National 1 Prediction league 2022 week 23

Some big games this week, so let's take a look at them in a little depth, as always please don’t take offence these are my views and what do I know!

Leeds Tykes v Cinderford     1-5 

Leeds will not be to bothered about this result, yes a win would be nice but they have bigger fish to fry starting with TJ’s next week, however Cindy will be, its a must win game for them, With the other sides at the top playing each other this is a chance to pick up some ground and really put themselves back in the mix, after a small off period mid season, they have now shaken that off and the last 2 results have pull them back in the running

Birmingham Moseley v Plymouth Albion     4-1 Moseley took TJs apart last week to ease the pressure, Seb Nagel-Taylor is a great loan signing and will cause many sides issues and as long as he is playing Moseley will be clear of the bottom 2. Plymouth lost in the mud to Cindy, this result means more to Moseley than Plymouth as Albi will be looking at TJ’s and Club coming to visit Brickfields in the next two weeks as the games they must win. They do that they are out of trouble I think

Blackheath v Tonbridge Juddians   2-2 Kent derby, but one side has more to lose than the other, it's a simple as that, as I see It. 

TJs are already down, but club must win this. However if they beat the bottom side, which they should, its still status quo, as they are expected to win this and they still have other sides around them to play and more, much more importantly the other sides have TJ’s to play as well as games in hand, they lose, there will be many questions asked as I think they could well finish second to bottom.

Caldy v Cambridge     5-1  You cannot stop saying things good about The Ravers and this will be a cracking game. Cambridge as we know have invested and spent a lot of money to get to this position and are on a roll, on the other hand Caldy from their shack on the hill, with little funding have been outstanding, just outstanding and are what a true rugby club is all about. Look the weather is not going to be pretty and thats the reason Im going for the home side as long as Caldy have an answer to the Cambridge rolling maul. I think JJ Dickenson and his forwards will just control matters up front and home advantage in these conditions should play into their hands. This will be a game for many layers if you have a double number on your back, as the open spaces of Caldy will be blowing a hooley

Darlington Mowden Park v Chinnor  4-1 DMP need to pick this win up, Chinnor have lost the last 3. DMP were in the game for 50 at Stortford last week and home advantage as above will play into their hands. As for Chinnor, they have a mid table finish on their hands as the top 5 have long gone and really don’t have as much to play for as DMP who need to get away from the mess at the bottom.

Rams v Bishop's Stortford     5-2 Both sides have good wins last week. Rams outstanding at the Rock, Stortford welcomed their leader Winter back as he has been missed and came from behind to beat DMP. Rams need to back up last weeks win and I think they will although Stortford will push them all the way.

Sale FC v Rosslyn Park 5-1 Another cracking game in store. So Sale have been on a march since the Caldy loss at Xmas, Johnson is pulling the strings at 10 and everybody is buying in. They were many points down last week at Taunton and came back to register a good win, so the heart is pumping strong inside the team. The City slickers have gone off the boil, sorry Ranger. My view on this is they have missed one key man and are also making a very basic error in the last 5 weeks. Forget the TJ’s result as that was always going to happen, but since Ben Howard has been out injured the back line has not fired and this is a major issue for Park, the close win v DMP was the writing on the wall, since then they have lost at Stortford and against Rams, as they just don’t have anybody running the cutting and support lines the Ex Worcester boy did, to get them over the gain line and make half breaks, which Park on the plastic were good at flooding to finish off and until he his back, I just don't see them clicking outside against any top team, look I might be very wrong but I think this is a big reason. The other point to make is they have been using 3 different 9’s In Gash, Baldwin and Lewis, each play in a totally different way, each a good player, but how can you play a game plan that you settle into when the 9 changes each week, that is something that is very strange and it makes no sense what so ever! 

I think it will be pretty even up front with the Ellis twins v Priestly-Nagel and Hughes cancelling each other out. The loss of Barron (badly injured at Taunton, best wishes for a speedy recovery) will be big, but I understand Posselweight might be back on loan from Sharks as cover for the run in, which if true will really help.

Stay safe in the weather and let's hope that the wind and rain does not spoil some cracking games that are lined up for this weekend. 

Lastly thoughts are with Evesham RFC this weekend after that dreadful news. It is such a good sign that so many clubs have retired the 11 shirt this weekend in a mark of respect, that is outstanding show of respect from the rugby world.