National League Rugby Preview: February set to sharpen the minds of many as intensity rises
Henley Hawks will be eyeing an important victory against local rivals Oxford Harlequins
©Steve Karpa
The race to the finish line begins in Round 19, as teams intensify their push for promotion and fight to secure their survival.
National One
And just like that, we enter the final eight rounds of the National One season and, not for the first time in recent years, a thrilling conclusion awaits at both ends of the table.
There was a change at the summit last week as Rotherham Titans (1st) made full use of their game in hand, a 54-0 bonus-point win over Clifton sending them one point clear.
Since their pre-Christmas defeat to Leeds Tykes, Harvey Biljon’s side have rediscovered their rhythm with four successive bonus-point victories, and the South Yorkshire outfit will not be looking beyond this weekend’s visit of 12th-placed Dings Crusaders.
That said, the coming weeks are impossible to ignore.
Supporters of Rotherham and fellow title contenders Plymouth Albion (2nd) and Blackheath (3rd) will already have one eye on a pivotal run of fixtures.
In two weeks, Albion host Blackheath before ‘Club’ welcome Rotherham to The Utilita in Round 22. Seven days later, the current top two meet at Clifton Lane.
Fourth-placed Sale FC could yet have a decisive say, particularly with clashes against all of the current top three in April.
For now, though, attention is on this weekend. While Rotherham host Dings, Plymouth Albion entertain Tonbridge Juddians (7th).
Both Roth and Albion were beaten in the reverse fixtures back in October, but they are different propositions on home soil.
Albion are riding a nine-game winning streak overall and have lost just once in their last 15 matches at Brickfields.
Blackheath (3rd) are also at home, targeting a seventh straight victory on their own patch when they face Birmingham Moseley (10th).
‘Club’ sit seven points behind Plymouth, while Mose continue to edge away from danger. With just one defeat in six, they are four points clear of the bottom three with a game in hand, though the 'relegation play-off place' is still lurking over their shoulder.
Leeds Tykes (11th) - who occupy that particular spot - have significantly boosted their survival hopes over the past fortnight.
Impressive wins at table rivals Clifton and Sedgley Park have lifted Pete Seabourne and Pete Lucock’s men out of the drop zone and two points above it.
With 14th-placed Leicester Lions to come next week, Leeds will be eager to maintain momentum against Bishop’s Stortford (8th).
Tom Coleman’s side travel to Yorkshire six points clear of their hosts, buoyed by a dramatic 26-21 victory over Sale FC last time out.
Elsewhere in the battle for survival, Clifton (13th) are searching for a response after six defeats in seven have dragged them into the bottom three.
The Lavender and Blacks sit five points from safety ahead of their trip to sixth-placed Rams. Sedgley Park (9th), halted by Leeds last week, host fifth-placed Rosslyn Park, looking to steady their own course.
And at the foot of the table, Leicester Lions (14th) are 20 points adrift of the relegation play-off spot as they head to Sale FC (4th).
Survival for a third straight season appears to be an uphill task for Gareth Collins’ young side, though they have won four of their last five meetings against 'The Dogs'.
National Two North
Last Saturday morning, there would have been understandable frustration at Abbeydale Park as Sheffield’s (1st) clash with Scunthorpe was postponed for the third time this season.
But by the evening, the league leaders may well have been smiling.
Despite not playing, their grip on top spot strengthened as nearest challengers Macclesfield (2nd) saw their flawless nine-match winning run come to an end against Hull Ionians.
Sheffield remain four points clear and now hold two games in hand over their title rivals ahead of a return to action against third-from-bottom Hull (12th).
Next weekend, Anthony Posa’s men host Macc in what could prove to be a season-defining game, but as winger Christian Hooper told Talking Rugby Union last week, that will count for little if focus slips.
Hull, meanwhile, are seeking to rediscover the early January form that boosted their survival hopes.
Successive wins have been followed by defeats to Billingham and Macclesfield, keeping them in the relegation play-off spot.
Seven points clear of the drop zone, any return against the unbeaten leaders would be hugely significant.
Macclesfield (2nd) will aim to respond immediately to last week’s setback when they travel to Billingham (8th), though that is easier said than done despite just one defeat since the end of October.
This is because Billingham have been revitalised by three successive victories. Wins over Hull and Otley were followed by a tense 27-24 success against sixth-placed Fylde, leaving spirits high at Greenwood Road.
Macclesfield’s slip allowed Tynedale (3rd) to close the gap to four points after their win at Otley. It is now six victories from seven for Tyne, form their Round 19 hosts Preston Grasshoppers (11th) would gladly take.
Hoppers have just one win in nine and, as they did at this stage last season, have slid down the table.
Dan Orwin’s side sit seven points clear of the 'relegation play-off place', but after almost three weeks without action, it remains to be seen whether they return rusty or refreshed.
By contrast, fourth-placed Hull Ionians need no lift after an impressive fortnight.
Maliq Holden’s men have beaten both Tynedale and Macclesfield and are now 10 points off the play-off spot. They head into their meeting with Wharfedale (7th) having won seven of their last eight games.
At the foot of the table, postponements have stalled Scunthorpe’s (14th) survival push. The Greens are set for just their third outing of 2026 when they travel to sixth-placed Fylde.
They sit eight points adrift of the relegation play-off position but have three games in hand. Fellow bottom two side Rossendale (13th) will also look to close the gap on Hull when they host fifth-placed Darlington Mowden Park.
Elsewhere, Sheffield Tigers (9th) - who defeated DMP last time out - will be targeting a third straight win as they welcome Otley (10th), who have managed just one victory in eight.
National Two East
We hardly know where to begin with National Two East, as Round 19 has thrown up a series of key encounters at both ends of the table.
We’ll start at the summit with leaders Old Albanian (1st), who hold a four-point advantage at the top.
A clean sweep of bonus-point wins in January could yet prove pivotal for James Osborn and Dan George’s side, particularly given the manner of those successes, with OAs forced to dig deep and show their character.
The next fortnight, however, may also be crucial to their ambitions. Before travelling to second-placed Oundle next Saturday, OAs head to fourth-placed Canterbury.
Despite seeing their eight-match winning run halted in Round 18, the City Men will provide a stern examination.
Canterbury have lost just once at home all season and will be desperate to respond to their 28-21 defeat to Havant two weeks ago.
There is also another top-six tussle in Round 19 as Oundle (2nd) visit Dorking (6th). As mentioned, Oundle are Old Albanian’s nearest challengers and come into this weekend on a 10-match unbeaten run.
Dorking, meanwhile, will be keen to put a frustrating, winless January behind them as they return to The Big Field.
With teams around them going head-to-head, Bury St Edmunds (3rd) will want to focus on their own job.
The Wolfpack, beaten 30-29 by Westcombe Park last time out, will be determined to bounce back, but that task looks far from straightforward against a Havant (8th) side in excellent form.
Rob Matthews and Will Knight’s men have strung together five successive bonus-point wins to ease any lingering relegation concerns and instead turn their focus up the table.
Recent history also points towards entertainment at the GK IPA Haberden. Across the three meetings between these sides since Havant’s promotion, an average of 77 points have been scored.
At the other end of the division, the stakes are high, with four of the bottom five meeting in Round 19.
It feels like a huge afternoon in Oxfordshire as Henley Hawks (13th) host fellow strugglers Oxford Harlequins (14th) at Dry Leas.
Henley showed real grit during January - particularly in their last outing away at promotion-chasing Oundle - and more of that spirit will be required over the final eight matches of their campaign.
Luke Allen’s side sit six points behind Sevenoaks, who occupy the 'relegation play-off spot', and this weekend represents a significant opportunity for the Hawks to apply some pressure.
Oxford Quins, of course, will have other ideas, even if their battle to remain at Level 4 is a steeper climb.
As it stands, they are 18 points adrift of Sevenoaks, but victory in this latest derby could provide a timely lift in confidence for Pete Davies’ side.
Sevenoaks (12th) themselves face an important assignment as they travel to Guernsey Raiders (10th).
Adam Bowman’s side ended January with a valuable 22-15 win over London Welsh and will be keen to build momentum on their travels.
Guernsey, though, concluded the month with wins over Oxford Harlequins and Esher to keep themselves at arm’s length from any immediate relegation concerns.
Speaking of Esher (11th), they remain firmly in the thick of the battle and patience may be required under new boss Mike Brown. The EEEs would be greatly encouraged by a positive result at fifth-placed Barnes this weekend.
And lastly, Westcombe Park (7th) - buoyed by their Round 18 win over Bury St Edmunds - travel to London Welsh (9th).
National Two West
It may be Valentine’s Day on Saturday, but there will be little love lost when old rivals Exeter University (12th) and Loughborough Students (13th) meet in a huge clash at the foot of the table.
Exeter sit two points above Loughborough, who occupy a relegation place, but they were unable to strengthen their own survival bid in their game in hand last week, falling 30-14 at Redruth.
That result only heightens the significance of this latest chapter between the two, whilst Loughborough’s hopes were damaged in Rounds 17 and 18 with losses to fellow bottom two side Syston as well as Old Redcliffians.
Exeter have won their last two home matches, though - as was the case last year - this fixture will be staged at Millfield School, where Gareth Elliott’s side snatched a dramatic 30-29 victory 12 months ago.
The reverse fixture this term was just as breathless, Loughborough edging a 42-39 thriller, so with little margin for error, which of these rivals will land a telling blow at a pivotal stage of the season?
Syston (14th) currently anchor the division and sit 14 points behind Exeter University (who are in the relegation play-off position) but will continue to fight when they host fourth-from-bottom Lymm (11th).
The Cheshire visitors will be looking to get their season back on track after six defeats in their last seven matches.
At the top, Camborne (1st) continue to be in control, with the Cherry and Whites resuming their title charge with an eight-point buffer at the summit.
Tom Kessell’s men are on an eight-match winning run and take this streak to Old Redcliffians (9th), who themselves are enjoying a strong spell.
Dan Cox’s side picked up three consecutive victories to end January, a run that has completely shifted the dial in Old Reds’ season as they are now 13 points clear of the bottom two.
However, adding another success to their recent momentum will be an extremely tough task, but at Scotland Lane, they won’t make life easy for the league leaders.
Luctonians (2nd) are making the play-off spot their own, and while the title race is still burning brightly, creating some breathing room between themselves and those behind is certainly not a bad thing.
Rob Lewis and George Thomas’ men are 20 points clear of third-placed Hinckley (albeit with a game in hand) and could strengthen that position by adding to their recent run of five wins when they travel to Barnstaple (4th).
The Chiefs, who have been the surprise package this season, have struggled to replicate the results they produced in the first half of the campaign and will be seeking a first win in five this weekend.
The aforementioned Hinckley (3rd) had their game in hand against Taunton postponed for the second time last week, but they return to Leicester Road to face fifth-placed Cinderford.
Elsewhere, Hornets (6th) host Redruth (8th), who shot up to eighth after last week’s win over Exeter University.
And after the severe flooding they experienced last month, Taunton Titans (7th) are back at the Summerfield Stadium to host Chester (10th).
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