NLR Focus: Late heroics tightens the races across National League Rugby
With Cinderford knocking Redruth off top spot in National Two West, Clifton (pictured) and Luctonians are now level on points at the summit
©Ian Clark
Round Nine of National League Rugby, played on Saturday 7 November, brought big results at both ends of National One and another twist in the National Two West title race.
Plymouth Albion made it nine wins from nine in the third tier, while Luctonians and Clifton moved level at the top in the National Two West. Sedgley Park continued their unbeaten National Two North campaign with a commanding win over Fylde.
National One: Dings Crusaders fightback as Plymouth keep rolling
The most dramatic finish in National One came at Abbeydale Park, where Dings Crusaders (10th) beat Sheffield (13th) 43-38. The five-point win gives Dings an important lift in the fight to move away from the bottom three, with Harry Rowson's late scoring clinching the win for Stean Williams and Luke Arscott's side.
Plymouth Albion (1st) remain four points clear at the summit after beating Rams (12th) 35-21. Tonbridge Juddians (2nd) responded to their first defeat of the season with a battling 41-27 home win over Bury St Edmunds (11th), while Camborne (3rd) continued their strong form with a 66-35 victory over Bishop’s Stortford (9th).
Leeds Tykes (4th) defeated Birmingham Moseley (8th) 33-19, Sale FC (5th) won 45-40 in a pulsating game at London Scottish (7th), and Rosslyn Park (6th) beat Cambridge 66-21. Cambridge (14th) remain winless after nine rounds.
The standings keep Plymouth unbeaten on top, with Tonbridge Juddians second and Camborne third. Dings’ win is especially valuable. The NLR preview had identified their match against Sheffield as pivotal, with only a point separating the sides before kick-off.
National Two North: Sedgley make it nine
Sedgley Park’s (1st) 52-27 victory over Fylde (9th) was another emphatic performance from the league leaders. They remain unbeaten after nine matches and continue to set the pace.
Darlington Mowden Park (2nd) beat Otley (14th) 36-12, while Chester’s (5th) trip to Tynedale (3rd) ended in a 59-12 defeat. Sheffield Tigers' (7th) good form continued as they beat Billingham 47-21, and Wharfedale (13th) took a valuable 34-29 away win at Huddersfield (11th).
Heath (10th) edged Harrogate (8th) 34-33 in a tense local derby. The home side trailed at half-time but rallied to secure the win, while Hull Ionians (4th) beat Preston Grasshoppers (6th) 48-14 to move up to fourth.
Sedgley remain top, with DMP among the leading challengers. Heath’s narrow success gave them a timely lift, while Wharfedale’s away win also matters in a tight lower half.
National Two East: Oundle and Esher extend the gap
Oundle (1st) stayed unbeaten with a last-gasp 26-19 win away at Jersey (13th). Esher (2nd) kept up the pursuit, beating Henley (10th) 38-27, while Old Albanian (3rd) won 40-26 at Leicester Lions (12th).
Guernsey (4th) returned to winning ways by beating Havant (9th) 36-28, Canterbury (6th) won 39-34 at London Welsh (11th), Colchester (8th) edged Dorking (5th) 36-33 in an absorbing contest at Raven Park, and Barnes (7th) took a 31-21 win at Westcombe Park (14th). Oundle remain top with a perfect record; Esher are second, four points behind, with Old Albanian third.
National Two West: Three clubs crowd the summit
Luctonians (1st) and Clifton (2nd) both won to move to 40 points, with Hinckley (3rd now just one point behind. Redruth (4th), beaten for the first time last weekend, lost again, 22-16 at Cinderford (6th) and now sit fourth on 36 points.
Luctonians recorded the largest win of the round, beating Barnstaple (11th) 53-7. Clifton (2nd) defeated Exeter University 35-29, while Hinckley (3rd) fought back to beat Lymm (8th) 36-15. Old Redcliffians (5th) won 31-14 against Taunton Titans to make it five wins in a row, Loughborough Students (9th) beat Devonport Services (14th) 54-26, and Hornets (10th) overcame Bournville (12th) 57-17.
Footnote: Tarleton earn their first point
A shoutout to Tarleton, who drew 17-17 with Aldwinians in Counties One Lancashire and Cheshire. It was Tarleton’s first positive result of the season after seven matches; a hard-earned result against a side sitting fourth in the table.
