bath Road, the top two clubs in the third tier at the time - Rams RFC and Sale FC - would go on to be involved in an absorbing title race.
Oli Longmore's try three minutes from time secured Sale a 27-24 victory in Berkshire and left the North-West outfit five points adrift of Rams.
But by the time April/May came around, neither would be lifting silverware or sipping champagne. That privilege went to Cambridge who clinched promotion on the very final day of the season but it also presented us with a question. Would Rams and Sale be able to go again?
In the case of Rams, the answer was yes. They battled hard with rivals Chinnor but fell short of the title while a surprisingly slow start to last season meant Sale finished 10th and just three points clear of the relegation places.
But after the first two weeks of this term, could we be in for a repeat of 2022/23?
Both clubs have picked up maximum points from their opening fixtures and are the leading pair ahead of their latest meeting at Old Bath Road on Saturday. Rams have seen off Darlington Mowden Park and Esher, with new captain Max Hayman leading the charge with five tries, while Sale have picked up hard-fought victories over both Plymouth Albion and Sedgley Park respectively.
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??? @c_heal and @ben_jaycock reflect on Round 2 and look ahead to another exciting weekend!
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— National League Rugby (@Natleague_rugby) September 19, 2024
The early signs suggest that Jonathan Keep's men could be more 2022/23 than 2023/24 but if they are to maintain their fantastic record over Rams, then any title chatter around Sale FC may become louder.
The men from Heywood Road have won the last six meetings between the sides and have been victorious on all three of their visits to Rams since Seb Reynolds' troops were promoted to the third tier in 2019.
Not since December of that year have Rams beaten Sale so which way will this one go?
Along with Rams and Sale FC, Birmingham Moseley, Rotherham Titans and Richmond are also two from two. In Round Three, Moseley host Bishop's Stortford, Esher visit Rotherham - who haven't lost at home in 16 matches - while Richmond welcome Darlington Mowden Park to The Athletic Ground.
"We'd like to finish up as high in National One as possible," Richmond CEO Neil Darke told the National League Rugby Preview Show. "Last year we were sixth. We lost eight games by less than a score so winning those close games can make such a difference.
"We've had two tough away games against local rivals. As you saw last week with our last-minute drop-goal win over Rosslyn Park, it is a very competitive league. The week before [v Blackheath], we won by a couple more points (31-20) but not that many!
"We are trying to create an environment and culture. One of our values is 'we care.' Now, as was evident last Saturday, we spent most of the second half defending. Our defence was amazing and part of what goes behind that is the culture and that the guys care. You could see what it meant. There is a very good culture at the moment. We are not complacent and I am going to sound like a cliche but it is all about the process for us at the moment."
Elsewhere, after a passionate message to supporters this week, Plymouth Albion boss Ryan Lamb will be eager for his side to open their account for the season when they host Leicester Lions at Brickfields while Sedgley Park entertain Dings Crusaders and Blackheath take on Rosslyn Park, with the visitors searching for their first win of the campaign.
It has been a fine start to the season for Lymm. Newcomers to the league in 2o23/24, Adam Fletcher and Andy Davies' side navigated themselves away from any sort of relegation danger thanks in no small part to four successive home wins between February and April.
Nearly 70 per cent of the points they accumulated last term (55 points) came at Crouchley Lane with the North-West club recording just two wins on the road.
So to begin 2024/25 with back-to-back away successes at Hull Ionians and Chester - ahead of their first home outing of the season against Fylde - is not only refreshing for Lymm but also gives them an excellent platform to build from.
Fylde will present a different challenge though, given the visitors did finish fifth last term. The Lancashire club will also arrive in Cheshire with a spring in their step after late derby day joy over Preston Grasshoppers in Round Two.
At the beginning of the calendar year, Fylde stuck 50 points on Lymm in this corresponding fixture but almost exactly 12 months ago, the boot of Tom Shard guided Saturday's hosts to a memorable 15-14 win at Woodlands. The Lymm fly-half - along with half-back partner Callum Morris - purred against Chester last time out and a similar display could garner a third win on the spin.
Leeds Tykes and Wharfedale have also made perfect starts to the term with the Tykes hosting Hull in Round Three while the Green Machine are at The Avenue to take on Tynedale.
Sheffield and Billingham are the other unbeaten sides in National Two North and they face Otley and Harrogate respectively, while a buoyant Hull Ionians entertain Chester and Preston Grasshoppers welcome Sheffield Tigers to Lightfoot Green.
Tonbridge Juddians' first two wins of the season will have been underpinned by a selection of different factors, but it is hard to ignore the work of new signing Curtis Barnes. The division is accustomed to the 30-year-old's superb balance, electric pace and clinical finishing but back-to-back hat-tricks in victories over Dorking and Colchester means the qualities of the ex-Worthing man are becoming more apparent.
Looking at things from a team perspective, just two defeats in 10 matches between January and March propelled TJs up the table - with the men from The Slade ultimately finishing in fifth place in 2023/24 - and the beginning of this campaign suggests Jordan Turner-Hall and Seb Sherwood's side could be a strong candidate for top spot this time around.
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With Barnes in their arsenal, it only adds to the threats in their squad but local rivals Sevenoaks will be out to stop the winger and his teammates on Saturday. After successive defeats, Adam Bowman's charges are yet to register a point but they did go unbeaten against Tonbridge Juddians last season. (A 19-19 draw followed by a 24-22 victory in February).
Fellow Kent counterparts Canterbury are one of the early pacesetters with TJs and they face Worthing in Round Three while the unbeaten records of Guernsey Raiders and newly-promoted Havant will be on the line when the pair meet at Hooks Lane.
Elsewhere, Henley Hawks - who are two from two - visit Westcombe Park and Barnes take on Colchester while Dorking go to Old Albanian and Bury St Edmunds host newcomers Oxford Harlequins.
National Two West's Player of the Week for Round Two went to Camborne's Josh Matavesi for a brilliant all-round performance in the Cherry and Whites' 43-35 derby day victory over Redruth. Whether it was his perfectly timed turnovers which led to tries, his in-game intelligence or his thunderous carries, the former Fiji international was a threat for the 75 minutes he was on the field.
After returning 'home' last term, Matavesi made 19 appearances for a Camborne side who were back in the National Leagues for the first time in more than 20 years. At Christmas, Steve Larkins' men were beginning to write one of the stories of the season as they sat third in the standings, but injuries struck and eight defeats from their final 12 games saw them slide away from the title picture.
But the Cornish outfit have made a flying start to this campaign, winning both of their fixtures and scoring 95 points in the process.
Yes, they were given a fright by Redruth after seeing a 43-7 lead cut to just eight points but if top spot is on the radar of Matavesi and Camborne, perhaps their credentials will be truly tested when they host Taunton on Saturday.
The Titans have come down from National One but Tony Yapp's side has already experienced the quality that National Two West has to offer. A frustrating 33-3 loss on opening day at early table-toppers Loughborough Students was followed by a battling 34-19 victory over Hornets so the Somerset outfit will be keen to build on the positives of last week.
There was a chance that former Exeter Chief Ollie Devoto would be pitting his wits against ex-Bath man Matavesi in National League Rugby's version of a West Country derby but instead, it looks like the experienced Jermaine Jones and Nick Mason will be tasked with stopping the star of Round Two.
As mentioned above, Loughborough Students currently lead the way in National Two West and expect some more free-flowing rugby from Martin Webdale's men when they visit an expansive Hornets side in Round Three while a very intriguing clash between two of last year's top three - Luctonians and Clifton - is one to watch out for.
Exeter University are the other remaining side yet to taste defeat and they host new boys Macclesfield while Bournville take on Redruth, Old Redcliffians face Devonport Services and two teams looking to open their account - Hinckley and Cinderford - meet at Leicester Road.
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