Sheffield Tigers and Scunthorpe set for defining round

Scunthorpe and Sheffield Tigers are set for a defining weekend in National Two North as both sides continue to work towards safety with just two rounds of action left in the campaign.

Both teams are still in the bottom three as we enter the final weeks of the season with 14^th placed Sheffield Tigers just four points from safety while Scunthorpe are six points adrift of survival.

Mathematically, both clubs can be relegated this weekend. If Sheffield Tigers lose at home to South Leicester and other results in this division and in National Two South go against them, then they could go down tomorrow and that applies to Scunthorpe as well if they fall to a defeat against Luctonians.

Towards the top of the table, Sale FC are still fully focused on their final two games of the season despite the second placed side having already guaranteed a play-off spot. Jonathan Keep’s men know that two more victories will mean that the National Two play-off will be held at their own ground, Heywood Road, so they will be taking nothing for granted between now and next weekend.

Elsewhere in National Two North this Saturday, newly crowned champions Caldy travel to Wharfedale and Leicester Lions host Hinckley. Also, Sedgley Park and Chester battle it out at Park Lane, Tynedale go to Stourbridge and Harrogate welcome Otley to Rudding Lane.

Wharfedale v Caldy

Caldy’s league title was secured two weeks ago and considering they also sealed automatic promotion and have already racked up a century of points for this term, the newly crowned champions can enjoy their final two games of this season. The Wirral side fully deserved to win this division against Sale FC having put together a phenomenal run of results which they will be hoping to continue over the next two weeks.

Simon Verbickas’ side head to Skipton this Saturday to take on Wharfedale having won their last 20 matches. Added to that, the men from Paton Field have not lost since the opening day of the season – which is a run of 27 games - so they will be keen to keep that record intact in their final away fixture of the campaign.

Despite all the records and the run of form Caldy are on, this won’t be an easy task for them this weekend. Wharfedale lost away at Chester last time out, but a losing bonus-point was enough to secure their status in this division after a tough campaign for James Doherty and his side.

One of the positives to come out of this season for Dale is their home form. They welcome Caldy to Yorkshire tomorrow having won their last eight matches on their own turf. In fact, all 10 of Wharfedale’s wins this season have come at the Avenue and another triumph in front of their own supporters this weekend would be the perfect way to conclude their home fixtures for this season.

Sale FC v Preston Grasshoppers

Defeat in Round 28 against Caldy meant that Sale FC’s hopes of automatic promotion to National One were ended, but Jonathan Keep’s side are fully aware that their ambitions for a place in the third tier of English rugby are far from over. Sale are back at home tomorrow when they host Preston Grasshoppers and as things stand, Heywood Road is exactly where the play-off match will be contested for a spot in National One.

The Manchester based club have already nailed down second place in this division and they know that victories against Preston Grasshoppers and Otley from their final two fixtures will be enough to make sure that the National Two play-off will be held at Heywood Road.

The odds are firmly stacked in Sale’s favour to achieve just that as Preston Grasshoppers take the short trip to Manchester having already been relegated from National Two North. Hoppers’ fate was sealed two weeks ago as they fell to a home defeat against Harrogate and that was actually their 23^rd loss of the season.

It has been a difficult campaign for Garth Dew’s side as they have won just five times all year, but they will be eager to end their time in this division in a positive fashion. The men from Lightfoot Green have won just once away from home all term – that coming against Wharfedale on the opening day– and if they were to double that tally in their final away match of the campaign, it would arguably be their result of the season.

Leicester Lions v Hinckley

Andy Key will take charge of Leicester Lions for the final time at Westleigh Park this weekend as he prepares take over the reins at Championship side Rotherham Titans next season. Key guided the Lions to an impressive third place finish last year and he is on course to match that achievement this time around as we enter the final two fixtures of this campaign.

The Midlands side have already surpassed their points total from last term and they know that a 20^th win of the season this Saturday could be enough for them to secure the bronze medal spot for the second successive year. As things stand, Leicester are three points clear of fourth placed Sedgley Park and a 13th triumph on home soil will edge them closer to their target for this campaign.

The target for Hinckley this season was to avoid relegation after promotion via the National Three North play-off last May. Chris Campbell and his side didn’t get off to the best of starts as they won just one of their opening seven matches but a flurry of victories between October and November played a major part in Hinckley staying clear of the battle for survival.

During that period, the men from Leicester Road won six straight matches which has been key to their success this year and despite winning the same amount of games since then, Hinckley have secured their place at this level for another season. Victory over Stourbridge two weeks ago means Hinckley will finish ninth this term which is a superb achievement and now they can play pressure rugby as they look for a derby day win over Leicester Lions tomorrow.

Sedgley Park v Chester

It has been a familiar story for Sedgley Park this season. They had been in and around the promotion places for periods of this campaign but for the third year running; Sedge will have to settle for another term in National Two North. Patchy form at the end of January scuppered their chances of catching Sale FC and now the men from Park Lane will be aiming to finish in third place between now and the end of the month.

With Matt Bebbington joining the club as the new Head Coach for next season, the Manchester-based side will be aiming to finish strongly so they can build under Bebbington and try and crack promotion to National One. For now, they will want to hunt down Leicester Lions and a sixth victory from their last eight games could see the Tigers leapfrog the Lions into the bronze medal position.

While Dean Schofield’s men might be chasing Leicester Lions, Chester are continuing to battle Sedge for a top four finish. The Cheshire side take the short journey to Park Lane tomorrow just five points behind their opponents and they know anything less than a win this weekend would all but end their chances of finishing in their highest ever position at this level since promotion four years ago.

If Chester are to achieve this aim, then they must take the extra step this Saturday. They have lost just four of their last 13 matches, but each of those four losses have come against sides currently in the top six of this division. In truth, it has been a wonderful turn around in fortunes by Chester in the second-half of this season after a patchy opening 15 matches, but they will be keen to show that they can compete further up the division next year by pulling off a victory this weekend.

Stourbridge v Tynedale

The second part of this campaign for Stourbridge has been disappointing. Neil Mitchell’s men were firmly on course to challenge Sale FC for the play-off spot back in January, but their season has tailed off dramatically. Since their victory over Leicester Lions just over three months ago, Stour have lost seven of their last nine games which has seen this term fizzle out for one of the most promising sides in the division.

For the last couple of years, Stourbridge have shown the form of their 2013/14 season when they nearly clinched promotion to National One, but they have just not been able to take the next step since then. Stour will be looking to challenge for the top spots once again next season but first, they will want to end a tough term on a positive note by securing a 12^th home victory of the campaign.

Stourbridge do have one of the best home records in the division this season despite sitting in seventh place, but they welcome a Tynedale side to Stourton Park tomorrow that just love playing away from home. Scott Lawson’s men have won seven of their last nine matches on the road and that form, coupled with improved performances at Corbridge, has seen Tyne rise to sixth in the table.

In fact, they head to the Midlands this weekend having lost just one of their last seven matches and that run of form has left them two points clear of Stourbridge heading into this encounter. Tyne are starting to look like they are back to their best after relegation from National One in 2015 and if they continue to end this season strongly, then we could see the north-east side challenge higher up the division next term.

Sheffield Tigers v South Leicester

It is crunch time for Sheffield Tigers. With just two games left to play, the Yorkshire outfit remain firmly in a relegation battle and the men from Dore Moor know that their fate could be sealed this weekend if results don’t go their way.

As things stand, Sheffield Tigers are just four points from ‘confirmed’ safety in this division, but due to the demise of London Welsh from the Championship earlier in the year, 14^th place could now be enough to save them. The NCA have ruled that the records of the two clubs in 14^th place in National Two North and National Two South will be compared and the one with the poorest playing record at the end of the season will be relegated meaning the other will avoid the drop.

Currently, Sheffield have a poorer record than 14^th place London Irish Wild Geese so if the Tigers were to lose at home to South Leicester and other results were to go against them across both divisions, then they could be relegated. However, that won’t be on the mind of the Sheffield Tigers players as a fourth victory in five matches could move them out of the relegation places this weekend.

It is sure to be a day of high emotions in Yorkshire tomorrow, but South Leicester will just be concentrating on themselves as they look to end a superb season strongly. Around this time last year, the Midlands side were dicing with danger but the men from Welford Road have certainly progressed in this campaign.

Victory last time out against Luctonians secured South a top eight finish which is a brilliant achievement and it is still possible for them to finish fifth in the table if results go their way over the next eight days. Their recent form suggests that they can still climb up this division as they head to Dore Moor tomorrow having won five of their last six games, but in truth, South may well just be looking to enjoy their final two games of this season.

Luctonians v Scunthorpe

Scunthorpe travel to Luctonians this weekend knowing that this is their last chance saloon. The side promoted into this division last year from National Three Midlands are slowly creeping towards an immediate return to the fifth tier of English rugby, but they have two games left to save their skin and pull off a remarkable escape.

As things stand, the men from Heslam Park are five points from safety and they know that they have to get a positive result against Luctonians tomorrow otherwise it could be curtains for the Greens. Scunthorpe travel to Herefordshire tomorrow having won just one of their last nine matches and Tim Robinson’s side have only picked up one victory on the road all term. That simply has to change this weekend.

Luctonians were in a similar position to Scunthorpe just over a month ago as both sides were sliding down the table. However, Alex Davidson’s men were able to stop the rot and three wins from their last five games has secured their safety at this level for another campaign.

It has been a tough season for Davidson’s side after such an excellent term in 2015/16 (where they finished in sixth place), but injuries hampered their chances of building on that success. Now, the Lucts are looking to the future as Davidson will be stepping down as Director of Rugby at the end of this season and current Backs Coach Ryan Watkins will become Head Coach. However,  Davidson will want to end his seven years with the club in a positive manner and a seventh home win of the campaign will be a good start to achieving that aim.

Harrogate v Otley

Harrogate’s win over Preston Grasshoppers two weeks ago could be the victory they look back on as the defining moment in what has been a difficult season for the Yorkshire side. Gate pulled off an excellent comeback in Lancashire to secure a win which now leaves them four points clear of the relegation places with just two matches of the season remaining.

The equation for Harrogate is simple: Win their final two fixtures against Otley and Hinckley and they avoid the drop, but we all know that is easier said than done. Harrogate cannot be relegated this weekend if results don’t go their way, but a 20^th defeat of the season could prove costly. However, Gate will be purely focused on building on their last league win and their cup success over Hull six days ago as they look to edge themselves closer to safety.

Mathematically, Otley can still be relegated but it is highly unlikely that the men from Cross Green will be fighting for their lives on the final weekend of the season in eight days’ time. It has been another inconsistent season for the Yorkshire outfit which has meant that they have been unable to move out of the bottom half of the table.

Currently, Otley sit 12^th in the league standings with 10 wins to their name, but nine of those victories have come at home which highlights how patchy Peter Clegg’s side have been this term. Head Coach Mark Luffman left the club in February, but things haven’t really improved for Otley as they enter this derby match having won just one of their last seven matches. In the last couple years, Otley have ended the campaign with a series of defeats and they will be hoping to buck that trend this time around.