Well got a good few wrong last week, going a day early with this one as its a Friday night game, Saturdays still doing homework on. The recall of many players to the mother ship was not taken into account as much as it should have been in my predictions last week. The biggest loss being Titans missing the 8,9 and 10 who have guided them this year but they played very well for Exeter. Deep breath and go again, just my thoughts and I put it each week,please don’t take offence!

Fri 19-Nov-2021 

     Rosslyn Park v Blackheath  5-1 

City slickers at home on a Friday night on the plastic, its like a dream come true for them! Whats interesting about this game is of the starting xv’s. I’d say it's an even split come kick off of 10 from Park, 10 from Club and 10 from OEs. Which might make life interesting for some and not as clear cut as you may think!

Blackheath, at last came good last week against a very underpowered Titans side, who were missing their spine of 8,9 and 10 to name just 3, but a win is a win and you can only play what’s in front of you. Park rolled their sleeves up and took a bonus point on the road, when I thought they might struggle. I can really only see this going one way, Park even without the loan/duel reg players of Cokanasiga etc  just have too much in the tank. Also I do think one swallow does not make a summer at Club, I think they will hang on for a bit, till being outgunned in the second half. You can bet the wine bars will be empty in Fulham Road Friday night as they descend to the Rock. So City slickers will want to put on a show, preen their feathers and close the gap on Cindy, overnight at least or do Club have a bite, and use the last minute cancelled pre season home fixture on a Wednesday night having gone to The Rock on the Saturday as motivation for pay back! 

And here is my view on the rest:

Sat 20-Nov-2021

     Bishop's Stortford v Birmingham Moseley   5-2 

You get your moneys worth if you follow Stortford, although not always the result. They threw the ball about at Cindy last week, till the home side decided to put their foot on the throat and slow it down, but that was 68 minutes in. I can see the same happening here, will a high score for the home side. Moseley were out of sorts v Park. Thought they would ground it out more, like they did in the second half at Taunton the week before. I can see them scoring well in this, but think Stortfords all court game as long as it stays dry will come to the surface.

     Leeds Tykes v Chinnor   5-2

As said last week, Leeds will play and a great hat trick by the full back Andrew Lawson proved that and they came close at Caldy.  Chinnor however have to now ask what’s going on with the petrol tank, they look out of juice on 60 minutes every game. If you look back at the games played this season, to be caught once happens, twice is unlucky, but this is most weeks, they build up a 15/20 point lead and are out of juice come the final 1/4, they have got away with it a good few times, Blackheath at home being an example 28-0 up with 20 to go and nearly lost, but this time its come to bite them on the bum. You do not give up that lead week in week out. S and C staff will be asked a few questions, or is it a case of some of the new players just being of that age where 60minutes is just enough. If Leeds are clear on 60, they could pull away with this because as said they play.

     Plymouth Albion v Cambridge    5-2 

So what Albion do we get, the one that wins lost causes as in last week, or the one that just does not look at the races as in the Caldy game. Have to say it was a hell of a turn around against Chinnor to score 3 tries in the last 7 minutes whilst being 15 points a drift with 10 to go, Duckers feet danced like MJ in the moon walk . Cambridge as expected picked up a full house v TJs with Brownlie in the driving seat at most line outs, fair play to his try count. However I think the money men from Cambridge will have their work cut out with this one, Plymouths line out D looks decent and big Herbie will be to the front stopping any driving line outs. There will be a battle royal in a very physical mid field on both sides with To’a and Raumakita v Henna and Lloyd going to be box office in the collisions  but just think Albi will edge this in a high scoring game as they will be able to find an answer to the Cambridge main weapon the driving line out

Rams v Cinderford  2-5

Match of the week, by far.  Rams need a win, or really its 3rd place at best for them this season and that will only be with a massive fight with Sale. The boys from the Forest came good v Stortfords all court game last week, however they will want to bring control to this and its not in their DNA to play the you score 5 we score 6 every week. These sides are very evenly matched. I think Cindy have the edge up front Rams in the backs. The are certainly going to be some very big collisions. However saying that if Cindy’s skipper Hone  can stop Rams go to man Robbie Stapley as well as his fellow back row warriors at source and get on the front foot, I think Cindy will have too much control in the front 5 with Porter,Taylor and Dancer to the fore.

Look, I think there is a fag paper between these 2 well matched sides and it should be a cracking game if weather stays dry, I just think the belief that the “Cindy Band of Brothers” have will carry them through and Rams have been out of sorts since they beat the City slickers which does happen when you put too much into one game. The other thing I think is, like Taunton this year Rams in year one played with freedom, nobody expected anything and they got on a roll, this year their card is marked and they are suffering a little from second season syndrome, nothing wrong in that, just need to shake the chains free and play

     Taunton v Caldy 2-5

It was very obvious to all last week, the loss of Prior, Maunders and Walsh at 8-9-10 from the starting xv against Club, underpowered Titans, there were others missing as well, but that 8-9-10 hole was massive. It was almost like a different side was playing. If the half backs stay with Exeter this week and Prior is still injured, Caldy are too street wise. I said last week that with Nicky Royal back its an extra attacking force, and he will win games, he scored the final 2 to take  Caldy clear of Leeds coming off the bench on his return. With JJ driving the pack and Titans possible missing their stars, Im going for a Caldy win on the road with Royal enjoying with wide open spaces of Somerset.

     Tonbridge Juddians v Darlington Mowden Park 1-5

DMP going caught cold by Sale last week and then spent 30 minutes playing into their hands. Decided to wake up but by then Sale were able to do a Sale, slow the game down to walking pace being 2 scores plus up and DMP could get no tempo into it, Johnson gave a master class at 10 of how to run a game for the second week running. TJ’s on the other hand were totally outclassed at big spenders Cambridge and that was a one horse race, as I can see several of their games turning into, despite all the huff and puff they ain’t going to blow anybody’s house down, yes they will win the odd game, but they will also take a lot of water onboard in some as well. I can see DMP having a sting in their tails and if their main two are involved from Falcons in Lockwood and Passman, this could be yet another very long afternoon for TJ’s as Passman will relish a 1 on 1 with whoever he might find hiding on the wing in D for TJ’s. I can also see this being a high scoring game if the weather stays dry, its just a question of how loaded DMP travel as they need a win and a repeat of Chinnor away could be on the cards.

What a total joke that  score was for any Club supporter tonight, well played Park!

I said in my preview that one swallow,etc